🔗 Share this article Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia. Over the years, sufferers develop ways to try to better manage their sound sensitivity. One young woman hopes for being with her family this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner. For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable. "I get this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds." The individual has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by those around you. The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people experience it. Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. Triggering Stress The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing 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 really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals. Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely. Jenna is already thinking about coping mechanisms to help her during the holiday dinner. Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers. She explains her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard". "People assume you to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in. "To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it." A Few Techniques to Cope For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists. Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
Over the years, sufferers develop ways to try to better manage their sound sensitivity. One young woman hopes for being with her family this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner. For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable. "I get this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds." The individual has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by those around you. The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people experience it. Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. Triggering Stress The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing 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 really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals. Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely. Jenna is already thinking about coping mechanisms to help her during the holiday dinner. Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers. She explains her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard". "People assume you to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in. "To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it." A Few Techniques to Cope For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists. Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.