Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her family over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."

She has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by individuals.

The condition is widespread in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Typically it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

The student, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.

She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".

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

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

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Three Ways to Cope

For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.