🔗 Share this article The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. With time, individuals have found strategies to handle their misophonia. A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal. In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable. "There's this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises." She has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by those around you. It is prevalent amongst adults. A study found almost one in five people experience it. Frequently it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it. "My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition. Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely. A 21-year-old student is planning ways to get her through the family meal. Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to escape problematic noises. She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging". "There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's draining. "I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over. "It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it." Several Strategies to Handle It For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists. Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
With time, individuals have found strategies to handle their misophonia. A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal. In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable. "There's this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises." She has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by those around you. It is prevalent amongst adults. A study found almost one in five people experience it. Frequently it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it. "My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition. Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely. A 21-year-old student is planning ways to get her through the family meal. Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to escape problematic noises. She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging". "There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's draining. "I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over. "It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it." Several Strategies to Handle It For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists. Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.