Misophonia: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Research carried out so far shows that misophonia can affect anyone, but the rate is higher among women. The percentages vary from study to study, with estimated rates of 55% and 83% women, respectively, compared to men. Also, although misophonia can appear at any age, research shows a higher probability that the disorder will appear in the early years of adolescence.

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The causes of noise sensitivity

Scientists have not fully clarified what exactly causes misophonia and in what ways it occurs, but they have identified a variety of factors that are suspected to be responsible for this high sensitivity to sounds, if among:

• The differences in the structure and function of the brain, especially in the areas of the brain responsible for processing sound and emotions.
• Genetic predisposition.

How is misophonia manifested?

Hearing certain sounds, which for most people go unnoticed or don’t bother them, immediately generates negative, overwhelming feelings of reaction, anger, restlessness or tension, which can be difficult to control.. Misophonia does not affect everyone to the same degree, while some manage to control their emotions, others act impulsively, without being able to control their keep themselves in any way. The reactions caused by misophonia seem to fall into the category of the natural “fight or flight” instinct.

• The level emotional, the situation can escalate quickly, from a state of irritation to anger. The most common emotions that appear are irritation, fear, anger, disgust, anxiety.
• With a view physicala type of self-defense similar to dangerous situations is activated when the human body triggers an automatic “fight or flight” response, thus increasing blood pressure, heart rate, sweating and the feeling of stress in an area the chest, goosebumps may appear.
• The level conduct, reactions are determined by impulse or instinct, although they are rare, there is a risk of violent manifestations towards other people or objects (thrown, hit). Usually, the desire to move away from the disturbing sound, stop the sound, avoid/leave the areas where the sound is produced, scream, etc. can be noticed.

The intensity of the manifestations depends on the person. In severe cases, the person will react thoughtlessly, sometimes violently.

The most common sounds that trigger negative reactions in people with misophonia

Each person has their own unique triggers, some may experience several unwanted sounds, others 2-3 of them. Common sounds that trigger reactions include:

• Noisy chewing of food
• Sipping from the spoon/cup
• The sounds that come out during mastication
• Chew gum with your mouth open
• The sounds that come out with the knives hitting the plate
• Broken links
• Sounds made during scratching (scratching)
• Some nervous things like tapping with the fingers or playing with the cap of the pen or with the nails
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• Sniffing / inhaling air forcefully to smell something
• Blowing nose
• Whistling breath
• Voice training
• cough
• Smoke
• The sound of the clock is ticking
• Click the pen/pen
• Hit the keyboard hard
• Sounds made of special materials such as plastic or paper
• Raining water
• Barking dogs or other animal sounds
• Different alarms (car, phone)
• The sounds of the construction site
• Crying the newborn.

A medical condition that can be associated with misophonia

There are a number of disorders, mental illnesses and medical conditions that show an increased risk of having misophonia, for example:

How does misophonia develop?

Not recognized as a pathology, misophonia does not benefit from diagnostic tests. When the unpleasant sounds that pass over them affect the quality of a person’s life, it is recommended:

• Identify triggers
• To avoid the identified factors, as far as possible
• To develop strategies to reduce their impact
• To seek help from a specialist (psychiatrist) if unable to manage the situation.
• Meditation and mind-ul able to test useful tools.

Although it may seem like a fad, in some cases, misophonia can have a negative impact on daily activities. The severity of the reaction varies from person to person. Some people experience mild irritation which can be kept under control, while others can have serious emotional or physical effects.

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