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The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for being with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays can be a especially challenging season as the noises of people eating, slurping and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study reported a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
Susan Bailey
Maya Chen is a seasoned tech journalist and software developer with over a decade of experience in digital innovation and cybersecurity.
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