The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.

In her case, Christmas can be a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"There's this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."

Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those coming from other people.

The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.

Often it's noises associated with bodily functions that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.

"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.

The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.

She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".

"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.

"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.

"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."

Several Strategies to Manage

For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.

1. Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.