🔗 Share this article Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. Over the years, sufferers develop strategies to handle their misophonia. One young woman hopes for seeing her relatives over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal. In her case, Christmas is a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety. "I get this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises." The individual has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by individuals. It is prevalent amongst adults. A study found a significant portion of people are affected by it. Often it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it. "Those close to me are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves." So it's clear why the most wonderful season can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition. Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether. Another individual is already thinking about strategies to get her through the family meal. Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid distressing triggers. She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard". "People assume you to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying 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." Several Strategies to Cope If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists. Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
Over the years, sufferers develop strategies to handle their misophonia. One young woman hopes for seeing her relatives over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal. In her case, Christmas is a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety. "I get this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises." The individual has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by individuals. It is prevalent amongst adults. A study found a significant portion of people are affected by it. Often it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it. "Those close to me are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves." So it's clear why the most wonderful season can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition. Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether. Another individual is already thinking about strategies to get her through the family meal. Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid distressing triggers. She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard". "People assume you to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying 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." Several Strategies to Cope If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists. Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.