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

Lottie hopes for being with her family this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a particularly difficult time as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.

"I get this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."

Lottie has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by those around you.

It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.

Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.

Triggering Stress

The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.

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

So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.

Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape problematic noises.

She explains her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".

"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.

"It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.

"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."

A Few Techniques to Cope

If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.

1. Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.