🔗 Share this article Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. Over the years, people discover methods to try to better manage their condition. Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal. In her case, the holidays is a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable. "I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers." The individual has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises made by other people. It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study discovered almost one in five people experience it. Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it. "My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves." So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a source of agony for sufferers. Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely. Jenna is considering coping mechanisms to help her during the family meal. The student, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a different room to escape distressing triggers. She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard". "There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over. "It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it." A Few Techniques to Cope If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists. Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
Over the years, people discover methods to try to better manage their condition. Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal. In her case, the holidays is a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable. "I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers." The individual has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises made by other people. It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study discovered almost one in five people experience it. Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping. Triggering Stress Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it. "My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves." So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a source of agony for sufferers. Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely. Jenna is considering coping mechanisms to help her during the family meal. The student, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a different room to escape distressing triggers. She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard". "There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over. "It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it." A Few Techniques to Cope If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists. Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.