The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman is looking forward to being with her family during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.

"There's this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."

Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises coming from those around you.

It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.

Often it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."

So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains her strategy is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.

She says her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".

"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.

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

Several Strategies to Cope

For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.

1. Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. 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: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.