Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.

For her, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.

"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."

She has experienced this condition for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises coming from individuals.

It is prevalent amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.

Typically it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "There are 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 conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."

So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.

She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".

"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.

"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Manage

If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.

1. Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
3. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.