Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

Lottie hopes for seeing her family this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.

In her case, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.

"There's this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."

Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds made by other people.

It's surprisingly common across the population. A study discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Often it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, says currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.

She notes her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.

"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Cope

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.