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

One young woman hopes for seeing her relatives over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a notably tough season as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I get this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."

The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by other people.

It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people experience it.

Typically it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.

Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.

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

"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."

Three Ways to Handle It

For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.

1. Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.