Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a notably tough period as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.

"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises made by those around you.

The condition is widespread across the population. Experts discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.

Often it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

Triggering Stress

She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are aware, 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 guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.

She says her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".

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

"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.

"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Handle It

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.

1. Imagine Something Else: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
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 attempt joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.