The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.

A 23-year-old hopes for being with her loved ones this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.

For her, the holidays often feels like a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.

"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

The individual has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises made by those around you.

It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts found almost one in five people are affected by it.

Typically it's noises linked to bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.

"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.

She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".

"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.

"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.

"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."

Three Ways to Handle It

For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.