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Call for questions: MISOPHONIA (Patreon)

Published:
2024-08-04 00:42:25
Edited:
2024-08-04 00:59:43
Imported:
2026-06

Content

This week I'll be interviewing Dr. Jane Gregory, a clinical psychologist and author of the book: Sounds Like Misophonia: How to stop small noises from causing extreme reactions.

Misophonia aka "sound rage" is a neurophysiological disorder that causes strong responses to common sounds like loud breathing, pen clicking, silverware tinging, and gum snapping. Dr. Gregory's identified some of her own misophonia "triggers" as noisy eating, pigeons cooing, and water dripping. It's a pretty new research topic -- the word "misophonia" itself (literally "hate of sound") wasn't coined until 2001 -- so there's lots to learn. Let me know what questions you have for Dr. Gregory!

Deadline: Wednesday, August 7 at noon PST

Comments

Chris Bulock

What pitch of sound causes the most irritation?

RJ Doidge

WHY DO SOME TEXTURES MAKE ME WANT TO PUNCH MY FATHER IN THE TEETH. (Intentionally screaming) I love him but hearing him chew soft foods makes me want to claw my face off.

Evan Davis

I have this! Is it better to ask people to chew with their mouth closed or seek out exposure therepy for this?

Elta Sparks

Why do some sharp or high pitched noises physically hurt my ears? 😩

lexinator

I have no questions but I'm stoked for this episode. Every time we visited my grandmother my dad would have to take down her windchimes and remove batteries from her large living room clock because they bothered him so much

Ida Barksdale

Does the research overlap with autism at all? Personally, ticking clocks enrage my inner demons :)

hashel(ology)

FTQA What is happening in the brain when we hear something we hate?

cameliabee

My daughter has this - so many questions!!

Claire Ivey

Ahh so glad to see an episode on this! Struggled with this my whole life and have had SO many people always telling me it’s made up 🥲

Heather Dykes

Is there a way to diminish or even cure your hatred of certain sounds?? I hate the sound of slow dripping water (like from leaks) and I’d love to get rid of that hatred lol

Mykenzie King

My whole life I have crawled out of my dang skin when I hear the sound of metal touching. Through exposure therapy I have become able to tolerate it but I still have to use plastic/ bamboo utensils daily because the clang of silverware is so horrible to me. Dont even get me started on when people bite their silverware. My question is, is there a reason why this specific noise is so horrible for me?

Evan Davis

Aside from headphones, what is the best way to deal with irritation from misophonia?

Liv Tambrini

Is there an evolutionary explanation for this response? Why do I like listening to raindrops but cannot stand the sound of clicking?

AJG C

Omg I have such bad misophonia that I lose my appetite if I hear eating noises and I have to make comments to my friends asking them to stop making sounds. Is it rude for me to ask someone I know to chew quieter?

Tyler Bates

When I was younger, the sound of styrofoam rubbing together would cause this weird reaction and make my muscles like tingle. I would almost imagine it like when Venom gets all messed up by the bell in spider man. Now that I’m older it doesn’t affect me anymore. But I just always thought it was weird that it happened. Is there a reason for that weird muscle reaction?

Josh Grimes

As a person that suffers from ADHD, I feel like what you’re describing sounds exactly like what happens in my brain constantly. Is there a direct connection between the two, or are they just similar?

John Worster

Does white noise, or green noise, etc help someone?

Kara

I think I become more sensitive to loud noises when I’m tired or anxious. What is going ON with our brains that ties emotion or mental state to sound processing?

Kari Henke

Is there a certain tempo or frequency of sounds that cause the most distress?

Evan Davis

How much of a correlation is there to misophonia and autism?

Ashley Rockett

I cannot sit at a table with my partner or son while they eat is there anything that can be done to make it easier

Leighanne Gray

FTQA: Why does chewing bother me so very much? I hate eating chips and crunchy things around others because my crunch is so loud to me. Do people who don’t experience this really not mind hearing chewing?

Chrysalis Ashton

Fascinating! Almost everyone I know has a sound they can’t stand. (For me it’s my dogs licking.) Where is the line between just dislike of a sound and the neurophysiological disorder of misophonia?

Amie Allen

Omg I cannot wait for this!!! I’ve suffered my whole life, it’s literally ruined relationships. I wish I could fix this part of my brain. I know exposure therapy doesn’t work, but is there a reason WHY it doesn’t work?

Aki

Can sounds that irritate people change overtime? Can some sounds that used to irritate a person stop irritating a person and change to another sound?

slam whitey

Are people who sniff loudly in public sucking our chi energy? Or is that bananas… also if it gets too quiet do we literally hear our hearts beating and the blood in our ears? Why does birdsong sound so calming but other noises on that spectrum seem antagonising? Is a dripping tap only disturbing if its pattern is irregular?

Melea Holland

Sometimes visual repetitions like me scrunching my toes bother my friend with misophonia, is that connected or is it part of ADHD. Am I just super obnoxious?

cameliabee

How common is it? Is it genetic? Is it learned and can it be unlearned? Can medication help? Is it now a legit diagnosis?

Megging

Is it common for misophonia triggers to vary in intensity by context? E.g. I knew that the sound of someone hocking a loogie outside bothered me but I didn’t realize how MUCH until I heard someone do it in a shared bathroom at work and the sudden pain in my knuckles was my first clue that I’d instinctively punched the wall of the stall.

Char Harrison

I want to tear my skin off when I hear sounds of someone eating, and the sound of nails on chalkboard (or anything similar) makes me physically gag. What can I do to learn to control these reactions or is it a case of learning to love yourself and these lovely quirks?

Greg Walloch

What's the difference between misophonia and just hyper sensitivity to sound? Is related to ADHD and anxiety disorders?

PIQUANT PHOTO

First time question - Are there any studies on postpartum rage and misophonia? Early in my postpartum period (“fourth trimester”) I found that particular noises would set me off.

Grey

Why do certain noises feel actually physically painful to hear?

Christi Sullivan

I'm curious about the most common co-occuring conditions with Misophonia! I have OCD and Sensory Processing Disorder as well as Misophonia (when I found a thread on Reddit that introduced the condition to me I felt like a puzzle piece that had been missing in my life for 20 years had finally been found). I often wonder if there is some overlap in the brain processes that cause other disorders.

cameliabee

And my daughter wants to know why people with misophonia are way smarter and cooler that other people. :D

Patrick W

Is there a link between misophonia and ASMR? Because apparently creepy whispering is satisfying to some people and I am definitely not one of them.

Leighanne Gray

Side question: how does nails on a chalkboard give me (and others) such an intense reaction?

Wetland Warrior

How come the sound of others chewing sends me into a fit but the sound of my own chewing doesn’t bother me?

Nadja Jackson

As someone afflicted with both of these: Is there a connection between misoohonia and a tendency to feel nauseated easily? Like is it related to our vestibular system? On a related note, could vestibular PT and/or somatic experiencing therapy help with this? (NAH-dja, FTQA)

Anilee

Is there any correlation between misophonia and autism?

Iris Clover

Why is misophonia prominent in neurodivergents/autism?

Emily Staw-fur

I'm not sure if this is the same thing, but after I had my daughter a few years ago, I suddenly experienced overstimulation from sound on a regular basis. Even years later, multiple competing sounds turns on my rage mode, then for the next hour, I'm shut down. I tried searching to figure out if this was directly related to postpartum stuff, but came up with nothing. I'd love to hear your thoughts about how/why this only started happening to me after becoming a mom!

Eden

Autistic person here who can’t stand repetitive sounds: what’s the difference between sensory processing disorder and misophonia?

Jill Savory

Connections to trauma/ptsd? How is it related to Auditory processing disorder? Sensory processing disorder? Sensory overload? Do hard of hearing folks experience this too? This sounds fascinating and niche-y and I’m so excited.

Roxanna McLaughlin

Is misophonia related to ADHD? I just cringe when I hear my husband eating (crunching chips, i.e. ) and the same, when he grinds coffee beans every morning. I know, he can't stand hearing rattling of anything in the car as we are driving. But the bean grinding, I think he likes that because he loves coffee and coffee houses, so he associates happy stuff with that sound. Oh. I also am terribly annoyed when I hear ATVs, or heavy equipment driving on the roads near our home. I will drive 1.5 hours, round trip, just to try to get away from so much noise.

Dave Brewer

Does the fact that almost everyone hates certain sounds (e.g fingernails on chalkboards) mean that we all have some degree of misophonia? I'm not trying to trivialize the suffering of people who struggle with this (a good friend suffers from it) but I'm wondering if it's a reaction that is useful in some cases. Thank you.

Lizzy Martinez

What physically/mentally is the best way to work through this "annoying noise" sound of: someone who breathes from their mouth, like 98% of the time, eating cereal and slurping the milk while also coughing a little here and there because they breathe in a little milk or cereal dust and then repeat the steps all over until the bowl is empty 😭?

Renee vanden Hoven

misophonia!!!! my time to shine!!!! is misophonia hereditary, or does it develop over time? my mother always told my brother and i to chew and drink quietly so im wondering if growing up in a quiet consuming house may have caused my misophonia? why does it make me angry and can i stop it? are they developing anything for that? i would like to eat ice cream with my roommate without feeling the overwhelming urge to throw her out the window. very excited for this episode!! cant wait!!

Rachel

Thank you so much for this topic. I always felt like it was just me for so long! Chewing sounds, especially gum chewing/cracking sends me up a wall. Why does it make me infuriated?? I’m normally a very even keeled person, but man. I can’t take the chewing!

Iris Clover

I'm the same way with cotton! I HATE hearing it and feeling it, it makes me feel so weird

Nadja Jackson

Ooh, soft? For me it’s crunchy. Or breathing. Especially if my partner is breathing deeply and I am NOT sleeping. That sounds bad, but I think you know what I mean…🙃

Mariana Alvarez

First-time question asker. How can I support a loved one who suffers from this? He hates the sound of my dogs chewing and cannot focus on anything else because it drives him mad :/ but they love chewing on bones so it's a conflict of interest for me lol

Patrick Duffy

Is it related to overstimulation with lots of other sensations happening at once?

Mary of the Grapefruit

I have depression and one of my 'tells' that I'm about to go into a low point.. or if my anxiety is really high.. is a sensitivity to noise. If I get overwhelmed, everything sounds so loud! If I don't self-regulate, I will get so angry so fast. I know it's not quite the same, but is the sensitivity similar?

Charlotte Parkinson

Is this something that can get better with age? I say better, just certain sounds aren't as sensitive as you get older

Iris Clover

I think it's valid to ask people to chew with their mouths closed because that's kind of a social norm

Greg Walloch

Would the opposite of Misophonia be ASMR? Are the same parts of the brain lighting up and firing off? Is it just that one feels good and one feels bad? And what if you don't have either response?

Gabrielle Heiss

Is there a connection between people cleaning their ears with cotton swabs (some get pain and others pleasure) does that correlate with misophonia?

Leighanne Gray

ME TOO! Testing was a nightmaaaaaare

Katie Wood

I’ve had revulsion at drinking sounds for most of my life. My husband has to go to another room if he wants to chug a drink. But when I had my son, I breastfed him and his little gulps didn’t bother me at all. Why did that happen? It made me wonder if the revulsions I’ve always had are “all in my head” and maybe I could change my reactions if I had a different mindset.

Leighanne Gray

Additional question: what sounds are most commonly irritating?

Cat Lady

How is misophonia treated? ERP? CBT? I have this and it tends to become worse when I feel very anxious. Clicking pens, utensils scraping plates, most repetitive sounds UGH!!!!!!

Erin Erskine

First time Question Asker: why do sounds startle us less when we have a “heads up?” Three out of four of my genetic family members have misophonia, and we all do much better when someone calls out, “loud noise!” immediately before making the hurty sound. What is it about our brains anticipating pain that helps our bodies prepare for it?

