The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

Lottie anticipates being with her relatives this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.

For her, Christmas is a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her intense distress.

"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."

The individual has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by those around you.

It's surprisingly common across the population. A study found almost one in five people experience it.

Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

Triggering Stress

Lottie says: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful 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 enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.

She, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.

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

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.

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

A Few Techniques to Handle It

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.

1. Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.