Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her family during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.

In her case, the holidays often feels like a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.

"I get this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."

Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from individuals.

The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.

Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.

A Source of Dread

Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.

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

"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will take over.

"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, 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, as suggested by specialists.

1. Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
3. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.