The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.

"I get this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."

She has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises coming from individuals.

It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts found a significant portion of people experience it.

Often it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.

"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."

So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.

Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.

Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.

She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".

"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I want 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 anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.

"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Manage

If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.