🔗 Share this article Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity. Over the years, people have found strategies to cope with their sound sensitivity. One young woman is looking forward to seeing her relatives over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner. For her, this time of year is a notably tough time as the sounds of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety. "I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises." The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by individuals. It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people suffer from it. Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking. Triggering Stress She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it. "My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. 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 time of the year can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings. Jenna is planning ways to help her during the family meal. She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers. She says her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging". "There is pressure to spend time with 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 panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over. "It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience." A Few Techniques to Manage If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts. Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive. Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
Over the years, people have found strategies to cope with their sound sensitivity. One young woman is looking forward to seeing her relatives over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner. For her, this time of year is a notably tough time as the sounds of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety. "I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises." The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming". Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by individuals. It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people suffer from it. Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking. Triggering Stress She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it. "My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. 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 time of the year can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition. Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings. Jenna is planning ways to help her during the family meal. She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers. She says her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging". "There is pressure to spend time with 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 panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over. "It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience." A Few Techniques to Manage If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts. Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive. Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.