Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

Lottie hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a notably tough time as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and sniffling cause her intense distress.

"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

The individual has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from other people.

It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported a significant portion of people suffer from it.

Often it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.

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

"People assume you to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."

A Few Techniques to Cope

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.

1. Picture Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.