The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

Lottie is looking forward to being with her family over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her intense distress.

"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."

The individual has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by those around you.

It is prevalent amongst adults. A study found almost one in five people suffer from it.

Frequently it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.

Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.

She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape triggering sounds.

She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".

"People assume you to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will activate.

"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Handle It

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.

1. Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.