Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

One young woman anticipates seeing her family this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.

In her case, the holidays can be a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.

"There's this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."

She has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.

The condition is widespread across the population. Experts reported almost one in five people are affected by it.

Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. 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 quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.

The student, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.

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

"There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.

"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Three Ways to Manage

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

1. Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.