The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old anticipates spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a particularly difficult season as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.

"I experience this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."

She has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those coming from other people.

It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.

Often it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."

So it's clear why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.

The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.

She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".

"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.

"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Handle It

If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.

1. Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
3. Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person 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. Even though the noise stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.