Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

Lottie is looking forward to being with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging season as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.

"There's this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."

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

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises coming from those around you.

The condition is widespread amongst adults. Experts found almost one in five people experience it.

Frequently it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "I face 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 aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."

So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.

She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".

"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

A Few Techniques to Manage

If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.

1. Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.