Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

One young woman is looking forward to being with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.

In her case, Christmas is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.

"There's this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."

She has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by individuals.

It is prevalent in the UK. Experts discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.

Typically it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

A Source of Dread

Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.

"Those close to me are supportive, 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 ensure everyone else is happy."

So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.

Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.

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

"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.

"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."

Several Strategies to Cope

If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.

1. Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.