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

Lottie is looking forward to being with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.

In her case, Christmas can be a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and sniffling cause her intense distress.

"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."

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

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.

It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.

Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."

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

Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.

She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".

"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.

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

Three Ways to Handle It

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.

1. Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.