Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.

In her case, Christmas is a notably tough season as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.

"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."

She has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".

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

It is prevalent in the UK. A study reported almost one in five people experience it.

Typically it's noises connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.

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

Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.

She explains her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Manage

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.

1. Visualise Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.