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

Lottie hopes for being with her relatives over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.

In her case, this time of year can be a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.

"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."

She has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises coming from other people.

It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported almost one in five people suffer from it.

Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger 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.

"My family are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.

She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".

"There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's draining.

"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."

A Few Techniques to Handle It

If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.

1. Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.