🔗 Share this article Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers. With time, individuals discover strategies to try to better manage their sound sensitivity. A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal. For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress. "I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers." Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful". Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals. It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers discovered almost one in five people are affected by it. Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking. 'Anxiety Inducing' The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it. "Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's clear why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals. Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely. Another individual is considering ways to help her during the family meal. She, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize problematic noises. She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult". "People assume you to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in. "It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it." Three Ways to Cope If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists. Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
With time, individuals discover strategies to try to better manage their sound sensitivity. A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal. For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress. "I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers." Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful". Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals. It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers discovered almost one in five people are affected by it. Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking. 'Anxiety Inducing' The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it. "Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's clear why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals. Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely. Another individual is considering ways to help her during the family meal. She, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize problematic noises. She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult". "People assume you to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in. "It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it." Three Ways to Cope If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists. Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.