Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.

A 23-year-old hopes for being with her family during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.

For her, Christmas can be a especially challenging period as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.

"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."

The individual has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises made by those around you.

It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.

Frequently it's noises linked to bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.

Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.

The student, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.

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

"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.

"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."

A Few Techniques to Cope

If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. 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 isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element 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 making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.