Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old hopes for being with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.

In her case, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult season as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"There's this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."

Lottie has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those coming from other people.

The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found almost one in five people experience it.

Often it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."

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

Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.

She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.

She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Three Ways to Manage

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.

1. Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.