π Share this article Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. Through experience, people discover strategies to cope with their sound sensitivity. One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal. In her case, this time of year can be a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress. "There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers." She has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from other people. It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers found a significant portion of people experience it. Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it. "My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly." So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition. Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings. A 21-year-old student is considering ways to get her through the holiday dinner. The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape triggering sounds. She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult". "There is pressure to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in. "It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it." Several Strategies to Manage If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists. Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
Through experience, people discover strategies to cope with their sound sensitivity. One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal. In her case, this time of year can be a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress. "There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers." She has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing". Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from other people. It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers found a significant portion of people experience it. Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping. A Source of Dread Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it. "My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly." So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition. Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings. A 21-year-old student is considering ways to get her through the holiday dinner. The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape triggering sounds. She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult". "There is pressure to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in. "It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it." Several Strategies to Manage If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists. Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.