Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.

In her case, the holidays is a particularly difficult season as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.

"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

She has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises coming from individuals.

It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers found a significant portion of people are affected by it.

Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

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

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the most wonderful 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 eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.

She, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.

She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".

"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

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

Three Ways to Handle It

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

1. Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, 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. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.