The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her relatives this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has experienced this condition for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers reported a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
