Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

Lottie anticipates spending time with her family this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her intense distress.

"There's this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."

Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those produced by individuals.

It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.

Typically it's noises connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"My family are supportive, 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 make sure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.

The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.

She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.

"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

A Few Techniques to Manage

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.

1. Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.