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

One young woman is looking forward to being with her family over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.

In her case, Christmas is a particularly difficult period as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."

Lottie has lived with this condition for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds coming from individuals.

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

Typically it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.

"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."

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

Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, says her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.

She explains her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Cope

For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.

1. Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus 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 having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.