The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

Lottie hopes for seeing her relatives during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a especially challenging period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.

"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."

Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by individuals.

The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it.

Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.

"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

The student, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.

She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".

"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.

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

Several Strategies to Manage

If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.