The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman is looking forward to being with her relatives this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.

In her case, the holidays often feels like a notably tough time as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.

"I experience this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

The individual has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by individuals.

It is prevalent across the population. A study discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.

Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that cause distress, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."

So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.

She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.

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

Three Ways to Cope

If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.

1. Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.