Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

One young woman is looking forward to being with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.

In her case, the holidays can be a especially challenging time as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I get this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."

Lottie has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by those around you.

The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers reported almost one in five people are affected by it.

Typically it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.

Triggers 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 avoiding social settings altogether.

She, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.

She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".

"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.

"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Manage

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.