Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.

One young woman anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.

"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."

She has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from individuals.

The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.

Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid 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 constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.

She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.

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

"There is pressure to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.

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

Several Strategies to Handle It

If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy 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, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.