Logan Muller

why do i go into immediate rage mode when someone chews loudly?? i’ve had to excuse myself from the table many times because of it, is this a normal reaction or am i just losing my mind?!

Sara in Montana

So excited to have you explain myself to me!! I get the pleasure of suffering from both misophonia and trypophobia (textures). Whistling, noisy chewers, slurpy spit talkers and snoring drive me crazy. Though I have been with my husband over 30 years, if he starts whistling my hands clench into white knuckled fists and it is all I can do to not punch him in the face- which I really don’t want to do. My question is, why is it HIS whistling specifically that gives me the extra rage? Also, he’s very gifted musically and a great whistler (or so I’ve been told!)

Margaret Downs

Anecdotally, I have misophonia (main triggers are eating/mouth noises) but do like the ASMR videos where people are shuffling papers around or drawing.

wicker bitch

Why can I tolerate my cat's eating noises but not people 😅

Drtymgrty

Are there sounds that have the opposite effect for these people, like if they get the right binaural beat it can be extremely positive? Or is that a different disorder. Also, misophonia sounds like it could be fermented sounds, so I can understand if tasting that with their ears makes them upset.

Gabrielle Heiss

I have chronic migraines and find that sounds are a massive trigger sometimes but not other times. AC running at school? I was done for.

Kate Timms

As a small child I was taken to the doctor by my mum as she was concerned that my hearing was “too good” due to my distress at sounds. Is this experience common in people with misophonia? And is there a correlation with neurodivergence?

rowantree

Thank you SO MUCH for covering this topic!!! I always feel so guilty for getting so angry when I hear noises that trigger my misophonia and I get angry and snap at my loved ones or start to cry. I work so hard on emotional regulation/understanding but I can’t do it with this, even after discussing it with my therapist. How do I feel less rage, and why is it rage? It’s a storm of negative emotions and I never want to be angry about the everyday things that are a part of normal life.

Michael Wegman

How correlated is misophonia with PTSD and is it also correlated with difficulty sleeping with noises?

Kerry Constantino

Is there a connection between misophonia and people who experience synesthesia? Are they a pairing that is linked?

Julia Telesz

First time question asker! Is there something significant about repetitive sounds? Repetitive sounds are particularly unbearable for me -- the car blinker, tapping a pen on a desk, finger drumming on the steering wheel...etc. Any repetitive sounds will also wake me from sleep any hour of the night. Is this more related to sensory processing rather than Misophonia?

Sam

Is this related to sound distraction as well? Like I can not listen to music and study / work, but many people find it helps them focus.

Eil Be Gone

Does misophonia happen in animals?

Rebecca Fitzgibbon

Is there an anything that someone can do to minimize the experience of it? What makes someone more or less sensitive to it? Help! (And thank you!!)

Keri Turner

WHY is the sound of my fridge fine but the sound of someone eating like having glass slowly pushed into my eyeball (why are some sounds fine while others are physically painful?)

Margaret Downs

Since starting an SSRI for anxiety, my misophonia has become much easier to handle.

Cat Lady

Misophonia, anxiety, neurodivergence. Related?

Leighanne Gray

Also, my mom has it and abused us subsequently. Can we talk about the emotional control it can have on a person?

Sam Bergen

First time question asker! How can I support a partner who has misophonia other than not making the noises that trigger them, since I’m rather fond of things like breathing and eating 😂

Alexandra B

Do all people with Auditory Processing Disorder experience misophonia?

Leighanne Gray

My partner and i bother suffer from this, so we watch a lot of tv or listen to music when we eat. Works for us! ✨💕

Sean Murphy

I think I have this, but it is specific to time of day: for the first half hour or hour of the day, I find any noise to be deeply irritating, borderline enraging. Cats playing, neighbors talking too loudly (to me), anything beyond a general white noise just grates and makes me really annoyed.

Quincey Robisheaux

(they/them) You have no idea how long I've waited for a topic like this. I suffer from some kind of audio processing disorder due to autism, and it's caused me years of trauma as a result. Can prescription hearing aids help with misophonia? Have you seen any specific therapies assist with decreasing the emotional disregulation caused by the bad sounds?

Margaret Downs

I wonder if your mother had it? Mine definitely started developing when my parents would tell me to chew quietly.

Margaret Downs

How are misophonia and misokinesia related? As an example, one of my main misophonia triggers is gum chewing, and it's not *as* bad, but still rough, if I can see the person chewing gum but not hear it. It elicits a similar clenched-fist-elevated-heart-rate response as if I can hear it. (They've both gotten better, but not gone away entirely, since I started taking an SSRI for anxiety.)

The Allusionist

aw yay!! You and Jane, united at last!!!

Renee vanden Hoven

im quite sure my mother has it as well! so maybe its hereditary and also developed?

Aimee Ford

FTQA for a friend: “Why do all my partners sounds annoy me the worst?” And Is there exposure therapy? Is there a way to desensitize myself?

Aimee Ford

😂 Coming in with the big questions here!

Eating dog hair for a living

Why do certain sounds do that to us? Why does some sounds or too many sounds at once make it hard to focus? Does that mean my brain is slow?

Sarah with an h

Do drugs (recreational or therapeutic) have an impact on trigger sensitivity? I've always been sensitive to certain sounds, but when I was on a very common antidepressant/smoking cessation aid, it got 1000x worse. As in I broke down sobbing because the kids were whispering in the backseat.

Yuri

So no question but please be mindful of pathologizing autism, since sound sensitivity is a big part of our experience, and getting pathologized is also a huge part which is super not cool and we are trying to undo.

Twenty Three Skidoo

I’m so glad you’re covering Misophonia. My email request that another science-based podcast address this a few years ago resulted in the podcasters mocking my email with whispers and lip smacking sounds (both of which are triggers for me). I’d love to know if there are other research-based treatment methods beyond CBT. Thank you!

Jodie Sweetin

I can’t wait for this… I always thought I was just silly for years, But so many things set me off! The biggest is cracking knuckles. Omg… as I type this it is making me twitch. I have a full body reaction to it. Is there a reason it seems to be noises like breathing and chewing that really set it off?

Aimee Ford

FTQA: lots of people love listening to ASMR. But it is rage triggering for me. Is there a connection here? Why is it an eargasm for some and makes me want to turn inside out?

Chandler Witherington

At what point does something become misophonia? Like I hate the sound of styrofoam scraping against a box, breaking, etc. but do enough other people also hate that sound that it’s no longer misophonia?

Yuri

And psychologists's relationship with the autistic community is complicated at best, and rife with pretty problematic things

San Juan Josie

Does misophonia tend to be genetic? I literally get unbearable ear pain from noises like lawn mowing and blowing, brass instruments, people talking loudly. I have to use a fan to sleep at night because every little noise wakes me up. My father was the same way.

Rebecca Davis

So happy you’re doing this topic!! I’ve lived with misophonia for most of my life, and I used to think that I just learned what was annoying from my mom (she would insist we eat with the music on and couldn’t stand the sound of our bare feet on linoleum). To what extent is a learned behavior or is there any evidence that it could be genetically linked?

Liv

is there any link between adhd/autism and misophonia?

Anna Thompson

Same! I can't do recorded whispering basically at all!

choirqueer

I have APD and do not experience misophonia :) I struggle with directional hearing, I get disoriented in situations with too many noises, and in general I feel like the amount of effort it takes me to make sense of auditory information greatly exceeds what's "normal" for most people...but I don't have an extreme negative response to specific sounds (unless I also have trauma associated with the sound).

Laura Atkins

ME TOO. Whispery sounds make my skin crawl

Brianna L

My daughter (10) has misophonia and her biggest trigger is the sound of someone chewing, or making any noises with their mouth. She's especially sensitive to the sounds my husband makes and we all have to eat separately. What's a good way to help her calm down after she rages? Why is she more sensitive to my husband than she is to the rest of the family?

Lorelei

What is the evolutionary advantage in wanting to choose violence when I hear human eating sounds but finding animal eating sounds absolutely endearing? Thanks for this episode — can’t wait to… HEAR it. (I haven’t checked to see if that horrible pun has already been done 😂)

Lori Anderson

I didn't know there was a name for that, but the sight of chewing gum triggers memories of the sound for me and then I go icky!

Cobalt Finch

What can be done to reduce the irritation of a noise if it's not possible to be stopped? I have family that's never been diagnosed, but just the sound of me breathing when I was younger was enough to bother them, among other things such as chewing, cracking knuckles, or humming. Can misophonia be something that is gained later? I never remember noises bothering me when I was younger, but I feel like more things bother me as I've gotten older. I'm not sure that it bothers me to the level of what I understand misophonia would, so I wonder if I'm on high alert for certain sounds because of how they bother my family member.

Emily Krieger

can you please define what a strong response can look like? i am intrigued

choirqueer

(FTQA, ze/zir) What can I, a person who doesn't have misophonia, do to improve accessibility for people who do? Are there general ways to be helpful without someone feeling put on the spot to explain their needs, technologies that can reduce the impact of certain sounds...anything like that?

Lori Anderson

That's interesting! I have a touch of synthesisia as well, but mine is physical sensation/color linked rather than sound.

Margaret Downs

Yep pretty much same! I actually think I came across the word "misokinesia" in the Ologies FB group. It's not as widely used/known as misophonia.

Jess R

Long time listener and lurker. Why do human chewing sounds make me want to commit a felony but my dog smacking away at her food make me smile contentedly while they're very similar sounds?

Liv

why the anger??? it’s unbearable… people eating makes me want to throw sharp things because the person is so incredibly irritating that i lose all sense of sanity

Stephanie

FTQA! Why am I only /sometimes/ affected by misophonia? I will go weeks without noticing anyone eating, and then out of the blue lock in on someone’s chewing and get the ick. Or some days I don’t hear the dryer’s intermittent beeps to tell me the cycle is over, but other days they send me into an absolute barbarian rage. Why is it inconsistent? Is there anything I can do to disengage this annoying feature or bug all the time?

James Nance

Is there a spectrum of misophonia? Are some people more sensitive than others? Thanks for this episode! Can't wait to listen!

Laura Atkins

And the WHINING voice. I can't. I have to leave the room sometimes so I dont go all rage monster.

Jess EyeballSurgeon

My friend Andi wants to know " how to keep it from getting worse every year until I can't work or go out in public or have friends and my husband leaves me and I have to live in a room by myself?" Is there a way to prevent adding new triggers?

Margaret Downs

That's called misokinesia - I have a similar thing. (In my case, chewing gum triggers *both* which is real fun.) I asked a question below about the connection between them!

Hope Madeline

Does misophonia ever go away? I have a friend with it and I can ever only see her for a few minutes at a time before she has to leave. Also why do certain people tend to trigger the reaction more than others? I know some people’s sounds she’s super sensitive to but when other people make the same exact sound she’s fine. Also how does misophonia affect mental health and one’s connections with others?

Hailee Kirby

Is there a reason that some sounds are okay for some people but intolerable for others? Is there any commonality between sounds that people usually hate?

Simone Francoeur

Is this a learned response? How does this usually come about in people? Is it genetic?

Margaret Downs

I feel bad because in some cultures, slurping is a way to show appreciation for the food, but it also makes me want to peel my skin off when someone near me is doing it. I used to work with the NICEST guy who I had to stop eating lunch with because I felt like I was going to fly into a murderous rage.

Ry_ofthetiger

Is misophonia restricted to certain sounds or could any sound be tied to an extreme reaction? For instance, could somebody go through a trauma or have an experience that could cause them to react negatively to hearing their favorite song or the voice of a loved one?

