Misophonia: When sounds drive you mad

Ever heard of misophonia? It’s a condition where the person has extreme sensitivity to certain sounds such as other people chewing food, breathing loudly, or repetitive noises like clicking a pen. The reactions people with misophonia might have can range from irritation and anger to panic.

“Misophonia” literally means hatred of sound. Although this condition is pretty common (3 to 5 people per 100 are estimated to have it), it’s not recognised in the DSM 5, the book in which mental disorders are listed. Yet misophonia can cause a lot of difficulties in daily life. Imagine trying to have dinner with friends or family and then flying into a rage because you hear someone chewing their steak.

Misophonia is not a recognised disorder, and so there isn’t a lot of research into it. The research that is out there suggests that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy can help. Along with this, gradual desensitisation to sounds is also suggested by some research. One misophonia researcher has even made an app, called the Trigger Tamer App, which helps people gradually get used to their “trigger” sounds by playing clips of these sounds at regular intervals while the person listens to their favourite music.

When I have provided treatment for misophonia, I have relied heavily on reading the scientific research evidence into various treatments, and then working with clients to apply this to their symptoms. If you are interested in receiving treatment for misophonia, please contact me via the Contact tab on this site.