The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.

In her case, this time of year can be a particularly difficult period as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.

"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."

Lottie has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by other people.

It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.

Typically it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

Triggering Stress

She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.

"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.

She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will activate.

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

Several Strategies to Cope

For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.

1. Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.