Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

One young woman is looking forward to being with her loved ones this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.

In her case, Christmas is a especially challenging season as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."

Lottie has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises coming from individuals.

The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.

Frequently it's noises associated with bodily functions that cause distress, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."

So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.

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

"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.

"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."

Several Strategies to Handle It

For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.

1. Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.