Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.

"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."

She has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from individuals.

The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers discovered almost one in five people experience it.

Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.

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

"People assume you to be around family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.

"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."

Several Strategies to Manage

If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.

1. Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.