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

Lottie hopes for seeing her family this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.

In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."

She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds made by individuals.

It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported nearly 20% people experience it.

Often it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."

So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.

Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.

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

"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.

"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will take over.

"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Cope

For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.

1. Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound 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 an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.