Have you ever sat down to a meal and started eating, only to feel completely overwhelmed by the sound of your family’s chewing? Or had an officemate whose typing felt so loud that you’re sure the astronauts could hear it from outer space?

If so, you might be affected by misophonia: an extreme reaction to certain sounds – often related to eating, breathing or other body movements. According to National Geographic, an estimated 5 to 20% of people experience misophonia.

Misophonia has only recently been studied and labeled by scientists, and even still, there is no firm consensus on the cause. However, we do know some information that can help if you or a loved one is impacted by this condition.

What is misophonia?

The word “misophonia” means “hatred of sound.” While “hate” is a strong word, it often accurately describes the intensity of a person’s reaction when they have this condition.

An extreme reaction to certain sounds is the main characteristic of misophonia. The intensity of the reaction, and how an individual with the condition responds to it, may vary greatly. Some people may become annoyed, while others may become enraged. This can negatively impact their relationships with family and friends and lead to social isolation, if not addressed.

The most common triggers include sounds generated by the mouth (chewing gum or food, popping lips), the nose (breathing, sniffing, and blowing) or the fingers (typing, clicking pen, fingers drumming on the table). Sometimes, the visual stimuli associated with the trigger, such as a picture or video of someone chewing, can also set off a response, even if the sound is not present.

Individuals with misophonia experience a fight-or-flight response to these stimuli, which can trigger anger, disgust, or the strong desire to escape. If you know someone with misophonia, you might have been surprised to see them run out of the room or explode with anger at seemingly innocuous sounds. But this response is as uncontrollable to them as more common responses – like jumping at a sudden loud noise or flinching at something thrown at you – are to everyone else.

Causes of misophonia

While research is still ongoing, studies like this one, from researchers in the Netherlands, indicate that people with misophonia demonstrate increased brain activity in the part of the brain that processes sounds and visual cues from the environment. In other words, their brain interprets harmless sounds as a potential cause of danger or negative emotions.

Katie Wright at National Geographic writes:

“Misophonia appears to have a complex relationship with other conditions. A literature review from 2022 found that misophonia co-occurs with a wide range of different conditions, including depression, anxiety, autism, ADHD, and OCD. However, scientists have yet to determine whether misophonia is a symptom, a separate disorder, or something in between.”

Both men and women can develop misophonia at any age, although people typically start showing symptoms in their late childhood or early teenage years. For many people, their first episodes of misophonia are triggered by one specific sound, but additional sounds can bring on the response over time. This lends support to the hypothesis that traumatic events may also be a trigger for misophonia in some people.

Diagnosis and treatment for misophonia

Advocates are still working on getting misophonia recognized as an official diagnosis. But it is widely recognized among physicians and mental health professionals.

An audiologist who specializes in sound sensitivity – like Susan Smittkamp, Au.D., Ph.D., with Associated Audiologists – can also help you determine whether you have misophonia or a related condition like tinnitus.

While there is no cure or “quick fix” for this condition, treatments like sound therapy, noise reduction (headphones, earplugs, and quiet areas) and cognitive behavioral therapy can help people manage their response to triggers.

The American Psychiatric Association recommends the following steps to cope with misophonia:

• Be aware of triggers and identify or create spaces where they can be without those triggers.
• Use sound protection, like earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.*
• Listen to something that is pleasant or distracting, like music or nature sounds.
• Treat any underlying mental health issues with medication or talk therapy.
• Use mindfulness and relaxation techniques to cope with stress and distress.
• Focus on increasing overall well-being and life satisfaction through healthy diet, movement and relationships.

Explaining the condition and how it impacts them to friends and family can help increase understanding and accommodations for people with misophonia.

Help for hearing aid users with misophonia

Some types of hearing aids have features that may help people with hearing loss who also have sound sensitivities like misophonia and tinnitus. For instance, they may offer a setting where users can experience randomized, gentle sound stimulation, like quiet windchimes, that reduce their sensitivity to other sound stimuli that are more bothersome.

Read more about the latest hearing aid technology.

Schedule an appointment to talk with one of the doctoral-level audiologists at Associated Audiologists, Inc.

* Experts note that avoiding bothersome or triggering sounds can sometimes lead to greater sensitivity, so discuss this with your provider to determine the best plan for you.