The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman is looking forward to seeing her family over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a especially challenging season as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.

"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

Lottie has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those coming from those around you.

The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers found nearly 20% people are affected by it.

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

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."

So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.

Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.

She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".

"There's an expectation to be around family, and I wish to, but it's draining.

"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."

Three Ways to Manage

If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.