Misophonia

Do certain everyday sounds trigger intense emotions like anger, anxiety, or frustration in you? You might be experiencing misophonia, a condition where specific trigger sounds cause heightened emotional and physiological reactions.

At our audiology clinic, we understand how disruptive misophonia can be to daily life. We can help you explore the causes and develop management strategies to find relief from these triggers. If you feel you may be experiencing misophonia, consult with your general practitioner and an Audiologist who are both likely to be able to provide you with assistance and guidance relating to the condition.

What is Misophonia?

Misophonia, literally meaning “hatred of sound,” is a condition where certain sounds trigger intense emotional reactions such as anger, anxiety, or disgust. These reactions are often disproportionate to the nature of the sound, leading to significant distress and impacting daily life.

Misophonia is a disorder in which the individual affected reacts with disgust and anger toward particular physiological sounds created by others. These are usually specific sounds made whilst eating and can sometimes involve sniffing noises or low-level speech perceived as a murmur.

What are Misophonia Trigger Sounds?

Misophonia trigger sounds are specific noises that provoke intense emotional reactions in individuals with misophonia, such as chewing sounds or a clicking pen. These misophonic sounds often involve common, everyday noises, typically produced by other people, which can include:

Eating Noises: Chewing, slurping, swallowing, and lip-smacking, crunching sounds.
Breathing Sounds: Loud breathing, snoring, and sighing.
Repetitive Noises: Pen clicking, finger tapping, foot tapping, and keyboard typing.
Vocal Sounds: Whispering, throat clearing, and certain speech sounds.
Environmental Sounds: Rustling paper, water dripping, and clock ticking.

These trigger sounds can lead to extreme discomfort, anger, or anxiety, significantly impacting the sufferer’s quality of everyday life. Understanding and identifying these triggers is crucial for managing misophonia effectively.

What Causes Misophonia?

The exact causes of misophonia, also known as selective sound sensitivity syndrome, are not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic, neurological, and environmental factors.

People with misophonia frequently have more myelin (a fatty substance layer) on their nerve cells leading to “trigger sounds” increasing in areas of their brain associated with emotions such as fear and long-term memory. However, researchers are unsure if these physical misophonic symptoms occur as a result of misophonia or as a cause of it.

Research suggests that misophonia may be linked to abnormal functioning in the brain’s auditory and limbic systems, which process auditory stimuli and regulate emotions, potentially triggering a fight or flight response.

Additionally, past traumatic experiences, heightened sensitivity to certain stimuli, and associations with other mental disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, may contribute to the development of misophonia.

Misophonia Symptoms

Individuals with misophonia may experience a variety of symptoms when exposed to trigger sounds. These symptoms can include:

Emotional Reactions: Intense feelings of anger, irritation, or disgust.
Physical Reactions: Increased heart rate, sweating, muscle tension, or the urge to flee the situation.
Behavioural Responses: Avoiding social situations, using earplugs or headphones, or expressing anger towards the person making the noise.

These emotional responses can vary in severity, with some individuals feeling mildly annoyed by specific sounds while others may experience debilitating distress that interferes with their daily activities, such as intense anger and pronounced physiological responses.

The onset of misophonia symptoms is usually in the early teenage years and often results in separate eating arrangements to avoid aversive stimuli. Loss of social engagement and damage to relationships can significantly impact one’s quality of life.

Why Understanding Misophonia is Important

Discovering misophonia is crucial because it enables individuals to understand why they experience intense emotional reactions to misophonic triggers or common sounds. Recognising the condition can make a significant difference in managing anticipatory anxiety and distress caused by trigger sounds.

Identifying and acknowledging these triggers, which can include auditory and visual stimuli, helps sufferers develop coping strategies to mitigate their impact. Understanding misophonia is essential for improving social life, as it allows individuals to explain their condition to others and seek support, reducing stigmas and misunderstandings while enhancing personal relationships.

Misophonia Test

A misophonia test is a diagnostic tool used to identify specific trigger sounds and the severity of the emotional distress and physical responses they cause in individuals. This test is important because it helps clinicians assess a patient’s auditory processing and develop personalised treatment plans tailored to each patient’s unique needs. The benefits of undergoing a misophonia test include a better understanding of the condition, improved coping strategies for managing trigger sounds, and an enhanced quality of life through targeted interventions.

