Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.

A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her family during the festive period, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.

In her case, Christmas can be a particularly difficult period as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.

"I get this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."

The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those coming from other people.

The condition is widespread across the population. Experts discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.

Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.

"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.

She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".

"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.

"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.

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

Several Strategies to Manage

If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.

1. Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.