Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
