MISOPHONIA; Meaning, triggers, symptoms, treatment

INTRODUCTION: MISOPHONIA

Hatred of Sound!

Misophonia is hatred of sound. People who suffer from this are extremely sensitive to certain sounds. The sounds are not annoying, it’s unbearable! Like smacking gum, crunching ice, tapping pens, clicking pens or dragging feet it can be anything!

Misophonia is a condition and it’s not a mental disorder. The word “Misophonia” has its origin from ancient Greek meaning “hatred of sound”. Misophonia is known as selective sound sensitivity syndrome, it’s an abnormality with both psychological and physiological symptoms of the brain .

Misophonia – Triggers!

Each and every individual is unique so is their responses to their triggers. The triggering sounds may change from time to time or may remain the same. One among the very common triggers are the sounds that’s from the people’s mouth.

These include :

Munching
Gulping
Swallowing
Throat clearing
Lip smacking
Yawning

Other triggers include:

Sobbing
Writing sounds
Papers crinkling
Clock’s ticking
Slamming of doors
The sounds made my birds, insects and animals

Visual triggers include :

Foot swaying
Nose rasping
Hair twirling

These triggers create a fight-or-flight response that provokes anger and a desire to escape.

Signs and Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of misophonia include :

Aggression towards the trigger
Escapism from the embarrassing situation
Mimicing the trigger
Expressing uneasiness towards the trigger

Causes of Misophonia

The causes of misophonia are unknown. Researches are still on!

People with the following conditions are found to be having Misophonia :

Obsessive – Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Anxiety Disorders
Tourette Syndrome

Misophonia appears to be more common in people who have tinnitus. Tinnitus is a disorder wherein people suffering with this hear sounds, like a ringing in the ears, which no one else can hear.