Stefanie Wenninger

Why does it PHYSICALLY hurt me (and everyone in my family) when someone chews with there mouth open?! All mouth noises drive me INSANE!!!

Margaret Downs

See, I feel like it's worse if I think it *might* happen and then it does! There was a period of my life where I hated riding in the car with my mom because she'd sometimes chew gum.

Audrey Hudak

Same! I go from calm to "if you keep chewing like that I will do something we both will regret!!!!" 😳

Toni Carlton

Do any of these misphonia serve a purpose? I can handle most noise- crowds, crying babies, dogs barking, sirens, nothing phases me… except ‘moist’ talkers. If someone is extra liquidy when they talk that drives me bonkers. How does that even makes sense??

Hannah McCain

Have you learned of any correlation between misophonia and music preferences? Or any famous musicians that have it?

Chrissy Ward

Omg saaaame!! I can handle most ASMR vids but they HAVE to be labeled “no talking” because I can’t even with the whispering. Mukbang is another I can’t watch; can’t stand the sounds of chewing!

Jamie

I’m one of those misophonians who use ASMR to relax, fall asleep, of even use as background while I’m working. It’s helps mask out the rage inducing sounds! With that said, there are a few types of sounds (ANY smacky mouth sounds make stabby!!) I agree it’s bizarre that some of us love ASMR, while others would rather poke their eardrums out! I’d love to know why, too!!

Audrey Hudak

Same!!! I hate the tapping and the package opening sounds soooooo much.

jana leigh

is this related to ear and brain pain from multiple sounds happening at once? how does sensory overload become such severe physical ear pain? so excited for this episode.

cameliabee

Has there been research between generalized sensory processing differences and misophonia?

Allyson Lance

Why do sounds made by loved ones seem to be much more triggering than sounds made by strangers?

Hannah McCain

Every once in a while my brother will send me a tictok video about misophonia and say "hah this is you" I'm sad to say I've had to stop listening to an episode before when the microphone was particularly bothersome during a remote interview. I can't listen to certain audiobook readers. And I have an actor on my do not like list purely because of the way he talks 🫣 so tell us, are there any good things about misophonia?

Moni W-S

I am also a long time listener and lurker, and this topic strikes such a deep personal chord, I had to jump in with some questions. How much is currently understood about the neurobiological mechanisms involved with misophonia? Do those understandings help guide strategies for managing it? Are there other psychological/neurological conditions associated with misophonia? I've experienced misophonia since I was a kid and I would love to gain a grasp of what exactly is happening in my brain. I am acutely conscious that my response to certain sounds is entirely irrational and out of proportion, and I can largely control any behavioral reactions, but the feelings in my mind and body can be overwhelmingly intense. Do things like the Flare Audio calmer ear plugs actually seem to help? I also wonder if Dr. Gregory has any suggestions for talking with family/friends to help them understand, and hopefully be sensitive to, those of us who have misophonia.

Audrey Hudak

Playing music helps! Have background noise during dinner.

Hannah McCain

Is there a correlation between misophonia and eating disorders? Or other mental illnesses?

Audrey Hudak

Also perfectionism. I was taught to "eat like a lady" and maybe that perfectionism is part of why I want to choose violence when somebody slurps or smacks their lips.

Katie Bauer

My main question is WHYYYYYYY. Really though, I’m curious as to why my sound triggers bother me in some circumstances but not in others. Sitting at a table with someone chewing loudly makes me want to unzip and crawl out of my own skin, but sometimes I can hear the same sound and it doesn’t phase me, such as sitting at a cafe near a stranger. It feels as though proximity might make a difference, but not always? What’s going on there?

Hannah McCain

Omg the doggies chewing makes me so happy

Sharon

Tips for asking an employer for reasonable accommodations?

Rowena Z

Any correlation between misophonia and the trait of high sensitivity? I'm a HSP who also has misophonia and I've wondered about this for a long time!

Rachel Guthrie

FTQA: Is there any connection between musicians and misophonia? Are they more or less likely to suffer from it? Or is there not any kind of trend identified yet?

Jen

No question that isn't already here, but I'm SOO excited about this! I suffer from misophonia to the point where I wake up in the middle of the night hearing my dog lick her feet, even over a fan and white noise machine! Hoping this episode is LIFE CHANGING!

Crystal Trauner

Why do I want to die or punch someone in the face when they chew?

Megan Skye

My daughter has misophonia, and has a really hard time listening to people eat. Recently she realized that if she was moving while eating (walking around the dining room during dinner) she could eat near the rest of the family without it being so agonizing. Any idea why that is? Is there a relationship to movement and misophonia?

Katie Bauer

Any correlation between misophonia and physical trauma to the ear? I have some pretty intense responses to certain sounds (ie: please allow me time to exit the room before anybody eats a bowl of cereal), and I also had chronic ear infections as a young child (as well as a tympanostomy [ear tubes]) and have wondered if there’s a relationship there.

Cat Lady

Earbuds for misophonia. Effective? Flim flam?

Audrey Hudak

Slurping!!! People in Japan and many other Asian countries do slurp their noodles and soup as part of their food culture. As someone with misophonia I would hate this very very deeply. Do people in Japan and other slurping culture countries have a different misophonia? Are these people maybe sensitive to other sounds and not slurping??!

Caitlin Tyndale

My wife and I have a German shepherd, and it turns out his nose whistles/whining drive her insane to the point where she has to put on noise canceling headphones so she doesn’t lose her shit. Other high pitched noises don’t seem to bother her so much. What’s going on and how can I help her to tolerate it better??

Jen

Wait, I thought of a question! Why is it that when you tell someone you have misophonia or trouble with chewing sounds, their first instinct is to mimic the sound in the most dramatic way possible?! I have had people with all different personality types react the exact same way when I have told them for some reason or another!

Angie Smith

Part one: Is misophonia something that can be diagnosed officially? Part two: is there a system in place to determine what level a persons misophonia is? Ps: my triggers are mouth noises/chewing, excessive pen clicking and untied shoelaces hitting the floor as someone walks around.

Katie Bauer

I feel like this condition gets worse for me as the day goes on. Is this common? Perhaps we just have less energy later in the day to cope, but what I can handle earlier in the day is much more than what I can handle after I’ve worked all day in a high-stimulation job (middle school teacher). It feels similar to what I remember as feeling “touched out” after a day of parenting a toddler who wants to cling to you all day long.

Gwen Hughes

Is misophonia a learnt behaviour? My partner finds slurping incredibly annoying and now I (an ex-slurper) do too, having watched him get annoyed at me for years!

Tall Floating Dog

It's specifically like exaggerated kissing sounds for me *shudders*

Katie Bauer

What similarities have been found in the types or qualities of sounds that are common triggers?

Mimz

Is it genetic? Nature or nurture?

Katie Bauer

Is there any evidence that products like Loop or Flare ear plugs make a difference? I’ve been trying them, but haven’t noticed a convincing improvement.

Pearl Ramone

All the mouth noises created by people above the age of 5 are enraging to me and I will do anything to escape. Is it the frequency of sound or something that makes little kid mouth noises (and any animal) less disturbing? Hubs just did his heavy breathing/eating thing and I’m ready to snap.

Katie Bauer

What’s the name for the feeling of the physical discomfort that seems to accompany these reactions? Is it pain? Can a sound cause the same response as a physical stimulus?

Kait

FTQA: THIS IS ME! Is there a connection between this and ADHD? Also, was there an increase in reports of misophonia after 2020? I live in NYC and nobody went out for a while, and even then we ate in outdoor dining sheds. The first time I went back to an indoor restaurant, it’s like the food sound volume was turned allll the way up!!! (Also, my very accommodating husband has played music for me during dinner, too, because I have had such a hard time with this.) Thanks for any insight!

Kieran H

Is it normal for the degree to which you experience misophonia to change depending on different factors? For instance, it seems like the more anxious or tired I am, the more certain noises will bother me.

Madeleine Ash

First time question asker! How have Foley/movie sound effects changed the way we feel about sounds in general? Are there more people with misophonia than before we started using weird shit like hams to make sound effects?

Lizzy Booth

Hello! I'm wondering if you know why people either love or hate asmr (there doesn't seem to be any in between). I'm someone who can't stand it and it baffles me that some find it soothing. I'm also wondering if having physically sensitive ears is a reason why I'm so triggered by sounds. For example I had tubes in my ears as a baby, had many ear infections as a child, and just overall suffer a lot of earaches.

Becky Peters

FTQA! Why do some sounds cause me to feel (briefly) nauseated? Also, is there any link between misphonia and an aversion to certain textures (like velvet)?

Lizzy Booth

Another question! I know people with autism can get really overstimulated by sounds, but why is that? What part of it makes us so sensitive to stimulus, but in this case specifically sound.

Rachel Marcotte

Ftqa here! I am so curious to know if there is a correlation between misophonia and OCD/OCD-adjacent disorders like BFRBs (body focused repetitive behaviors)? As someone who suffers from OCD, Dermatillomania, and Misophonia myself, it feels like all three things are constantly messing with the same part of my brain 🤪🫠

Matt Thompson

Can people get misophonia from perceived sounds? E.g. your upstairs neighbor usually walks loudly at 7 AM and you hear it at 7 even when no one is there?

Rachel Marcotte

Same! I have tried loop ones and for me it makes the sounds inside my body sooooo much worse (like swallowing & chewing)

Doug Paice

I use BDT skills to manage it, but I just can't cope with the sound of someone eating an apple. Why is it some sounds are so much worse? Is it socially acceptable to ask people to eat elsewhere?

Paige Moreth

**ftqa Some things I've experienced that I don't know are true for others - can we confirm?? 1. It starts/gets worse around puberty 2. The closer I am to people, the more they bother me - ex. Certain family members bother me more, and it takes a few months for some people to trigger my misophonia. 3. Is it related to OCD? 4. Can we talk about the social implications? Common experience is telling someone you have misophonia and then they immediately start chewing more obnoxiously. It can be very isolating when others don't understand or don't try to. I could ask a million questions but I am just SO GLAD my fav podcast is covering this!! Thank you Alie!

Sonn D'Robots

OMG same to the entirety of your post

June Bramley

My spouse wants to ask: Is misophonia comorbid with any other diagnoses, e.g., ADHD, etc.

Brenden O'Donnell

Re: misophonia and chewing sounds. Ethically, whose problem is it? On the one hand, I believe and want to help people with misophonia. On the other hand, I think it’s kinda gross to dictate and shame people for the way they eat. How have people been talking about this? What are some solutions??

Allie Brown

THANK YOU for doing this topic! Why is it worse when the sounds come from someone you know longer?

Allie Brown

Why is sight part of it? I can’t handle chewing noises but also can’t look at chewing mouths. It’s also hard to look away… why is that??

Allie Brown

Is this something employers or schools are getting more knowledgeable about? I’ve never asked for accommodations but have also taken entire tests (multiple hours long) while holding my ears shut. Makes it a bit more difficult to write or type…

Allie Brown

Why does it feel physically painful sometimes? People chewing loudly hurts!

Allie Brown

What’s the best way to tell people about you having this? Almost everyone I’ve ever told has made the noise I described as being terrible back to me. Everyone except my current partner (which is part of the reason I stuck with him).

Brynn Balcom

Why do my dog’s eating/licking sounds not bother me, but human sounds do? Also why haven’t we banned leaf blowers?

Kimberly

As someone with misphonia especially around the sounds of eating, how can I share meals with people without becoming fixated and enraged by the sounds? It’s like my fight or flight kicks in and I can’t think of anything else and it is so frustrating.

Allie Brown

Why are animal/pet noises not as triggering?

Britt Carp

I 100% have misophonia and I also despise the feeling of light touches on my skin. Is this a coincidence or is it related?

Kimberly

This is such a good observation, I didn’t even realize I feel the same.

