Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.

For her, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging period as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and sniffling make her feel intense distress.

"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

She has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds made by those around you.

It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.

Typically it's noises linked to bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.

Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.

Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.

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

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

"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."

Three Ways to Handle It

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

1. Picture an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
3. Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.