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

Lottie hopes for seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.

For her, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging time as the sounds of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.

"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

The individual has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".

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

It is prevalent across the population. A study reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.

Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

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

"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.

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

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

"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will activate.

"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Three Ways to Handle It

If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.

1. Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.