🔗 Share this article The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. With time, people discover ways to handle their sound sensitivity. Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast. For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel intense distress. "There's this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises." She has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you. It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts reported nearly 20% people are affected by it. Typically it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it. "Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure everyone else is happy." So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a source of agony for sufferers. Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely. Another individual is considering ways to manage Christmas lunch. The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape distressing triggers. She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard". "There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in. "It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience." Three Ways to Manage If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists. Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt 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 a little less affected. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation 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. This approach is altering the perception 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.
With time, people discover ways to handle their sound sensitivity. Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast. For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel intense distress. "There's this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises." She has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you. It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts reported nearly 20% people are affected by it. Typically it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it. "Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure everyone else is happy." So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a source of agony for sufferers. Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely. Another individual is considering ways to manage Christmas lunch. The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape distressing triggers. She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard". "There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in. "It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience." Three Ways to Manage If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists. Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt 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 a little less affected. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation 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. This approach is altering the perception 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.