Allie Brown

How does it get diagnosed?

Lionessfeather

What's the difference between misophonia and plain old sensory sensitivity (eg autism)?

Britt Carp

It’s interesting you say this because one of my biggest triggers is my dog licking herself!

Dionne Needham

What's with the word moist? Had a colleague that shudders when I said it.

Hope

i found that misophonia for me was really bad when my anxiety and depression were both bad, are those or other mental illnesses commonly linked to misophonia at all?

Britt Carp

Microfiber cloth for me 🤢

Britt Carp

Yes. I cannot tolerate asmr.

Don Elliot

Is there a variant that is based on a repeating sound, like a drip drip drip that is tolerable for a certain length of time, then the trigger pulls? For instance, the clunking sound in the next door apartment that I am just noticing now that I’m typing this….

Loanedstar

Very curious about this as well

Katie Bauer

Yes! Similar situation here; same question!

Katie Bauer

How does rhythm play into this for most folks? I can hear a certain sound in isolation and that doesn’t really bother me, but if it becomes repetitive it pretty quickly becomes a trigger. I also notice that if the repetition of the sound is not happening *quite* in a predicable, metered rhythm it’s even worse!

Betsy Hoffmeister

I have had this since before it had a name. In grad school in the early 90s, a man named "I'm a horrible person" sat in front of me in Econ clipping. His. Fingernails. I may have stabbed him in the back with a pencil but he was wearing a thick jacket so he didn't notice. Is this something that gets worse over time? Is it heritable? What are the best sound dampening earbuds? What is the worst noise, and why is it a cat sucking on their claws/my husband eating bananas? Will I be able to listen to this episode? (Long time listener, I've asked questions before and never heard them on the show)

Betsy Hoffmeister

I mean, it's my problem that I can't stand the way certain people eat, and I try to solve it by leaving the space or situating myself as far away from offenders as possible. But it's awkward when you're related to the person.

Betsy Hoffmeister

I'm a lactation consultant and I spend hours listening to infants nurse, burp, fart, poop, puke, just do gross baby things. It's all adorable. I love it all. Adults, man, how dare they suck on stuff and chew stuff in my presence? UGGGGH humans!

Betsy Hoffmeister

blarghhghghhghghghghghhg this is a whole separate topic for me that I'm not comfortable having with strangers on the internet but yes.

Carley Froehlich

FTQA! First of all YES thank you so much I am so excited to feel validated and less crazy. My question is other than chewing/ mouth sounds what is the most common trigger for people? I’ve had a horrible keyboard sound aversion for my entire life in addition to freaking out over the sounds of people chewing gum ect. What else drives people nuts!? 🥲

Betsy Hoffmeister

I was able to cope with noodle slurping in China by sort of intellectualizing it -- but it was really shocking.

Kimberly

Same question! I am okay with a clock ticking, but not water dropping irregularly.

Betsy Hoffmeister

hair standing up on your body. Insta-rage. Feeling murderous. Needing to abruptly leave a room. Yelling GAAAAAAH inappropriately.

Alice Rubin

What are the best earplugs?

The Best Intentions

I don't have a diagnosis, but I'm pretty sure I have this. I find it to be both a blessing and a curse. I attribute my good musical ear to the fact that bad sounds are kind of physically painful to me, a great incentive to find the good sounds. I play musical saw, which has a very unique and sometimes annoying sound, but I find ways to play it that satisfy my misophonia and it adds a lot to the music. I also know a really good sound engineer who has a similar experience with mixing sound in rooms with difficult acoustics. We commiserate on what I call "cafeteria acoustics" (tile or concrete floors, glass or bare walls, large group of people chattering, my worst sonic nightmare). I wonder: have you noticed any correlation between misophonia and music?

The Best Intentions

Also I have long suspected that part of my issue is that I can't seem to turn sounds into white noise, which makes it really hard to ignore, and therefore becomes more annoying. Does that track with what you've seen?

Hannah Kish

First time question-asker here! Is there an emotional component to this? I don’t mind hearing my husband or dog chew, but when I hear someone else it’s like nails on a chalkboard!

Bethany B

Is this related to stress at all? I feel like the more I have going on in life the more agitated I am by sounds where on stress free days I can tune out the same sounds.

Hannah Kish

If you have misophonia, how likely are you to have psychiatric comorbidity? I have anxiety and likely have OCD and I also cannot stand small, repetitive noises.

Jess C

I have misophonia, and I also have an extremely painful TMJ joint which needs to be replaced. I notice on bad pain days, the sound of chewing bothers me a LOT more. Is there an explanation for this? On bad pain days, I don't just get extremely angry when I hear chewing but I also feel nauseated and somewhat dizzy

Bee

The sound of my dogs licking anything - but especially their paws - makes me want to SCREAM. It makes me so angry!!! Why is there such a visceral link between this particular sound and anger? What about the sound of licking is so triggering?

Kryslyn Baker

Why do I want to freak out and explode when I hear certain sounds?? Help

Pretty Bird

Well… here goes… Why do I hate it the MOST when it’s my partner chewing?

Agata Kajewska

Is there a correlation with a good (or very bad) musical hearing? Or it's random?

Kristen Rosenblum

Is the issue with sound usually from the brain processing the sounds or is it from the structure of the ear and how sound passes through it?

King Donna

How to stop it is in the description so I'm hoping I'll get some relief

SuchaHotMetz

I work with disabled adults and many of whom have austism. Is that a coincidence or something different is happening in their brains? Does rage being caused by one type of sound fall under this classification?

Autumn Knol

Does everyone have this? How common is it?

Will Clark

How is it determined if the

Will Clark

How is it determined if the rage is neurological and unavoidable or just someone being unreasonable?

Beck

Why do the same sounds that trigger anger in some people trigger tingly calm feelings (ASMR) in others?

Meg Ahern

OK this is might be tangential, but: where is the border between misophonia and the irritation that comes from a human need for a quiet environment? I just moved to a new place with a lot of ambient noise and find myself very irritated. Clearly some of this is my own reaction, but am also reading about the health risks of noise pollution, and I don't know where the line is. Of course high decibels are unhealthy, but what about noises (like roosters and neighbors) that aren't deafening but can still feel intrusive? Is it just my irritation that's the problem, or do we have a health need for reliable quiet? How much of our nervous system's response to this mid-range kind of noise do we have control over?

sarah de jesus

Omg I have this since i was a kid i’ve always hated the sound of people chewing it triggers a rage that’s pretty surprising!! over the years i have been able to work on my reaction, and sometimes i just need to separate myself if i feel like it’s too much. i’ve always been sensitive to sounds in general. i can’t imagine there’s any evolutionary benefit from this?? it’s very annoying to deal with!!

Lizzy Carr

My fiancé has misophonia and he wants to know if exposure therapy for it works? I'm also curious about how common it is - I've had a ton of close friends (and my fiancé lmao) who have it, and I feel like there's no way everyone has it right?

Lene Olszeth

Are there any good ways of explaining it to loved ones and colleagues without sounding insane? I haven't figured out a way yet, I feel like people don't believe me.

Stephanie Coombes

This happens when I have my PMS - like my family knows because I’m annoyed by sounds. It’s how I track my cycle. Is that common for period cycles?

Lene Olszeth

Oh, and please don't include samples of trigger sounds. I tried listening to a podcast episode on misophonia once, and they had added lots of trigger sounds, very loud and several at once (to show what it's like to people who don't have it???)

Lene Olszeth

My partner will take crunchy snacks to another room, and we always watch a tv-show when we eat. Normal breathing isn't a trigger, but I'll sometimes ask him to blow his nose if he has the whistlebreathing. I always bring headphones in public, and he's fine with it if I suddenly say I need to play some music now. The main thing for me is that he actually believes and supports me and tries to accommodate around it.

Kellie Due

On a similar thread, is it common for the same sound to trigger opposite reactions in the same person? For example, the squishy sound of cooked pasta - sometimes it sparks joy, other times I literally have to stop eating or leave the room (if it's another person) ??

Michelle Lee

My friends and I were talking about this (one of them suffers from misophonia), and we were wondering why humans chewing bothers people but animals chewing doesn’t?

Naomi Jane

This is an interesting question - I lived next door to someone who played the same music at a few points throughout the day & I genuinely began to hear it in my head at those times, even on occasions it didn't play. Potentially not the same thing as misophonia, but I'm curious if it's related to the 'patterns' of noise people find triggering.

Sophia A

Would love to hear about misophonia and neurodivergence! What is it about some sounds that totally dysreuglates us while other sounds are like brain tickles?

Alexolotl

My bestie has a question she'd like to ask! "I heard of a theory that ASMR is the opposite if misophonia, what makes some people hate these sounds but others love it? Or are those two things even related?" As for myself, is there any observed occurrence of misophonia frequency between cultures? I know mukbang videos stemmed from a desire for connection and to emulate having someone to eat with, but i personally will escape the room any time there's a loud eater around!

Naomi Jane

Is there a evolutionary advantage/reason for this phobia existing? Eg: pops and crackles from a fire being something we should wake up & get out of the cave for?! I'm also going to add my vote for no example Foley in this episode, please oh please 😭

Alison Atkin

Does she have any practical advice for people who co-habit (spouses in our case, but it applies to parents/children, siblings, roommates, etc) when one person has a stim/tic that is the other person's misophonia trigger?

Maryam

FTQA (but Long time listener!) and I actually got my ADHD diagnosis thanks to your ADHD episode! When I‘m just mildly aggrevated ANY non-continues sound can bring me to the edge of crying. While I remember that I was always sensitive to sounds It gets worse… I hoped the ADHD medication (Elvanse & Attentin combo for me) would help with this but nope - any insights into why it (at least appears to) has gotten worse? Can I stop/ reverse it?

Maryam

And people biting on cutlery! Sadists

Euan Munro

Does the irritation of people playing videos with sound on in public count as misophonia?

Loch Ness Voices

Can it apply to music as well? For example the music of Ocean Colour Scene gives me a physical reaction and it actually makes me feel ill. Objectively they’re not terrible, (although I’m definitely not a fan!) but if I hear their songs I have to turn it off because it gives me such a strong physical reaction. I don’t like One Directjon (for example) but I don’t get anywhere near the same reaction. Although the Styles bloke seems to be alright and I don’t mind his stuff 😂 As far as I can recall no bad things happened to me during an OCS song so I don’t think it’s a psychological trigger. Or am I just an extreme music snob? 😁 Yours, tonally confused from Drumnadrochit.

Earl of Greymalkin

;D Seconded! Humans chewing are the worst. Cats chewing and cronching is the cutest and delightful. Cats are inherently cute and delightful while humans........ aren't. Is the sound of humans chewing so much more of a trigger because I just don't like people enough??! Especially strangers??

Lisa Gollner

FTQA here, I would like to know what causes specific noises to get a reaction out of us but others don't bother us at all. Or only in specific situations. I can only talk about myself, but for example I really hate it when people chew loudly, to the point where it makes me physically uncomfortable but I have one asmr video about a woman eating something that doesn't bother me, because the sounds of the foods she chose were so interesting to me. And I don't like the ticking of clocks in otherwise quiet rooms but that never bothered me until a friend of mine pointed out how loud my bedroom clock is. Now it needs to stand in my kitchen, even though I had it in my bedroom for weeks lol

Paulina Krasińska-Sroka

Is there a "normal" volume, frequency or other scientific measure that could be used to determine whether one's sensitivity to sound is average or should be treated/considered as "problematic"? In other words: When it's normal to be annoyed by certain sound and when it's misophonia or other problem? (Sorry for the misuse of words like "normal", "problem" etc. - I'm trying to not be judgemental or stigmatizing, but I think I lack proper English vocabulary to express what I mean without suggesting someone is not normal 😥 I'm sorry, people with misophonia and other sensitivities! I honestly think you're perfectly normal human beings, just with quirks!)

