Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

Lottie anticipates spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.

In her case, Christmas often feels like a notably tough season as the noises of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

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

Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those coming from individuals.

It is prevalent in the UK. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.

Frequently it's noises associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

A Source of Dread

Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.

"Those close to me are understanding, 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 others enjoy themselves."

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

Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid problematic noises.

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

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

"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."

Three Ways to Cope

For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.

1. Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
3. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.