Misophonia Treatment Options

Misophonia is a condition characterised by decreased sound tolerance, where specific noises trigger intense emotional and physiological arousal. This misophonic reaction often involves the auditory cortex, where the brain processes these sounds, leading to heightened sensitivity to repetitive noise.

To manage misophonia, individuals develop various coping mechanisms, such as using noise-cancelling headphones, avoiding certain environments, or practising relaxation techniques. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of misophonia is essential for developing effective strategies to improve the quality of life for those affected.

While there is currently no cure for misophonia, several treatment options can help manage the condition:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A type of therapy that helps individuals change their thought patterns and behaviours related to their misophonia triggers.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT): Originally developed for tinnitus, TRT can also be effective for misophonia by combining sound therapy with counselling.
Sound Therapy: Using background noise or white noise machines to mask trigger sounds.
Medications: In some cases, medications may be prescribed to help manage anxiety or depression associated with misophonia.
Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Practices such as meditation and deep breathing can help reduce the stress response to trigger sounds.

Misophonia Earplugs

There aren’t specific earplugs made for misophonia sufferers, but certain types of earplugs can be helpful for people with misophonia.

Complete Noise Blocking Earplugs/Headphones

Traditional foam earplugs block out most noise entirely. This can be counterproductive for misophonia as it can make your reaction to trigger sounds worse by increasing sensitivity upon removal.

Here’s what to look for in earplugs for misophonia:

Noise Reduction, Not Cancellation: Ideal earplugs for misophonia should reduce the volume of trigger sounds without completely blocking them. This can take the edge off the sound, making it less irritating without isolating you from your surroundings.
Filtering Technology: Look for earplugs that use filters to reduce certain frequencies associated with common trigger sounds.

Here’s how these types of earplugs can help with misophonia:

Reduced Emotional Distress: By lowering the intensity of trigger sounds, these earplugs can help lessen the negative emotional response associated with misophonia.
Increased Tolerance: Wearing these earplugs in controlled situations can help increase tolerance to trigger sounds over time.

How To Deal With Misophonia?

Living with misophonia involves navigating a world where everyday sounds can trigger intense aversive responses. Research in controlled laboratory settings has shown that both auditory and visual triggers can provoke significant discomfort, even when neutral sounds are present. Individuals with misophonia often find that mimicking trigger sounds exacerbates their distress, highlighting the complexity of this condition, which overlaps with other hearing-related conditions.

Coping with misophonia can be challenging, but online support groups and social media communities offer valuable resources and emotional support. These platforms allow individuals to share experiences and coping strategies, fostering a sense of solidarity. Understanding the brain areas involved in misophonia is crucial for developing better treatments and interventions, enabling those affected to manage their symptoms more effectively.

Learn More About Misophonia at Ace Audiology

If you suspect that you may be experiencing symptoms of misophonia, don’t hesitate to visit our auditory clinic for a comprehensive evaluation and personalised support to help you better understand and manage your condition. Identification of the disorder is important to assist you in achieving the best quality of life possible. Treatments are available and require team effort over time to diminish the distress experienced by the Misophonia sufferer. Please contact ACE Audiology should you require assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to get rid of misophonia?

Misophonia cannot be completely eliminated, but seeking support from healthcare professionals and exploring coping strategies tailored to individual needs can help manage its impact on daily life.

What types of Misophonia therapies are there?

Misophonia therapies typically include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), sound therapy, relaxation techniques, and medication management tailored to address individual symptoms and triggers.

Is there a link between Misophonia and ADHD?

While research is ongoing, some studies suggest a potential overlap between misophonia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), particularly in terms of sensory processing differences and difficulties with attention regulation.

What’s the link between Misophonia and Autism?

There is ongoing research exploring the potential link between misophonia and autism however, the exact nature of this relationship requires further investigation.

Are there any Misophonia self-care tips?

Yes, practising relaxation techniques, using noise-cancelling headphones, creating a quiet environment, and seeking support from loved ones or online communities can help individuals with misophonia manage their symptoms effectively.