Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her family over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.

For her, Christmas is a notably tough time as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.

"There's this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

She has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you.

It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Typically it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.

"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.

Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.

She, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.

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

"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.

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

Several Strategies to Manage

For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.

1. Visualise Something Else: Imagination is key. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.