Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her family this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.

For her, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.

"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."

The individual has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.

It's surprisingly common across the population. A study discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.

Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.

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

So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.

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

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

"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.

"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Cope

If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.

1. Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So 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 stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.