The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.

Lottie anticipates seeing her relatives over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.

In her case, Christmas can be a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, slurping and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."

She has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from individuals.

It is prevalent across the population. Experts discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape problematic noises.

She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".

"People assume you to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."

Three Ways to Handle It

If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.

1. Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.