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

One young woman anticipates seeing her family during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.

For her, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.

"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."

She has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds coming from those around you.

It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.

Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

A Source of Dread

She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.

"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."

So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.

Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.

She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid problematic noises.

She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".

"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.

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

Several Strategies to Cope

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

1. Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
2. Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
3. Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.