🔗 Share this article Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers. Over the years, people discover strategies to handle their misophonia. One young woman hopes for being with her relatives over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner. In her case, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety. "I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds." She has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by individuals. The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it. Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it. "My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy." So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals. Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether. A 21-year-old student is planning coping mechanisms to get her through the holiday dinner. The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape triggering sounds. She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard". "There is pressure to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over. "It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it." Several Strategies to Manage For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists. Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
Over the years, people discover strategies to handle their misophonia. One young woman hopes for being with her relatives over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner. In her case, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety. "I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds." She has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by individuals. The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it. Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it. "My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy." So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals. Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether. A 21-year-old student is planning coping mechanisms to get her through the holiday dinner. The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape triggering sounds. She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard". "There is pressure to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over. "It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it." Several Strategies to Manage For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists. Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.