The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her relatives over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.

For her, the holidays is a notably tough time as the noises of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.

"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."

The individual has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those coming from those around you.

It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts reported a significant portion of people suffer from it.

Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that cause distress, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.

"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

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

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.

She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".

"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Manage

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.

1. Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.