The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.

A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her relatives over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.

For her, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult time as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.

"There's this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."

The individual has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by other people.

It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.

Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."

So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.

Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.

She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".

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

"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."

Three Ways to Manage

If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.