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

One young woman hopes for seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.

In her case, Christmas is a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.

"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

The individual has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those made by individuals.

It is prevalent in the UK. Experts found nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Typically it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.

Triggering Stress

She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.

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

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

"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

Three Ways to Handle It

If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.

1. Visualise Something Else: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.