đź”— Share this article Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers. With time, sufferers develop methods to cope with their condition. A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal. In her case, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging season as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress. "I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these sounds." The individual has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals. It is prevalent across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it. Often it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking. 'Anxiety Inducing' The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it. "My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals. Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether. A 21-year-old student is planning ways to manage the holiday dinner. She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds. She notes her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard". "People assume you to be around family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate. "It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it." Three Ways to Cope For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts. Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly 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 game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
With time, sufferers develop methods to cope with their condition. A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal. In her case, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging season as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress. "I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these sounds." The individual has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals. It is prevalent across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it. Often it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking. 'Anxiety Inducing' The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it. "My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals. Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether. A 21-year-old student is planning ways to manage the holiday dinner. She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds. She notes her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard". "People assume you to be around family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate. "It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it." Three Ways to Cope For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts. Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly 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 game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.