Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old anticipates being with her family during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.

"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."

Lottie has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals.

It is prevalent across the population. Researchers found nearly 20% people experience it.

Often it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.

Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.

She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".

"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.

"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."

Three Ways to Manage

If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists.

1. Imagine Something Else: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.