Darren Bush

Hi Allie, I had a heart attack (Google LAD if you want to know what kind) a few years ago, and since then I am very sensitive to loud noises. We have wood floors and a large dog with a loud bark, and when her friends come by she barks to be let out, and the sound just hurts...not in my ear, but in my brain. My wife thinks it might be a medication I'm on, out PCPs have no idea, and a literature search yielded nothing. Help me Allie Ward Keknowbe....

Earl of Greymalkin

1) Misophonia is only a problem when at some point I actually notice the sound. I can be halfway through a meal with people and suddenly notice chewing noises and then not be able to un-notice for the rest of the meal. (Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know you're suddenly irrationally angry, because that's weird and not really their fault). Does misophonia usually happen with little sounds on a quiet background? Are the irritating little interruptions just ruining a nice peaceful quiet and that's rage inducing? If there's enough background noise (like music at a restaurant) is it less likely to happen? 2) Some people have asked about neighbors making noise being irritating. Upstairs neighbors making noise while I'm trying to fall asleep is THE WORST. Cue a rage cycle that is not condusive to sleeping. How much of misophonia a perception of intrusion on personal space, but sounds? 3) What kinds of brain connections/communication channels are there between the parts that process sound and the parts that do rage? Is it a direct link that just gets lit up really fast in certain conditions? 4) Sometimes I notice the sounds of myself chewing and its mildly irritating. At least I can control that, but how often do people make noises themselves that count as misophonic triggers? 5) Is misophonia usually related to a disgust reaction? Mouth noises seem to be a common theme here. ;D 6) What percentage of the population experiences this? Is that different in different areas of the world/cultures? Are there any particular demographics that do it more often? 7) At what ages do people experience misophonia? Are little kids having meltdowns because of it? Will I be more unbothered as I get older?

Abbi Lawson

Why is it that when I watch an ASMR video of someone eating something my brain loves it, but when I notice chewing/eating sounds irl I want to fly into a rage?

Lex Clearwater

do we know anything about why certain sounds are so bothersome? like why everyone hates chewing sounds but may not mind, like, a fan blowing kind of thing

Lex Clearwater

and then, secondarily, why certain sounds are so common to have misophonia with specifically? what sounds make us angry vs mildly annoyed, etc

Nicole D-G

Yes, this please! Same question here

Helen Langille

Does misophonia have anything to do with ASMR? I ask because I seem to have the opposite response to whatever ASMR is “supposed to” elicit. I hate whispering so much. All I can hear is saliva moving around in someone’s mouth - it’s not even that I find it gross, it just makes me so ANGRY.

Helen Langille

Omg I hate microfibre cloths. Also cotton balls /shudders/

Helen Langille

The trend almost made me give up on listening to podcasts altogether (I’ve been an avid listener since the mid/late 2000s)

Helen Langille

Omg this. Stop recording kiss sounds!

Helen Langille

Puppy eating watermelon = 🥰 Human eating watermelon = 😡

Helen Langille

So much this. I’ve tried to find a sleep podcast that isn’t people whispering and it is impossible. Taking suggestions haha.

Helen Langille

Why does the sound of styrofoam make it feel like my bones are trying to escape?

Helen Langille

I’m also curious about this. I remember a specific time that my dad got really angry when I was eating grapes - but I thought it was just because he’s sort of an angry guy. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed that I hate eating when I have a cold because it’s like I can hear my own mouth noises in my clogged ears and it’s awful.

Helen Langille

You are the only other person I have ever encountered that understands the demonic experience of touching cotton balls.

KirjoM

Is misophonia related to also other disabilities besides Autism?

RJ Doidge

ASMR triggers are incredibly varied. There’s audio like whispers or soft spoken words or visual ones like slow methodical hand movements. I can’t stand the gym chewing videos, but a soft whisper with personal attention, like a spa day or haircut/shave? I’m putty in my headphones.

Biscuits and Gravy

Does it actually work when certain songs are played on a loop as a form of torture? And if so are there certain attributes that would make a song better as a form of torture?

Anna Dylan

My dad chews SO LOUDLY and it is incredibly irritating- any advice for making sounds like that not bother you anymore or becoming less sensitive (signed a frustrated quiet-chewing daughter)

Scott Hanley

(In a whisper) Allie, remember Dr Milhouse of the urology episode? Check her IG she had a Teratoma removed. Stem cells that linger from birth and create a mass of random body pieces that can easily become cancerous.

Elsi Kay

First time question asker - OH MY GOD I HAVE THIS. What is it with bass? I love the sound of bass when I’m intentionally blasting it through headphones, but why does a distant sound of bass from outside or through my neighbour’s wall make me want to writhe and cry?

Elsi Kay

Absolutely can’t stand ASMR, it makes me physically sick

Sydonie S.

What are the best ways of coping with misophonia? I'd also like to hear more about triggers of misophonia? I notice when I'm more stressed I'm more sensitive to sounds.

Dylan V

I don't have it 99% of the time, but every now and then when I'm with my Mom or my wife, and I finish eating first (I almost always do anyway), their chewing/swallowing noises start to gross me out.. it has also been the case where I have heard my own eating sounds, and have gotten grossed out and embarrassed and tried to be quieter. What causes it to be so intermittent?

Björn Fredberg

What kind of noises counts as misophonia? Only weak sounds? Would strong sound also count, for instance screaming kids or loud bangs? I absolutely hate kid's screams for instance on a rollercoaster

Storm

why why why why why do i feel the need to punch someone when I hear them chewing or making noises that irritate me (basically why does it make us so angry/upset)

Storm

is there a way to make sure i’m not making the noises that trigger other people (eg eating loudly, which I apparently do but I can’t hear it 😭)

Danielle Van Vooren

I've felt enraged by chewing and slurping sounds for as long as I can remember but no other sounds trigger me. Is there any reason for this reaction to only one kind of sound? (And watching k-dramas for 12 years has made me come to terms with noodle slurping. It's almost endearing, but only on TV.)

Snarky Mermaid

My mother used to snap at us over chewing, the sound of the fridge motor, or any consistent sound, we assumed it was her intolerance for us, is this an inherited trait ? I seem good so far

Danielle Sucher

Any advice for parents struggling with intense reactions to the inescapable endless cascade of repetitive gibberish kid noises?

Catherine Jameson

What's up with ASMR?! I have at times felt I have mysophobia (it's intermittent) and when I hear ASMR videos I'm like "people ENJOY this?!?!"

Jamie

Reading through the comments I noticed an interesting range of feelings/reactions to ASMR as someone with misophonia. Both are very nuanced. I stumbled across ASMR a couple of years ago when I was struggling to sleep while ignoring certain sounds. I was lucky not to land on my most hated triggers, such as slurping, or chewing, smacking lips/mouth early on. Instead I was introduced to tapping, whispering, and scratching which immediately turns my brain into goo. I’m fascinated to hear what the experts have to say about this. Thank you Ali for helping educate the masses!

Catherine Jameson

How much is it the quality of the sound, and how much is it the meaning we make out of it (that's rude, how could they be so inconsiderate, I can't believe they don't notice they're making that sound)?

Nehemiah myles

Is there any correlation with ADHD and the inability to drown out background noise? For example the sound of the road and your tires connecting as try focusing on your favorite podcast episode on all things squid. 🦑

Emma Taylor

I have misophonia, and something I experience is that someone will tell me about a sound that they struggle with, and I'll have no issue with it. However, after about a month or so, it will then become a trigger for me. I was wondering why this is, and if there's any way to fix it.

Miranda Harter

Is there a spectrum for misophonia? Because it seems like it could be subjective- some noise that is consistently irritating, vs a noise that triggers inappropriate emotion. For example ticking clocks have always driven me up the wall. I’m totally unable to not focus on the sound and it will distract me from work or keep me up at night. But it’s not angering (aside from being annoying that I can’t ignore it). However sniffling makes me want to punch people. Is one of those misophonia and the other not? Or are they both part of the same thing. Also is misophonia something with a genetic component or a learned behavior, or does it just arise spontaneously? And how much of it is triggered by or intensified by stress? Like, I have a hard time with people sneezing. In general I’m ok, just a small flare of irritation that passes quickly, and with certain types of sneezes or when specific people sneeze I have remind myself that murder is bad. Thank you!

Jessie J

FTQA: How does someone with misophonia cope in a world with noisy fidget toys? I respect many people’s need for them, but so many make clicking sounds that make me want to kill everyone. Also, how does time of day affect it? I have no problem with clocks ticking during the day, but at night I have been known when staying at a new place to hunt down clocks in other rooms, tear them off the wall, and hide them under a pillow or take out the battery. Can I sue people who make tickless clocks that still tick? How does repeated exposure work with this? Many anxieties and phobias are reduced with repeated exposure, but I think my misophonia was CAUSED by my brother’s ticks as a kid. Interestingly, chewing doesn’t bother me (although I notice it), but crinkling sounds like my brother used to make will send me into a rage. How does this relate to other sensory sensitivities? For example, I very sensitive to smells. I cant stand perfume, certain soaps, or air “fresheners” at all. They make me want to throw up. My sensitivity to smells is different than sounds though, but I get ill rather than annoyed or angry

Margaret Downs

Pretty much same. My main misophonia trigger is chewing, particularly gum, so I avoid those ASMR videos but I love the ones where someone is drawing or writing.

Jenna Congdon

This is something that affects me *daily*, and I'm still not sure it's a real thing?! Very excited to hear that someone is doing science on it! Several questions: Besides wearing earplugs or headphones, what's the best way to deal with sounds when you can't physically escape them? (I've been stuck somewhere in public without them, or at work when earplugs would not be appropriate, and forced to listen to *bad noises* until I am pretty sure I'm going to perish from suppressed rage...what does one do in this situation?). Also, how do you explain misophonia to people who don't have it in a way that doesn't just make you sound like a jerk? Why do some sounds bother me sometimes and not others? Why does slurping/chewing seem to be the biggest culprit for many people?

Margaret Downs

I actually am more likely to have a hard time with friends/family's noises. Animals are hit or miss and it depends on my stress level a bit.

Jenna Congdon

I second this question, except I'm coming at it from the opposite direction- why do some people like that? The nails tapping/package crinkling/whispering just makes me scroll away as fast as possible. Super curious as to why that tickles your brain in a good way. Brains are funny. :)

Adrienne Cameron

My OWN mouth noises in my head will annoy me if I’m feeling extra on edge. What’s with that?

Paul Hoch

Boy howdy am I excited for this episode. I have it. My dad had it. Interestingly, my half-brother has it and he wasn't raised in the same household, AND - his daughter has it. My anecdotal evidence suggests that it's genetic, since we weren't nurtured in the same environment and we all suffer(ed) from it. First question - My two grown kids don't seem to have it, but my son was diagnosed early in life with Sensory Integration Disorder. Is there a relationship between SID and misophonia? Are there any other related diagnosis? Second question - I believe that misophonia hasn't been classified in the DSM as a specific disorder/diagnosis. Why not? Third question - I remember the intense feeling of relief I felt when I learned that there was a name for this. That misophonia is a "thing" and that others have it. I wasn't just odd because the sound of someone chewing baby carrots made me want to rage. Since it was only named/coined in 2001, what did people call it before then? Did people 100 years ago have this and just suffer alone?

Merryn Lush

I would love to know if there’s a relationship to ASMR. I find it fascinating that certain sounds can cause such complete full body relaxation while other sounds like someone talking with ice cream in their mouth makes me so full of white hot rage that my whole body tenses up. In my own experience they feel like opposite ends of an autonomous spectrum and I’m curious how or if they relate to each other.

