Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.

One young woman hopes for spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.

For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"I get this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."

She has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises produced by other people.

It's surprisingly common across the population. A study reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.

Often it's sounds connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.

"Those close to me are supportive, 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 ensure others enjoy themselves."

So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.

Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.

She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".

"People assume you to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

"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 Manage

If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.

1. Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.