The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.

A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.

In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.

"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

The individual has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from other people.

It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.

Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.

Triggers that may be considered normal, 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 result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.

She notes her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".

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

"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."

Three Ways to Manage

For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.

1. Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.