A 23-year-old hopes for being with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays is a especially challenging season as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has suffered from misophonia for several years 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 amongst adults. Experts found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
