The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman hopes for being with her family over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.

For her, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.

"I get this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."

Lottie has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from those around you.

It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported almost one in five people suffer from it.

Often it's sounds linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

A Source of Dread

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

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."

So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.

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

"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.

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

Several Strategies to Manage

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.

1. Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.