The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

One young woman is looking forward to seeing her family over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.

"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."

The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds coming from individuals.

The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers found nearly 20% people are affected by it.

Frequently it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.

Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.

She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".

"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes 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 difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Handle It

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.

1. Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than 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 slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.