Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I get this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."

Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by individuals.

It is prevalent across the population. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it.

Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

A Source of Dread

Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.

"My family 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 ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.

The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid problematic noises.

She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.

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

Three Ways to Handle It

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.