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

One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.

"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."

The individual has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".

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

It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.

Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.

Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.

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

"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.

"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

A Few Techniques to Manage

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.

1. Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.