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

A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her family this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.

"There's this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."

The individual has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises coming from individuals.

It is prevalent across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people suffer from it.

Often it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.

"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.

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

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

"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."

Three Ways to Handle It

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

1. Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
3. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.