The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her family over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a notably tough season as the sounds of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has experienced this condition for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
