🔗 Share this article The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers. Over the years, people develop ways to cope with their condition. Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast. In her case, the holidays can be a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable. "There's this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises." Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those made by other people. It is prevalent in the UK. A study found almost one in five people experience it. Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. A Source of Dread She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it. "My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals. Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings. A 21-year-old student is planning strategies to help her during the family meal. Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers. She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult". "There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining. "The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in. "It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it." A Few Techniques to Cope If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to experts. Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
Over the years, people develop ways to cope with their condition. Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast. In her case, the holidays can be a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable. "There's this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises." Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those made by other people. It is prevalent in the UK. A study found almost one in five people experience it. Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. A Source of Dread She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it. "My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals. Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings. A 21-year-old student is planning strategies to help her during the family meal. Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers. She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult". "There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining. "The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in. "It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it." A Few Techniques to Cope If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to experts. Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.