🔗 Share this article The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. Over the years, people have found ways to cope with their condition. One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal. For her, this time of year is a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety. "I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises." The individual has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from individuals. It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it. Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it. "My relatives 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 enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves." So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether. Another individual is considering ways to get her through the family meal. Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape problematic noises. She explains her misophonia is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging". "There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining. "The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over. "It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it." Several Strategies to Manage For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to experts. Picture an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. Through participation, rather than 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 somewhat less sensitive. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
Over the years, people have found ways to cope with their condition. One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal. For her, this time of year is a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety. "I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises." The individual has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from individuals. It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it. Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it. "My relatives 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 enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves." So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether. Another individual is considering ways to get her through the family meal. Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape problematic noises. She explains her misophonia is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging". "There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining. "The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over. "It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it." Several Strategies to Manage For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to experts. Picture an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. Through participation, rather than 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 somewhat less sensitive. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.