A TEENAGER with a rare condition is being driven mad by more than 100 noises - including people chewing, pen tapping, sniffing, breathing, walking and snoring.

Holly Posluszny has to sit exams separately and play rainfall noises to block out any noise.

The 17-year-old suffers from misophonia, meaning hatred of sound, a condition in which certain noises can trigger a negative response.

The condition can cause her to have emotional or physiological responses, such as anger or annoyance.

Holly, who lives with her parents Nicola, 40 and Paul 48, in Witham, said “A lot of people don’t understand or think I’m overreacting.”

Noises which trigger Holly include chewing, snoring, breathing, feet tapping, feet shuffling or moving.

Holly’s aversion is so extreme that she can be trigger by sounds from another room, causing her to become angry or pace and cry to make it stop.

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Holly added: “It can happen up to 30 times a day and my response can be mild or really extreme.

“It’s so difficult to explain the feeling but it’s an involuntary response and affects my every day life.

“At the dinner table we play music in the background, otherwise the sound of food ‘noshing’ makes me storm off in a panic - I know I shouldn’t but I can’t help it.

“At school the sound of my classmates sniffing or tapping could set me off - in the end they let me take the exams in a separate room.”

Gazette: Holly's disorder first began when she was sixHolly's disorder first began when she was six

The disorder began when Holly was six and she now believed she has more than 100 triggers.

Now Holly is forced to sit exams separately, wear headphones in class, and even eat separately from her family at home.

Holly, who wants to help others understand the disorder, added: “For me it’s a physical and mental feeling.

“It’s like a fight or flight response and if I can’t get away I start to panic.

“For a long time my family didn’t know what it was but they’ve become understanding.”

“I have an extreme version and it’s hard for people to understand.

“I’ve definitely learnt to control it better in the last couple years now I know more about it.

“Hopefully sharing my story can help other sufferers or people around them understand it better.”

“Maybe it could help parents or family members be more patient and understanding with someone who suffers from it severely.”