🔗 Share this article The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. Over the years, sufferers discover methods to try to better manage their misophonia. Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal. In her case, the holidays is a notably tough period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her profound anxiety. "I get this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises." The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you. It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers discovered almost one in five people suffer from it. Often it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking. Triggering Stress The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it. "My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves." So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition. Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether. A 21-year-old student is considering coping mechanisms to get her through the holiday dinner. Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize triggering sounds. She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard". "People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will activate. "To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it." Several Strategies to Cope If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists. Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
Over the years, sufferers discover methods to try to better manage their misophonia. Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal. In her case, the holidays is a notably tough period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her profound anxiety. "I get this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises." The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you. It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers discovered almost one in five people suffer from it. Often it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking. Triggering Stress The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it. "My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves." So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition. Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether. A 21-year-old student is considering coping mechanisms to get her through the holiday dinner. Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize triggering sounds. She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard". "People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will activate. "To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it." Several Strategies to Cope If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists. Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.