Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her family during the festive period, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.

In her case, the holidays is a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."

The individual has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by those around you.

It is prevalent across the population. Experts found nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Often it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's clear why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.

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

"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep 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 Cope

For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.