The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

Lottie anticipates seeing her family over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.

For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."

Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from individuals.

The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts found nearly 20% people are affected by it.

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

A Source of Dread

She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.

"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."

So it's clear why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.

Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.

She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".

"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will take over.

"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."

Several Strategies to Cope

If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.

1. Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
2. Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.