π Share this article Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers. Over the years, people develop strategies to cope with their misophonia. A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner. In her case, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time as the sounds of people eating, slurping and sniffling cause her profound anxiety. "I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers." Lottie has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those coming from those around you. It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts found a significant portion of people are affected by it. Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it. "My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition. Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether. A 21-year-old student is considering ways to manage the family meal. She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers. She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard". "There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over. "It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it." A Few Techniques to Manage If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists. Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
Over the years, people develop strategies to cope with their misophonia. A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner. In her case, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time as the sounds of people eating, slurping and sniffling cause her profound anxiety. "I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers." Lottie has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those coming from those around you. It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts found a significant portion of people are affected by it. Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it. "My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves." So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition. Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether. A 21-year-old student is considering ways to manage the family meal. She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers. She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard". "There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over. "It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it." A Few Techniques to Manage If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists. Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.