The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman hopes for spending time with her family over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.

In her case, this time of year is a notably tough season as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her intense distress.

"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

She has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises made by other people.

It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers found almost one in five people are affected by it.

Frequently it's noises connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

Triggering Stress

Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.

"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.

Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.

She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, 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 dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."

A Few Techniques to Cope

For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.

1. Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.