Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.

Lottie hopes for being with her family this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.

In her case, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and sniffling trigger intense distress.

"There's this sensation 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."

She has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

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

It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers found almost one in five people are affected by it.

Often it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.

"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. 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 time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.

She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".

"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.

"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Cope

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.

1. Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.