The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.

Lottie hopes for being with her relatives this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.

For her, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging time as the sounds of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.

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

Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.

It is prevalent in the UK. Experts discovered almost one in five people experience it.

Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.

"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."

So it's clear why the most wonderful season can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.

She explains her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".

"People assume you to be around family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.

"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

Three Ways to Cope

If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists.

1. Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
2. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.