đź”— Share this article Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. Over the years, individuals discover ways to handle their misophonia. One young woman anticipates being with her family during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner. In her case, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, slurping and sniffling trigger intense distress. "I get this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers." She has experienced this condition for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from other people. The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it. Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking. 'Anxiety Inducing' Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it. "Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition. Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely. Jenna is planning ways to help her during Christmas lunch. The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize problematic noises. She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard". "There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate. "It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience." Three Ways to Manage For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists. Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
Over the years, individuals discover ways to handle their misophonia. One young woman anticipates being with her family during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner. In her case, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, slurping and sniffling trigger intense distress. "I get this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers." She has experienced this condition for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from other people. The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it. Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking. 'Anxiety Inducing' Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it. "Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition. Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely. Jenna is planning ways to help her during Christmas lunch. The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize problematic noises. She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard". "There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate. "It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience." Three Ways to Manage For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists. Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.