Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.

Lottie is looking forward to seeing her relatives over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.

For her, this time of year is a especially challenging time as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.

"I get this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these sounds."

She has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by other people.

It's surprisingly common across the population. A study reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.

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

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.

She says her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".

"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.

"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."

Several Strategies to Manage

If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.

1. Imagine Something Else: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.