Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman is looking forward to being with her relatives this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging period as the noises of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.

"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."

The individual has lived with this condition for several years and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by other people.

It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers reported a significant portion of people experience it.

Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.

Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, explains her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.

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

"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.

"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Cope

For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.

1. Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.