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

A 23-year-old hopes for being with her family over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.

In her case, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging time as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.

"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."

The individual has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by other people.

It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts found nearly 20% people are affected by it.

Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

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

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.

Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.

She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".

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

"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.

"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."

A Few Techniques to Manage

For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.

1. Visualise Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.