Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

One young woman hopes for seeing her relatives this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a especially challenging season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.

"I get this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these sounds."

Lottie has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from individuals.

It is prevalent across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people experience it.

Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"Those close to me 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 the event goes smoothly."

So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.

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

"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

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

Three Ways to Cope

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.