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

One young woman hopes for spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.

"I get this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."

The individual has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by other people.

The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.

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

'Anxiety Inducing'

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

"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.

Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.

The student, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to escape problematic noises.

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

"There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's draining.

"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.

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

Several Strategies to Cope

For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.

1. Visualise Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.