The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her relatives this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.

For her, Christmas often feels like a notably tough period as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and sniffling make her feel intense distress.

"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."

Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by those around you.

It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.

Frequently it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

Triggering Stress

Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.

"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.

She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".

"There's an expectation to be around family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.

"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Cope

For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.

1. Visualise Something Else: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.