Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

Lottie hopes for seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.

In her case, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the sounds of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.

"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."

The individual has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by those around you.

It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts found nearly 20% people are affected by it.

Often it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.

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

"There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Manage

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.

1. Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.