The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.

A 23-year-old hopes for being with her family this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.

In her case, this time of year can be a particularly difficult season as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.

"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."

She has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.

It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.

Often it's sounds associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.

"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.

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

The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.

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

"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

Three Ways to Cope

If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.

1. Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.