🔗 Share this article Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers. Over the years, people have found ways to try to better manage their condition. A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal. For her, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing trigger intense distress. "I get this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers." The individual has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by those around you. The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study discovered a significant portion of people experience it. Often it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. 'Anxiety Inducing' Lottie says: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it. "My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy." So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition. Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely. A 21-year-old student is planning coping mechanisms to get her through the family meal. Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises. She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard". "There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining. "I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate. "To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience." Several Strategies to Cope For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts. Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
Over the years, people have found ways to try to better manage their condition. A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal. For her, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing trigger intense distress. "I get this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers." The individual has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by those around you. The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study discovered a significant portion of people experience it. Often it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. 'Anxiety Inducing' Lottie says: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it. "My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy." So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition. Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely. A 21-year-old student is planning coping mechanisms to get her through the family meal. Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises. She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard". "There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining. "I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate. "To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience." Several Strategies to Cope For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts. Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.