Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman hopes for spending time with her family over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.

For her, this time of year can be a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and sniffling trigger intense distress.

"There's this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."

The individual has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises coming from other people.

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

Typically it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."

So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.

She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".

"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.

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

Several Strategies to Manage

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

1. Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.