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

Lottie hopes for seeing her relatives this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.

For her, this time of year is a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.

"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."

The individual has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds coming from other people.

It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people experience it.

Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

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

"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."

So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.

She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

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

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

Several Strategies to Manage

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

1. Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.