🔗 Share this article Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers. With time, people discover ways to cope with their condition. One young woman hopes for being with her relatives during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner. For her, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger profound anxiety. "There's this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers." She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from individuals. The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts discovered a significant portion of people experience it. Frequently it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid 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 guarantee others enjoy themselves." So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals. Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely. A 21-year-old student is planning ways to get her through Christmas lunch. The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize problematic noises. She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard". "There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in. "To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it." A Few Techniques to Cope For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to experts. Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
With time, people discover ways to cope with their condition. One young woman hopes for being with her relatives during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner. For her, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger profound anxiety. "There's this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers." She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from individuals. The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts discovered a significant portion of people experience it. Frequently it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid 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 guarantee others enjoy themselves." So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals. Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely. A 21-year-old student is planning ways to get her through Christmas lunch. The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize problematic noises. She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard". "There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging. "It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in. "To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it." A Few Techniques to Cope For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to experts. Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.