🔗 Share this article Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia. With time, people discover strategies to handle their sound sensitivity. Lottie hopes for being with her family during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast. For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger intense distress. "I get this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises." Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises coming from other people. The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it. Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it. "My relatives are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers. Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings. A 21-year-old student is considering coping mechanisms to get her through the holiday dinner. The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers. She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard". "There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "It's like this sudden rage 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 difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience." Several Strategies to Cope If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists. Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
With time, people discover strategies to handle their sound sensitivity. Lottie hopes for being with her family during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast. For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger intense distress. "I get this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises." Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises coming from other people. The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it. Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it. "My relatives are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers. Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings. A 21-year-old student is considering coping mechanisms to get her through the holiday dinner. The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers. She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard". "There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "It's like this sudden rage 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 difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience." Several Strategies to Cope If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists. Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.