🔗 Share this article The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. With time, sufferers discover ways to cope with their condition. One young woman hopes for seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner. For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a especially challenging season as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and sniffling trigger profound anxiety. "I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds." She has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds made by individuals. It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers reported a significant portion of people suffer from it. Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it. "Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly." So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely. Jenna is already thinking about ways to help her during the family meal. Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize problematic noises. She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging". "There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's draining. "I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate. "To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience." Three Ways to Cope If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts. Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
With time, sufferers discover ways to cope with their condition. One young woman hopes for seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner. For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a especially challenging season as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and sniffling trigger profound anxiety. "I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds." She has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds made by individuals. It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers reported a significant portion of people suffer from it. Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it. "Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly." So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely. Jenna is already thinking about ways to help her during the family meal. Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize problematic noises. She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging". "There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's draining. "I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate. "To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience." Three Ways to Cope If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts. Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.