Rori

Loopy ear plugs have been a game-changer around the house with screaming kids&dogs, and at events like the fair, concerts, etc. !

Robin C Pike

First time question asker: is there a genetic component? I'm pretty sure my mom has it and I definitely have it. Also, does it go hand in hand with other anxiety disorders? I get panic attacks listening to some people eat. I have broken up with boyfriends who chew with their mouths open or chew gum loudly. I've learned deep breathing and background noises help.

Jessie J

I usually struggle with things in my ears, but these may be worth a try

Emily Krieger

ahhhhh! Betsy! I recognize your name from yoga w/ Aubrey! lololol! I moved away to Montana two years ago but still cherish that community. Funny to see your name here! I almost didn't say anything but CUT BANGS! hope you are well and give aubrey a squeeze from me please!

Eric Gidseg

Why and how does misophonia change with age, either the specific sounds to which we react or the intensity of the reactions? Is there a correlation between misophonia and physiological or hormonal characteristics or disorders? Why does my wife chew so goddamn loudly?

Megan Gruber

My sister has misophonia and asks “Are there suggestions or ideas on how to handle my reaction to these triggers? It happens at work a lot and I find it very overwhelming.”

Emily Staw-fur

What about white noise? Why do most people find it soothing?

Taylor Noel

Is there a difference in brain activity between the people love those noises, and listen to ASMR, and people with misophonia? Like, how is it so polarizing??

Amy Copler

FTQA: how did misophonia come about (pinpointed and termed)/how do I know if I have it? I’ve struggled with people’s (and animals) eating noises and sniffling/tapping noises in class my whole life, but recognize that it’s not all the time. If the environment is totally quiet the sound feels more uncomfortable than if there is background noise. My coping skills are to seat myself further away from family members whose chewing particularly irritates me (if I know they’re eating a noisy food, too!) and once in class I requested to move seats for a test when the kid next to me was sniffling every few seconds and not getting a tissue. ASMR is the worst and I especially can’t stand the wet pouring/stirring sounds in cooking videos.

Nancy Gleason

First time question asker! I developed (or first noticed) Misophonia about 30 years ago, but didn't know there was a word for it until about maybe 7 years ago. The most triggering sounds are what I consider to be "bad manners" such as when people chew with their mouth open, or make that "hock-a-loogie" noise, or bring portable speakers to play music in the wilderness where people want to only hear nature. I also get triggered by "out of place hygiene" like the coworker who clips his nails in the cube next to me, and my mom who flosses her teeth in the living room while we're watching tv. So to my actual question: Am I allowed to still hold onto my judgments but stop feeling like I want to stab people? Do I need to give up the judgments to be free of murder feelings? Thank you so much!

Jake Rideout

Two questions! 1) How common is misophonia in the general population? 2) Is it linked to any other traits/diagnoses? I ask because a high proportion of my friends have it, as do I, and over the years we've discovered we're queer and have ADHD one by one. Is there a link?? Or did I just find all the queer, neurodivergent, and misophonic people to befriend by chance?

Johnna McHugh

Do you have any recommendations for how a person who rubs their leg to stim and a person who has misophonia can coexist?

Kiyomi

I have issues with fingernails scratching against nylon based fabric or lenticular prints, and zip ties. That zipping sound makes my nerves burn and I get a wave of nausea. When I was a kid, I would cry in class when kids with those 3D notebook covers would start scratching away. I couldn't explain that it was painful to me. Are intense physical reactions normal?

Johnna McHugh

I entered my own question before I saw this one, but PLEASE this one!

Brent

First Time Question Asker: Does Misophonia include becoming extremely angry toward low loud sounds, like loud base from car stereos or loud Harley-Davidson pipes? People have always told me to "relax" and "don't get so upset" over these sounds. Could I really have a disorder? I would have never even considered such a thing until I read Alie's intro to this topic. Nobody, including myself, can understand why I get so upset when hearing these sounds.

Beverley Sylvester

First time question asker! Is there a connection between misophonia and ASMR tingles? I experience both and I feel like somehow the physical sensations are similar, but misophonia is the horrible version and ASMR is the pleasant version.

Red Kite

Can you explain links between misophonia and neurodivergence? Lots of people in the ADD/ADHD community suffer from both.

DrWhitr

First time question asker (question from my hubs) For Dad Ward: When I was wee, I could not enter a Sears store more than 20 feet before the fluorescent lights made me physically nauseous and I would have to run out of the store. I also had mild reactions to hearing people chew their food, even with their mouths closed. Today, I need to leave the room while our dog is working on a Kong stuffed with frozen food because of the wet licking and, especially, sucking sounds as he gets further into the Kong, which disrupts time as a family. Cleveland Clinic notes around 24% of people, like me, who have obsessive-compulsive traits that are not severe enough for a formal OCD diagnosis also have misophonia. Are there any potential solutions for me? I want to stay in the same room, yet wearing earplugs, turning on a white noise device, or turning up the volume on the TV to drown out the sounds don't feel like reasonable solutions.

Maria Whamond

Is there a link between misophonia and OCD? I’ve heard of it but not sure why that would be the case!!!

zackever8

When I hear people scrape forks on their teeth, I not only hate viscerally tense up at the sound, I can feel the sensation on my front teeth. When I was a kid I bit a fork unexpectedly hard and it felt like it shook my skeleton! Can misophonia go beyond just auditory triggering? Does it usually have roots in a traumatic event?

kaden grace

FTQA but longggg-time listener!!!! i was scrolling through the Qs & saw a lot of the classic scream/run/rage/destroy responses (to which i can totally relate...seeing/hearing someone chew gum is Horrible) but i'm wondering why when my misophonia kicks in i will sometimes almost feel an urge to vomit?? i'm an AuDHDer so it might be The Bad Sounds combining with/culminating in sensory overload, but i'm curious if this could perhaps be explained by connection(s) between the area postrema and the auditory cortex in the brain? also, what is the connection between auditory processing disorders and misophonia? is the brain just "misprocessing" certain sounds and assigning the "wrong" emotional reactions to seemingly trivial sounds?? i know misophonia is a newer research topic but i am REALLY excited to hear more about what Dr. Gregory has learned so far!!!!! thanks so much for doing this topic, Dadward--you're the best <3

Cynthia Cohen

FTQA, and thank you for this topic!!! Can they explain why some noises are intolerable coming from behind me, but no problem from the front or sides? Classic example: walking on the sidewalk, I can’t bear people walking behind me and talking, or making shoe noises, especially click click high heels or flappy flip flops. I have to stop and let them walk by me.

Figment

hey hey, is this something everyone has do some degree? nobody likes to hear someone chew with their mouth open, or slurp a malt, or the sticky squish when you stir a pot of oatmeal. is it the personal uncontrollable reaction that means you have misophonia? how much of it is connected or triggered by other people's rudeness? gross things others do in public like picking their teeth, filing their nails. is it only the sound that you don't like, or is it the unaware person who was raised in a barn and doesn't know you're not supposed to do your bathroom ritual at your work desk? sounds or people?

Figment

my niece has misophonia. she listens to music with headphones when the family is eating and she looks down at her plate so she can't see people chew. when around the house, or on vacation with us, if a family member is chewing gum or snacking she gets so angry with them for eating (it's their house too) and wants everyone to stop and really cater to her. that seems extreme, and at the same time you want to love her and honor her feelings. she acts like (and at times has said) others are doing it to her on purpose. is this also a common feeling?

Figment

brilliant question!

Sam Danielle

Was coming here to ask kind of the opposite, haha! I was wondering if there was, like, an opposing connection between misophonia and those that enjoy ASMR.

Figment

ear plugs, absolutely

Michael Breyette

Is there a connection to being ticklish? Similar nerve stimulation? My husband isn't ticklish but a lot of sounds drive him crazy. I am ticklish, and the only sounds that bothers me is little kid voices singing. 😆

Average_pi

Is there an evolutionary reason for it?

Dave Cannon

How did my wife give me Misophinia?

Sarah Maier

I'm an AuDHDer and my husband has misophonia. His emotional dysregulation re: his trigger sounds seems nearly identical to my emotional dysregulation re: my various sensory hypersensitivities. We also have a lot of overlap re: which sounds and noises trigger us. Does misophonia come from the same area of the brain that Autistic sensory issues come from? Or does misophonia fall (or should it fall) under the neurodivergence umbrella as a neurotype?

Lindsay Mayer

How can you teach a child to be compassionate and respectful of someone’s Misophonia without making them hyper aware of sounds?

Lillian Rolfe

I loved the sounds of my babies eating but somewhere around the age of 4 a flip is switched and I can’t stand it. We have to play music at dinner so I can get through sitting with my family. I can understand the evolutionary benefits of loving the sounds a baby makes when eating but when you’re grossed out by the sounds that are produced to MAKE a baby….that seems counterproductive. In short WHY? Why are some humans like this. (And in particular, ME). First time question asker.

Lillian Rolfe

Yes! ND household here. My 12 year old autistic son with ADHD and emotional regulation struggles actually thwacked a kid who sniffed loudly in his face (to trigger him). It bought him a day in ISS (unknown what the bully got).

Gabe Knuth

I’m curious how the brain differentiates between the sounds of, say, the dryer making a repetitive clicking sound as clothes tumble, versus someone clicking a pen. One does nothing to me (the dryer) and the other makes me want to commit a felony to get it to stop!

Palytoxin Princess

Has misophonia also been triggered by repetitive sounds that would be considered soothing if they weren't recurring in a repeated pattern? Does the response increase if the repetition occurs within a certain time and get worse the shorter the time interval? For instance.... the sound of rain drops are wonderful when used as white noise, but when a particular "drip drip" recurs every 30 seconds it can become....annoying. If it's a closer interval, such as 10 seconds, then it's intolerable! Asking for..........a friend....... :)

Rachel Guthrie

FTQA: How would you ethically perform research on this topic? I imagine that it would be hard for volunteers with misophonia to participate, so how would a researcher get reliable data without causing extensive discomfort to participants?

Aleggxandrea

Why do irritating noises make your teeth hurt?

Pluffy

I find that earplugs and noise cancelling headphones are a must against this condition. Are there other tools or techniques to lower our sensitivity to sounds or triggers?

Dr Laura M Smith

How do people develop misophonia? Does it mostly affect autistic people? What is the difference between finding some noises annoying and misophonia? Does misophonia present differently in people from different countries or cultures?

Jona

How is this linked to autism/what is the comorbidity of it?

Daisy Moser

Is there a different classification for sounds associated with a negative experience? I participated in Tomatis listening therapy, and cannot stand high pitched noises since then. Before that they were the usual annoyance, but nothing like the skull bashing discomfort they cause now.

Erin Gill

If the reaction is specific only to my husband eating, is it misphonia or just... marriage...

Caro Young

Does Misphonia get worse with age? Or do we just get more cranky?

Caro Young

What happens in the brain/body to trigger such a physical reaction to certain noises? People cracking their knuckles literally turns my stomach

Linden Thomas

FTQA and just became a patron! (long time listener and was finally convinced to become a patron while listening to the episode about your career and realizing omg same, same. I am currently doing a long, meandering 5 year undergrad in enviro sci and journalism and am so torn between different pathways and super anxious about the future, and that episode eased my nerves in a big way, so thank you!) .... anyways, I'm doing a mindfulness class right now and one of the guided meditations we're practicing is about meditating on sound. As a person who gets very anxious and irritable from noises (not sure if it's full blown misophonia), it really helps me to listen to sounds mindfully, along with breath awareness. Is there any research on how mindfulness can help with misophonia?

Cynthia Cohen

I also find those sounds very upsetting! Thump thump bass and rumbly vroom vroom motors. But yeah, lots of people don’t seem so troubled?

