Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a notably tough season as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.

"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."

She has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises produced by other people.

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

Often it's sounds connected to bodily functions that cause distress, including things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid 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 constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.

Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.

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

"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.

"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."

Three Ways to Manage

For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.

1. Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.