Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.

For her, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.

"There's this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."

The individual has lived with this condition for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

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

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

Frequently it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."

So it's clear why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.

Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.

The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.

She says her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.

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

Several Strategies to Manage

For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.

1. Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.