Also known as sound sensitivity syndrome, misophonia is essentially extreme or mild sensitivity to some select sounds and noises. Nasal sounds, throat sounds, and chewing sounds are some common triggers for people suffering from this disorder. Although living with this condition can be quite challenging, it is certainly not impossible, no matter how severe your condition is.
No doubt this condition can cause distress in the relationships and daily lives of the people suffering from it. There have been several reports and searches over the years that suggest relationship conflicts, difficulty in public, and marital difficulties arising from this disorder.
People Can Lead Normal Lives with Misophonia
Luckily, misophonia is a condition that you can work around to improve your quality of life. Sure it’ll be a tough ladder to climb, but it’s better to face the card that you are dealt with rather than being miserable about it. Let us discuss some strategies that can help you effectively cope with misophonia.
1. Overcome Your Stress
Of course, overcoming your stress is not an easy thing; in fact, it takes years of discipline to master it. However, overcoming your general levels of stress can improve your life and possibly even put your misophonia in the background to some extent. Practice breathing and relaxation techniques every day early in the morning and before going to sleep. After a while, you will learn to deal with your triggers whenever they arise effectively. Sure, you will not eliminate your disorder completely but, this will be a step in the right direction.
2. Always Have Headphones Around
Most people with this disorder make this a regular practice in their lives. However, it is important to mention to people who don’t. You can put a major dent to your triggers by dampening them through your headphones. Listening to a podcast or some soothing music will help relax your mind allowing you to block out and evade any negative energy that comes in your way. You can use your earphones in almost ever5y situation, be it studying, traveling or at work. You can always explain your situation to your teacher or boss before putting your headphones on. State that you are more productive listening to calming music while working and studying, they will not object to it.
3. Strategize for Emergency Situations
There are instances when you feel like things aren’t going your way and you are about to burst out at any time. Having a contingency plan for these kinds of situations will save you from panicking and embarrassing yourself in a crowd. Prepare some phrases to excuse yourself from tough situations before you are rude or impolite to someone. Mentioned below are some phrases that you might find to be helpful.
“I am going to get fresh air outside.”
“I’m going to grab some coffee, does anybody else want some?”
“Please excuse me; I need to be somewhere immediately.”
“I have an appointment that I do not want to be late to, please excuse me.”
Phrases like these prove to be lifesavers in troublesome situations. Suffice to say, misophonia might be a terrible disorder, but you still have several options that allow you to live life as happily as the other person.
If you are looking for an appointment to speak with the best misophonia specialist in NYC, look no further than the misophonia cognitive center. Book your appointment with Misophonia specialist Stephen Katz LCSW.