Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.

In her case, the holidays can be a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel intense distress.

"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."

She has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those made by other people.

It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.

Frequently it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.

Triggering Stress

She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.

"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.

Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

The student, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, states her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.

She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".

"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."

A Few Techniques to Manage

If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.

1. Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
3. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.