🔗 Share this article Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers. Over the years, individuals have found strategies to try to better manage their sound sensitivity. Lottie is looking forward to being with her relatives this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner. In her case, Christmas can be a especially challenging period as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety. "I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers." Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds produced by individuals. It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported almost one in five people suffer from it. Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it. "My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves." So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition. Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether. A 21-year-old student is already thinking about coping mechanisms to get her through the family meal. Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid triggering sounds. She says her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard". "There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will activate. "It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience." Several Strategies to Handle It If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists. Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
Over the years, individuals have found strategies to try to better manage their sound sensitivity. Lottie is looking forward to being with her relatives this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner. In her case, Christmas can be a especially challenging period as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety. "I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers." Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds produced by individuals. It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported almost one in five people suffer from it. Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it. "My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves." So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition. Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether. A 21-year-old student is already thinking about coping mechanisms to get her through the family meal. Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid triggering sounds. She says her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard". "There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will activate. "It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience." Several Strategies to Handle It If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists. Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.