Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her family this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.

"I experience this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."

She has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from other people.

It is prevalent amongst adults. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.

Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.

She, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.

She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".

"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.

"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.

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

Several Strategies to Cope

For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.

1. Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.