Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.

Lottie hopes for being with her relatives during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.

For her, the holidays can be a especially challenging period as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I experience this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."

The individual has experienced this condition for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those made by other people.

It is prevalent across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people experience it.

Typically it's noises associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread 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 internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.

Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.

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

"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.

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

A Few Techniques to Cope

For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.

1. Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.