Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.

Lottie hopes for spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a notably tough time as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."

Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by other people.

It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Typically it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

Triggering Stress

Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.

She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.

She says her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Handle It

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.

1. Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.