Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her family over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.

In her case, the holidays can be a notably tough season as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.

"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."

The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from individuals.

The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.

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

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.

"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.

Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.

She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".

"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

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

"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Cope

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: 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 in good health or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.