Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

A 23-year-old anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.

In her case, the holidays can be a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."

She has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by those around you.

It is prevalent across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.

Typically it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious 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 obvious why the most wonderful season can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.

She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".

"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.

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

"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

Three Ways to Cope

For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.

1. Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.