đź”— Share this article Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. With time, people discover strategies to try to better manage their condition. Lottie hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast. In her case, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger profound anxiety. "I experience this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers." She has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals. It is prevalent in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people are affected by it. Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping. 'Anxiety Inducing' The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it. "Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely. Jenna is planning strategies to help her during the family meal. The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape problematic noises. She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard". "There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in. "To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it." Three Ways to Manage For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists. Picture an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
With time, people discover strategies to try to better manage their condition. Lottie hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast. In her case, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger profound anxiety. "I experience this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers." She has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals. It is prevalent in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people are affected by it. Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping. 'Anxiety Inducing' The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it. "Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely. Jenna is planning strategies to help her during the family meal. The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape problematic noises. She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard". "There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in. "To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it." Three Ways to Manage For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists. Picture an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.