Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old hopes for being with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.

In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.

"I get this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."

Lottie has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".

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

It is prevalent across the population. A study found almost one in five people are affected by it.

Typically it's noises connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."

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

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.

She says her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".

"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's draining.

"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will activate.

"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."

A Few Techniques to Manage

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

1. Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.