Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.

Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by using her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.

"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."

The individual has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from individuals.

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

Frequently it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

Triggering Stress

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

"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.

She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".

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

"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.

"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."

Several Strategies to Cope

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.

1. Picture Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.