Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel intense distress.

"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."

She has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those made by individuals.

It is prevalent in the UK. Experts found nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Often it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

A Source of Dread

Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, says currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize problematic noises.

She explains her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".

"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over.

"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Handle It

For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.

1. Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.