Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.

Lottie hopes for seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.

For her, this time of year can be a especially challenging time as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.

"There's this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."

Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.

It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.

Often it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

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

"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."

So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.

She notes her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".

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

"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Cope

If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.

1. Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.