These days, people are constantly exposed to loud noises, and the majority of people are accustomed to them, so they won’t feel very uncomfortable. The majority of people might not be aware that certain people find it extremely difficult to tolerate noise, particularly some noises, and are unable to regulate their impulse reactions. It is a condition referred to as “misophonia.”
What is misophonia?
Anyone can become anxious and irritated by repetitive noises like chewing, sniffing, or tapping with a pen. However, for those who have the condition known as “misophonia,” or selective sound sensitivity syndrome, these noises can be loud enough to be uncomfortable. It is nearly impossible for someone with misophonia to tolerate these sounds.
Simply described, misophonia is an extreme sensitivity to certain noises. The term “misophonia” is derived from the Greek for “hatred of sound.”
This hypersensitivity results in an attempt to flee the stimulus or resistance to it. Extreme impulse behaviors, like covering your ears with your hands or running away right away, are just one example. Some misophonic individuals can avoid specific people and locations by inciting too many spontaneous responses. If the sound of eating bothers them, they may be reluctant to eat in cafes and restaurants and may begin to prefer to eat all of their meals by themselves (Ryan Evans, 2023).
Causes of misophonia
The accurate cause of misophonia is not known, but there are various causes that can lead to it.
- Brain Chemistry: People suffering from misophonia may have a greater link between the auditory cortex and the anterior cortex, a part of the brain that plays an important role in processing human emotions.
- Other mental states: people with anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Tourette syndrome are more likely to suffer from misophonia.
- Tinnitus: People with tinnitus are more likely to suffer misophonia as well. Tinnitus is a condition in which people often hear ringing and others cannot hear it.
- Genetics: Because misophonia tends to progress in the family, there is a high probability of developing misophonia through genetic factors (Hayes, 2023).
What are the symptoms of misophonia?
Drastic reactions such as aggression and anger toward people making certain sounds seem to be the main characteristic of misophonia. Each person has various ways and strengths of reaction. Some people can express tremendous anger, while others can react to irritation. Usually, the misophonia reaction can occur in childhood or early teens, but it can occur regardless of age or gender.
Symptoms of misophonia
The turning of hatred and irritation into anger
Spitting foul language at the noise-causing person
Making a physical attack on a noise-causing object
Being reluctant and out of place to go around someone who makes the trigger sound
Aside from these emotional reactions, people with misophonia can see that their bodies also have various reactions, including increased blood pressure, muscle tension, overall body pressure (especially chest), and elevated body temperature and heartbeat (Dresden, 2023).
Misophonia treatments
There are many ways to treat misophonia, ranging from white-noise devices to hypnosis.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
Continuous ringing in the ears can cause discomfort and adversely affect daily life. Therefore, it can be extended to misophonia treatment through tinnitus treatment.
Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Techniques and Mitigation
Another treatment for misophonia is dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). This includes learning how to control emotions using skills such as interpersonal effects, pain tolerance, emotional control, and mindfulness.
Contrarily, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on helping patients with misophonia better understand how they respond to noise-producing situations as well as how to manage their negative emotions. This specifically entails altering unfavorable cognitive processes regarding triggering sounds.
White noise devices
White noise machines that block out the sounds that induce misophonia can have a significant impact on certain people. Such a gadget could be an ear-level device that mimics the sound of a river or a waterfall, or it could be a room-level device like a white noise machine or a fan.
However, since they may be very pricey, another excellent way to get the same result as a white noise device is to use an application that can hear white noise through an iPad, smartphone, or earphone.
Medication
There is no drug approved for only misophonia, but it is important to discuss it with your doctor and choose the drug because other drugs can be used to alleviate these symptoms.
Hypnotic therapy
Treatments such as hypnotherapy and nerve feedback also exist for misophonia. If you want this kind of treatment, it’s a great idea to get an expert online or consult your doctor (Cuncic, 2020).
Conclusion
There is no specific drug for therapy, and the cause of microfonia is unclear. It can strike anyone at any time, regardless of age or gender, and interfere with daily life. To alleviate this, there are numerous treatments, allowing patients to find relief from their problems. Nevertheless, it will take work to identify definite causes and treatments for diseases through ongoing research.
References
Cuncic, A. (2020). Do You Need Help for Misophonia? [online] Verywell Mind. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/misophonia-treatment-4845902 [Accessed 16 July 2023].
Dresden, D. (2023). Misophonia: What it is, symptoms, and triggers. [online] www.medicalnewstoday.com. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320682#symptoms [Accessed 16 July 2023].
Hayes, K. (2023). Yes, Sound Sensitivity Syndrome Is Real. [online] Verywell Mind. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/misophonia-hatred-of-sound-1191958 [Accessed 15 July 2023].
Ryan Evans, J. (2023). Misophonia Symptoms, Triggers, Treatment, and More. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/misophonia#What-is-misophonia? [Accessed 15 July 2023].