Eric Masterton

Oh my god-a! I knew there was a condition and now I know that it has a name. Plastic wrappers, women’s high heel shoes, janitors key chains, water from an office cooler into a plastic cup. All of it drives me so crazy that I actually have to talk myself out of reacting. Can I CURE this? Next steps? Thank you!

Priyal

Why does my husband's snoring fill me with rage but my dog's snoring is the most beautiful soothing cacophony? Asking for a friend...

Jazmin Wells

why oh why do people enjoy mukbangs or any kind of ASMR when they just fill me with the most unbridled rage imaginable? and how can I explain to my mother that I cannot eat in silence at a family meal without absolutely losing my marbles?

Alli Barg

The term misophonia is fairly new, but I imagine that the concept is not. Do we have any examples in history of people with misophonia describing it? Or is it a somewhat new phenomenon now that our lives are filled with SO MUCH SOUND. I mean at any given time we can hear our appliances running, heat/ac, city noises if in town, etc. has this constant sensory barrage somehow led to people being more sensitive to unpleasant noises or getting overstimulated by them?

Casa Reed-Dean

FTQA long time listening family! Is misophonia genetic or learned? I am not very bothered by sounds…My (kiddo of the family) parents kept me in pretty quiet environments when I was little, does that have something to do with my tolerance?

Casa Reed-Dean

FTQA long time listening family! Why is complete silence so loud and obnoxious? Why do your ears start to ring when it is super quiet?

Alannah Wood

Does it include words not just sounds, for example alot of people dislike the word moist.

Dillon S.

Is there a difference between the hating of the sound and the repetition of the sound? For example I don’t mind hearing tapping of feet or pens clicking until it’s in repetition. Thoughts?

the ren you know

Was about to ask this... why does misophonia become worse when I actually identify/isolate the sound that's making my chest tight?

Kayla Meyer

does misophonia have to be active with every reactive sound? or can it “flare” up from time to time? for example, Person A chewing could bother Person B one day but then Person A chewing doesn’t have a reaction on Person B the next day

redtoque

how does one develop "sound rage"? does it go away? is there a cure?

redtoque

what are the top ten sound rage triggers? Go! (just trying to figure out if im normal or not)

Catherine BH

Oh I have a bunch! 1. Is this generally something a person always has or does it commonly develop later in life? And if later, why, what's triggering it? 2. Does it have physical symptoms/feelings along with it, or is that something different? Like buzzing will eventually cause a build up of pressure and then a pressure headache for me if it doesn't stop. I have Ménière's disease so I don't know if they're related or this is a separate issue or what. Also I feel like it's awfully ironic that I have partial hearing loss yet struggle with sound. 3. Am I weird that ASMR stuff causes a strong, extremely negative reaction? I can't stand it! It's like nails on a chalkboard. 4. Ideas/suggestions to calm down after being triggered by unpleasant or too much sound? I'm so excited for this episode! I didn't even know Misophonia was a thing!

Carleen DH

Is misophonia a sensation which most people have, or is it pretty exclusive to the neurodivergent community (adhd, autism, etc). Also, how severe does the persons reaction have to be before it's considered misophonia?

Jean Pompeo

My DNA test said that I would probably find the "sound of chewing" annoying. Does this have more of a nurture or nature basis? If it is genetically based, could one theoretically gene edit it out... say with crispr? If i could stop getting quite annoyed at hearing chewing sounds, i would definitely choose not to be.

Amelie Lu

Second that! My immediate reaction was "Isn't this just autism, or maybe, in some cases, trauma"? Though I could probably come up with other reasons for someone to hate certain sounds.

Nick A

Leaf blowers: why? Why do they sound like that? Why do we allow these nuisance engines to persist?

Susan G

Why do the noises some people make trigger me more than the noises other people make? And how can I explain it to people without them getting offended or not believing me that it is a real thing?

Rosario Neyra

Adding to this: how can we manage misophonia when it surfaces?

Kristina

The chewing… oh my god the chewing. I will be sitting on the opposite end of the couch with the tv up so loud and still all I hear is my boyfriends chewing. And then I can’t get over my own chewing?! Where does it end?! How do I stop hyper focusing on it because I want to claw my skin off

SalmonLikeTheFish

I had no idea there was even a word for this, and feel so validated - thank you so much for covering this! Dogs barking upstairs to dripping taps have sent me into full blown meltdowns, especially when anxiety has been running high. I’ve found that sounds that really get to me and other autistic and ADHD friends often just go over the heads of others. Are these emotional responses more likely in neurodivergent people? Is it due to us having more sensitive hearing for the most part? I try to use anxiety breathing exercises and ear plugs to reduce sensory overload and regain some control over my environment, but any more tips on how to manage emotional responses would be gold dust.

Andrea Marie Squirrel Tree Roggero

Omg I’m so excited this is being covered! It’s such an important topic to me, I experience awful symptoms including a physical burning sensation in my ears and nausea when certain sounds trigger me Is there a link between misophonia and tinnitus? Have you heard of flare audio “calmer” earplugs? They aren’t earplugs exactly but they’re deeply shaped with a hole and it’s supposed to help people with auditory issues process sounds differently leading to less severe sensory response. Do they work? Or similar things? Do we know why misophonia happens? Do white noise sounds help? What about apps like “ReSound Relief” do they help “re train” your ears/brain or is it just fancy white noise sounds? Is misophonia different than sensory processing disorder or is it in the same family? I’ve heard that occupational therapy can help people with misophonia symptoms. Is this true? What other advice do you have for people with auditory processing issues?

Nicole Kleinman

Is there a reason certain sounds affect people negatively, but don’t bother others?

Brent

Thank goodness for my NC earbuds when the loud base in cars starts just about the time I'm heading to bed. Before these my night would be hell.

Brent

It makes me so homicidal other people think I'm crazy!

Brent

"perception of intrusion on personal space" - This!

Tania Magic Fingers

Oh this is another great subject that we all didn't know was an olgy. Can this be hormonally or a "natural body reaction" connected? I mainly have this when I have a migraine. Any noise has such an increased intensity in sound. Everything in on high volume, when I know it isn't. Why are some sounds easier to hear than others, even when all are at the some noise level and in a very busy place but they still penetrate through?

Margaret Downs

I get that knee-jerk reaction of feeling like people are doing it to me on purpose, even though I know it isn't true. I'm in my late 20s and and have dealt with misophonia to varying degrees for most of my life. It's much, much better, though not gone entirely, since I started taking an SSRI for anxiety.

Margaret Downs

I have almost the opposite experience - some sounds I can ignore if the source of them is somewhere I can't see, but if I can see them it's all I can focus on.

Robert G Audet

I wonder if misophonia is a result from nervous system overload and hypersensitivity. Is the vagus nerve responsible here? The work of Dr. Steven Porges seems relevant. My Mom experienced misophonia before her dementia became so apparent. We thought she was being hypercritical but realized her nerves were operating on overload and she was doing all she could to calm her nervous system to help herself. Lastly, is this also where tinnitus fits in with cause and effect? Thank you for this topic.

Timothy Nolan

Is misophonia related to people like us that can hear when TVs or other electronics are on?

Laura Atkins

Does this come from a specific area of your brain? I noticed that I'm more sensitive to certain sounds/pitches after having kids and I remember seeing a documentary about babies that said that the amygdala of primary caregivers becomes more active (and never settles back down!). Is that what's making some of us more sensitive to sounds that may mimic a baby's cry or a child's whine?

Shannon O'Grady

Does this come on its own or does something usually trigger this?

Jeanette-o-saur

Is there a tie been neurodivergence and misophonia? I get big misophonia when I'm stressed/overstimulated. My tolerance for chewing and loud breathing drops to -500 and noisy public spaces become my personal hell. Is this common? Have they done studies on stress-induced/exacerbated misophonia?

Jeanette-o-saur

Can verify no. I'm ticklish as hell and have noises that drive me cray cray

Cynthia Mwenja

(First time question asker) (also, my last name is a short hum + when + juh, all smushed together): One of my (now grown) children is particularly sensitive to chewing sounds. They can usually handle the sounds when we're sharing a meal if we're spaced further apart and there's ambient noise, but they sometimes need to wear sound-dampening headphones. How can friends and family better support our loved ones who have misophonia (after we finally realize it's a real thing)?

Kiah

How if at all is misophonia related to migraines? It seems very similar to the irritability or sensitivity sounds can cause during a migraine called phonophobia.

Miranda Panda

How come there are noises that, when I make them, are fine, but when someone else makes the same noise, it irritates me so badly?

Han the Bee

I know almost nothing about this topic, but it small noises can cause extreme negative reactions in those with Misophonia, can there also be noises that cause positive reactions? For instance, could one develop an attachment to certain noises which calm, soothe, or cause joy?

Kristie McComb

I'm not neuro divergent and I've suffered this for many years. I know several others like me. I don't think it's tied to neuro divergence.

Kristie McComb

I'm so happy to have found my people. And I can't wait to learn more about the topic. I've had this condition since I was a child and it doesn't get a lot of sympathy. I joke that I turn into the Incredible Hulk ("You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.") when I hear irritating sounds (gum chewing/smacking/popping), stupid plastic candy wrapper opening in the theater, loud breathing, teeth/jaw popping sounds when someone is eating best me, swallowing sounds). I ban gum chewing by friends in my car and I've warned them they may need to "stop drop and roll" if the push me over the edge when in my car.

Joyologist

I've heard that the reaction or trigger is worse when it is someone very emotionally close to the person with mysophonia, like a parent or partner, is this true or flim flam?

Chris Curious

Is there a difference in commonality between sexes?

Gregory Darden

I’m a this also seen in people with cochlea implants or only in those with hearing in the ‘normal’ range?

McKenna Bridges

Why does it make me so viscerally angry? I am such a patient person, I don’t recognize myself when I get triggered. Are we born this way?? Or did someone chew a raw carrot too close to my ears one day and determine my misophonic destiny? Are there different categories of misophonia? Not like mild to severe but more along the lines of the different ✨flavors✨ of misophonia Last thing. Not a real question. However. WATER CHESTNUTS?!? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY do they need to be on this planet. Give me one good reason. Biting into one makes me want to sprint out of my own skin.

Carrie A

Why do some repetitive sounds trigger misophonia while others can be soothing/stimming? Ex: someone else clicking a pen is annoying but you clicking a pen is stimming and satisfying. Or, someone coughing drives you crazy but when you cough it's no big deal.

Toni Spumoni

Is it considered misophonia when certain words irritate us? (i.e how you used to hate mucous lol) Anytime I hear the word scalp I visibly shudder.

Thedorknextdoor

Are there any surprising or unexpected triggers for misophonia that the ologist has come across in their research? Do these triggers vary between countries, regions, or cultures?

Nathan Marion

Can having a concussion or brain injury impact your likelihood of developing misophonia? Is noise sensitivity, a symptom of concussion, similar to misophonia or just a lesser degree of misophonia? Is there a difference in the brain imaging between people who hear sounds with misophonia and not, and if so, how does it differ? Are there ways to treat misophonia?

Cynthia Cohen

Interesting! Maybe this is related to how annoying it is (to me) to hear a one-sided cell phone conversation (where I can only see one person speaking)… although it’s also annoying (to me) to hear both people on a cell speakerphone, so maybe not…

Caro Young

Can Misophonia be healed? Maybe through exposure therapy like phobias?

Rachel Guthrie

This is a great question! I’m also wondering if a brain injury can cause misophonia

shoobie

is there any evidence this is a part of evolution? would being angry at or put off of specific sounds be beneficial to us at a certain point in humanity’s development?

Jordyn Robare

As someone with misophonia, I don't think exposure would work for me, but anxiety management totally did!

Caro Young

Oh interesting! Maybe I should try that!

