Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

Lottie hopes for spending time with her family this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.

"There's this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."

Lottie has lived with this condition for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".

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

It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers reported almost one in five people experience it.

Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.

"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.

She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".

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

"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.

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

A Few Techniques to Handle It

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

1. Picture Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.