Living With Misophonia
Misophonia is one of those symptoms that are invisible to almost everyone. Those who suffer from it, live a true torture for events as insignificant as the sound of another person chewing, the rain that falls or the activation of a pen.
Worst of all, many health professionals don’t give people with misophonia more credit. They tend to be called maniacs, bipolar, or schizophrenic.
Living with misophonia is quite a feat, both due to the general misunderstanding of this problem, as well as the fact that those who suffer from it are faced with the stimuli that they cannot tolerate at every step. Furthermore, this selective sensitivity to sound is not treated as such.
What is misophonia?
The term misophonia means hatred of sound . It is a disorder in which there is a disproportionate rejection reaction to everyday noise. It is defined as a pathological form of acoustic sensitivity.
When a person with this problem hears certain sounds, they feel irritation, want to scream or hit something. Breathing, or the snapping of the fingers, can provoke feelings of anger, anxiety, and panic.
Not all people with misophonia are sensitive to the same sounds. Most commonly, food-related sounds such as chewing , sipping, or swallowing are rejected. However, other noises can also be annoying, such as the squeak of a chair or the touch of a pencil on paper.
Causes and symptoms
Misophonia was only recognized as a medical entity in the 1990s. However, it is a disease that is not yet fully accepted by science. At the moment, few doctors consider themselves competent to diagnose it.
Everything indicates that in people who suffer from this condition there is a neurological problem. According to the available data, these individuals show unusual activity in the anterior insular cortex. Apparently, there is an anomaly in the processing of emotions, derived from perception.
This problem is classified as a symptom rather than as a clinical entity in itself. It usually appears at the end of childhood, but there are also cases at any age. Beyond an extreme selective sensitivity to sounds and the anxiety it causes, there are no other visible manifestations of this condition.
There are no specific tests to determine whether a person suffers from misophonia or not. This is detected by the reaction of an individual to certain sounds. Although many people may feel annoyed by certain noises, those who suffer from this disease have disproportionate reactions.
Living with misophonia
Misophonia completely alters a person’s life. One of the first consequences is social isolation and the loss of the family support network. To the extent that the affected person is not able to tolerate everyday sounds, almost always emitted by another person, he is forced to move away so as not to suffer the annoying and intense sensation of anxiety.
The situation can be very stressful and prevent a person from working outside the home, as this means being exposed to endless sounds. The impossibility of eliminating noises such as the typing of a computer, or someone’s breathing, limits the possibilities of social integration of these people.
Those who suffer from the problem sometimes choose to wear headphones and listen to music all the time, as most do not reject this melodious sound. That allows them to withdraw from the environment. Also, some wear noise-canceling earplugs or helmets.
Can you do something about it?
At the moment there is no treatment for misophonia. Still, there is some ongoing research around the world on the subject.
Meanwhile, it is advisable for the affected person to work on the development of adaptive behaviors; that is, the development of strategies so as not to isolate oneself socially, without this implying having to suffer all the time. Psychotherapy is highly indicated in these cases.
Meditation and relaxation techniques can also help. This offers effective tools for dealing with anxiety once it occurs. It is convenient to discuss the subject with those close to you, so that they know and understand the condition.
