🔗 Share this article Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers. Over the years, individuals develop methods to try to better manage their misophonia. Lottie is looking forward to being with her relatives over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner. In her case, Christmas is a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable. "I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises." Lottie has lived with this condition for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by individuals. The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people are affected by it. Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it. "Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly." So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings. Jenna is planning ways to get her through the holiday dinner. Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid problematic noises. She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging". "There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will kick in. "It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it." A Few Techniques to Cope For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists. Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral. Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant. Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
Over the years, individuals develop methods to try to better manage their misophonia. Lottie is looking forward to being with her relatives over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner. In her case, Christmas is a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable. "I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises." Lottie has lived with this condition for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by individuals. The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people are affected by it. Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking. A Source of Dread The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it. "Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly." So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings. Jenna is planning ways to get her through the holiday dinner. Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid problematic noises. She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging". "There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels. "I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will kick in. "It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it." A Few Techniques to Cope For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists. Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral. Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant. Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.