The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

Lottie anticipates seeing her relatives this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.

In her case, Christmas is a particularly difficult time as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.

"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."

The individual has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you.

It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.

Typically it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

Triggering Stress

She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are understanding, 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 the event goes smoothly."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.

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

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."

Several Strategies to Manage

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

1. Picture Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than 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 a little less affected.
3. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.