đź”— Share this article The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia. With time, sufferers discover methods to cope with their misophonia. One young woman hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner. In her case, the holidays often feels like a notably tough time as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger extremely uncomfortable. "I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises." Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by those around you. It is prevalent amongst adults. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it. Typically it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking. Triggering Stress She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear 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 ensure the event goes smoothly." So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether. Another individual is already thinking about ways to manage the holiday dinner. Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds. She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging". "There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will take over. "It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it." Several Strategies to Cope If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts. Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
With time, sufferers discover methods to cope with their misophonia. One young woman hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner. In her case, the holidays often feels like a notably tough time as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger extremely uncomfortable. "I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises." Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by those around you. It is prevalent amongst adults. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it. Typically it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking. Triggering Stress She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear 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 ensure the event goes smoothly." So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether. Another individual is already thinking about ways to manage the holiday dinner. Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds. She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging". "There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will take over. "It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it." Several Strategies to Cope If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts. Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.