Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

Lottie is looking forward to seeing her relatives during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.

"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."

Lottie has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from those around you.

It is prevalent in the UK. A study reported almost one in five people are affected by it.

Often it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.

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

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

"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will activate.

"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Cope

If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.

1. Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
3. Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.