Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.

One young woman hopes for spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.

For her, this time of year often feels like a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.

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

Lottie has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.

It is prevalent amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.

Often it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.

Triggering Stress

She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.

"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.

Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.

She explains her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".

"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.

"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

Three Ways to Cope

If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.

1. Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.