The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

One young woman hopes for seeing her relatives over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"I experience this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."

Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by other people.

The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.

Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."

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

Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.

She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".

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

"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will activate.

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

Several Strategies to Cope

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.

1. Picture Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.