Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

Lottie anticipates spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.

"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."

The individual has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by individuals.

It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers found almost one in five people experience it.

Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.

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

"There is pressure to be around 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 stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.

"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Handle It

If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.

1. Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this 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 challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.