🔗 Share this article Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia. With time, sufferers have found methods to handle their condition. One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast. In her case, Christmas often feels like a notably tough time as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable. "I experience this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds." She has experienced this condition for several years and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you. It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people experience it. Often it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it. "My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely. Another individual is already thinking about strategies to help her during Christmas lunch. She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds. She explains her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging". "People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in. "It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience." Three Ways to Manage If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists. Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
With time, sufferers have found methods to handle their condition. One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast. In her case, Christmas often feels like a notably tough time as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable. "I experience this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds." She has experienced this condition for several years and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you. It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people experience it. Often it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it. "My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy." So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely. Another individual is already thinking about strategies to help her during Christmas lunch. She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds. She explains her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging". "People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in. "It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience." Three Ways to Manage If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists. Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.