The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman is looking forward to being with her family over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."

Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".

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

It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts found almost one in five people are affected by it.

Often it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.

Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.

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

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.

"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Handle It

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
3. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.