Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.

Lottie hopes for being with her family this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.

In her case, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult season as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.

"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."

The individual has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from those around you.

The condition is widespread across the population. A study discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.

Frequently it's noises linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays 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 managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."

So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.

She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".

"There's an expectation to be around family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.

"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Handle It

If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.