Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a especially challenging time as the noises of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.

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

The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.

It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts reported a significant portion of people suffer from it.

Often it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger 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 supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.

Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.

She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".

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

"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."

A Few Techniques to Manage

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

1. Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.