Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

One young woman anticipates seeing her family over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.

For her, this time of year is a particularly difficult time as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel intense distress.

"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."

She has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises coming from individuals.

The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Often it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

A Source of Dread

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

"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."

So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.

Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.

She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".

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

"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Manage

If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.