The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

One young woman anticipates seeing her family this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.

In her case, Christmas can be a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and sniffling cause her intense distress.

"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."

Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those produced by other people.

It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts discovered almost one in five people experience it.

Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.

The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.

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

"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.

"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Handle It

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method 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 at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.