Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.

In her case, Christmas can be a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.

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

She has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by individuals.

It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts found almost one in five people are affected by it.

Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize problematic noises.

She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".

"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.

"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Manage

For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.