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

A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.

For her, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the sounds of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger intense distress.

"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."

Lottie has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by other people.

It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it.

Typically it's noises linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.

Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.

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

"People assume you to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.

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

Three Ways to Manage

If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.

1. Picture Something Else: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: 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, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.