Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.

One young woman hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.

For her, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.

"There's this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."

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

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises coming from those around you.

It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study found almost one in five people are affected by it.

Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, including things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.

Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.

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

"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.

"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Manage

For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.

1. Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.