Christine Wenzel

I've dealt with mild misophonia my whole life but it got very debilitating about halfway through college and even added on kinesophonia. I had to often leave class because of all the gum chewing, legg tapping, pen clicking etc. I don't know what triggered for it to get so bad, but over the last few years I've been doing EMDR therapy and it's helped a lot. (So for any other sufferers in the comments, there is hope!) A few questions have come out of this experience: Do we have theories on what causes misophonia and in turn remedies? Are there any ideas on why EMDR (a trauma-focused therapy) can improve misophonia and have there been studies on it? What are the connections with kinesophonia? Also, importantly, what is being done to push for misophonia to be in the DSM so there can be more attention, funding, and training on treatment?

Maya Silver

I've heard hypnosis may be a viable treatment for misophonia. Is that a myth? Are there any treatments that appear to be effective?

Catie Noble

I asked my friend Charity, who has misophonia, if she had any questions and this is what she said: “Other than the really obvious is there anything I can do to reduce my symptoms, a big question I have is related to how counterintuitive my misophonia is. Mine is triggered solely by mouth and throat related noises in humans. I can be triggered by something that I think sounds like one of those noises like if I think it sounds like someone is drinking water. BUT if it turns out that the noise is being made by an inanimate object or an animal or anything other than a human and I find out, that noise will no longer trigger me. For example, when I was at your house one time, I thought someone was loudly drinking water, but it turned out to be your cat’s little water fountain bubbling. When I didn’t know what it was, it triggers me. As soon as I found out, it no longer bothered me at all. I would really like to know if she knows or has any theories as to why this is as it makes no rational sense. I would also love to know if she has any ideas as to if I could knowingly trick my brain into not being bothered by certain sounds if I can somehow make myself think they’re coming from a different place than they really are.”

Hester Dingle

Can one ever get over misophonia?

Erin White

What is the most commonly loathed sound? (Mine is the specific sound of someone messing with water in a bowl in a movie, usually in a sickroom/washcloth kind of situation, curious if other people get the creepy crawlies from this too)

Flozzatron

Does misophonia include suddenly being able to hear really high pitched sounds that seem to come out of nowhere? Like some type of WiFi signal sound?

Molly H

(first time asker) Does misophonia apply to loud noises too? I become instantly enraged when loud motorcycles pass by.

Erin Bagley

First time asker - why do I get annoyed by eating sounds from my husband or kids, but not from my pets or animal videos on TV?

Magsaroni

how do people with misophonia deal in an office setting - mouse clicking, keyboard clacking, etc.?

Beverly Sobelman

Longtime misophonia sufferer here - I remember making makeshift earplugs out of toilet paper to eat dinner with my family when I was maybe 10. I'm interested in the relationship, if any, between misophonia and hyperacusis - because, lucky me, I think I have both. In my experience, there are sounds that invoke an emotional reaction - mostly eating/drinking noises in my case - and sounds that cause a physical reaction. An example of the latter is that if I'm within earshot of someone typing on a computer keyboard for more than about 30 seconds, I will develop a headache. Water running in the kitchen sink does likewise. it doesn't bother me, emotionally, but I can't physically be around it. Is that hyperacusis or just a different manifestation of misophonia? Either way, hooray for Loop earplugs.

Beverly Sobelman

+1 for this question. I really hope there is a connection because I've been able to have a lot more compassion for myself about my misophonia/general sound sensitivity if I can attribute it to neurospiciness and not just that I'm broken in this really specific way.

Beverly Sobelman

This is more a general pet peeve than a question for the ologist: Why, for the love of humanity, when you try to explain to some people that you are sensitive to eating sounds, do they immediately then try to imitate said sounds in front of you? "oh you mean like ". AUGH.

Beverly Sobelman

My personal experience is that I am more attuned to the people I spend the most time with and therefore react more strongly to the noises they make. There is some additional frustration/anger around knowing they know it bugs you and yet they persist in, you know, breathing audibly.

Beverly Sobelman

OK last one...clearly I have a lot to ask on this topic but I'll try to rein it in. I have noticed that my reaction to trigger sounds is lessened when I am in a shiny new relationship and all those good love drugs are flowing. Similarly, I am more tolerant of long-time partners after, ahem, physical intimacy. So it definitely seems like there is some sort of hormonal/brain chemistry aspect to it. True?

Danielle Zonis

I have no clue how to word this so hopefully my question makes sense. How can we differentiate between Misophonia and people who are just sensitive to noise in general? For example, someone who gets easily set off by loud noises such as really loud music, they aren't necessarily afraid of it, it won't freeze them up but it bothers them because they tend to listen to things a bit quieter. Is that Misophonia or do they just have good hearing? Is it something else?

Mollie Rose K Siebert

Can you speak to the overlap of tinnitus and misophonia? Also autism?

David Villafranco

Is being overstimulated by to many sounds happening at the same time misophonia or am I just in the spectrum, and what can I do to help it?

Lena Gwen

First time question asker here: I‘m really excited for this episode! Half my family (myself included) has misophonia. Between us we manage quite well. We know that none of us likes eating sounds, so we just occasionally sit down and have dinner together - and there’s always the radio in the background. But with other people or in the day to day it can be challenging. Since I know, that I want to have kids one day: Is it hereditary? Is it nurture or nature? How do you develop misophonia? Can you avoid it? I’ve heard that therapy can be an effective way to ease the symptoms. But there are hardly any specialists out there. Do you have any tips on that? What kind of therapy would you recommend? I would really like to make my life a little better. For me - and for my girlfriend/roommate who puts up with these quirks of mine. Thanks so much O Great Pod‘Dad!

Jasmine Liu

Why do I become enraged by the sound of someone else eating but love to chew crunchy things very loudly when I am alone?

Megan Younce

I'm so excited for this episode!! I love background noise (preferably repetitive music or sounds or white noise), but if I'm on the phone with my sister and she's putting away dishes I can't focus and I become absolutely enraged. I can't wait to find out why.

Katie Biardi

FTQA: Are there equivalents to misophonia for other senses, like smell or touch? Sometimes I can't wear certain pieces of clothing because of how they feel, but the urge is just to take the clothes off as fast as possible, I don't really feel angry at the clothes.

TwoStonesWithOneČech

Second time asker, but forgot to mention my first time. Also the last part of the username is pronounced like “check”. Why is it that I only ever seem to be bothered by specific noises at somewhat random times? Are some hated noises more common than others? Do animals also have similar issues? For example, dogs with noises outside the house or thunder.

Ellen Durnal

How do I help my lovely friends with misophonia feel more comfortable?

Vero Tavares

Why do I experience a visceral urge to stab my colleague with a fork when they're chewing loudly, but find it cute when my pet (lizard) does it?

Lindsey Burk

As someone currently experiencing MAJOR burnout, is there a reason why I’m even more irritated than usual by sounds? I’m a medical clerk and the amount of people who think it’s okay to watch videos or have loud phone or video calls on speak phone in an otherwise quiet waiting room is INSANE…but it’s somehow worse when it’s the tinny sound coming through a phone speaker but I can’t actually hear distinct words. Every time it happens I feel like I’m going insane.

Lindsey Burk

As someone with ASD: is there a specific link between autism and misophonia? I know we apparently take in way more information from the world around us than neurotypical brains and that this includes sound, but do we know why certain noises can cause meltdowns - or is that related more to just general overwhelm?

Lindsey Burk

Is there a link between auditory processing in a group setting (cocktail party effect) and misophonia? I.e. are people with misophonia more likely to be unable to filter out sounds that typically trigger them? Also related to my question above re: being a medical admin - people tapping their nails or healthcard on the counter of my desk drives me INSANE. Is there a reason I seemingly lose all ability to think properly when I’m being triggered?

Lindsey Burk

Why do I feel almost visceral physical pain at even the thought of the sound of cardboard rubbing against other cardboard? (Similar to how people feel re: nails on a chalkboard.) Even writing this is making my skin crawl, AHHH

Julie Stephens

First Time Question Asker; Why do the sounds made by the people I love trigger me so much faster and more intensely than my friends or people I don’t know? (My husband sometimes eats his muesli in the driveway so my eyes don’t burn his soul but I am just fine when eating with other people) what strategies do people use to help lower the intensity of the feelings?

Josephine Murdoch

First time question asker: I always tune into regular pulses like clocks ticking, water dripping etc and they drive me insane. I also tap my fingers and toes subconsciously, also to a beat (though one which is totally in my head). What is my brain doing in those moments? Why does it love beats?

Mouse Paxton

Is misophonia more common in people with neurodivergences like autism?

Mufumama

First time asker from Iceland: My daughter (born 2008) had tubes inserted because of repeated ear infections as a baby. Those pesty tubes did not fall out on their own so they had to be removed under anesthesia. Has there been found a link between Misophonia and ear tubes? All that messing around in those tiny ear canals can not be good?

Amelia Díaz Ettinger

I have tinnitus, hearing loss, and misophonia. Nice, right? To have a plethora of ear things, oh hey, also vertigo. ' Ain 't my brain a charm? Anyway, the audiologist that I saw thought to treat the tinnitus first with wires to my tongue ($3,000 green ones) but said because of the misophonia, she woudn't want me to start using hearing aids because that might aggravate that situation. What does your guest think about this?

Margaret Downs

Yep, same. Mine's not gone, but is FAR easier to manage since starting SSRIs for anxiety.

Margaret Downs

There's a question below about migraines, which made me think of my dad who has atypical migraines and a pretty whack vestibular system due to Meniere's disease. I think he's got a bit of misophonia as well.

Figment

is there a known reason that the majority of sufferers say the sound of others chewing is their main trigger? do we know why it's some sounds and not others?

Katie Stalder

FTQA: I first heard of this when Sarah Silverman shared her personal experience on her podcast. She mentioned a link to ASD and increased stress. Is this a lifelong diagnosis? Or have there been documented cases of people cured or in remission?

Stacie Cobra

Is misophonia something that can develop over time? As I've gotten older, I've found that I'm more annoyed by loud noises, and lots of noises happening at the same time. This didn't bother me when I was younger.

Peyton Nill

My mom has misophonia so this is partially a joke! She is such a mild mannered person but threatens to stab us with a fork when we crinkle plastic chip bags and I think she might at least partially mean it. Are violence or temper explosions acceptable or at least morally neutral if it’s done to stop loud chewers or bag crinklers?

Peyton Nill

I just want to know what causes misophonia on a biological level!

Gemma

is there a scientific explanation/definition of “annoyance?

Kel Bergquist

FTQA: How do you recommend coping with the physical reaction that comes from getting so upset by these sounds? I can control my actions by not responding to an irritant but I still have to deal with the physical reaction my body goes through. And what about noise cancelling headphones? Any other suggestions to manage misophonia?

Between Dumplings

Is this a trauma response? Or related to childhood or other trauma?

Deeper than Data with Ben Rush

First time question asker here. A few years ago, I was at an ex's family gathering and her brother had misophonia. He had to put on music and sit in the other room while we ate. For a few weeks, I kept mulling over what his misophonia experience must be like and then I started to notice people's chewing. Now I can be extremely sensitive to people's chewing and can barely focus close to people eating. Is misophonia contagious or possibly learned? Thanks!

Margaret Downs

This is interesting and something I hadn't given a lot of thought to. I have mild-to-moderate misophonia that's gotten far easier to manage since starting an SSRI for anxiety. On the music side, I really want to like metal; I went to a concert awhile back that had a superbly talented metal vocalist as an opening act and I had to step out because the sounds made me feel like my insides were being squeezed. I didn't have the rage that I usually get when my misophonia is being triggered, but it was super uncomfortable.

Hannah McCain

Interesting 🤔 I didn't think about it in that way, but there's definitely certain music that makes me feel like this too

Weronika Pogorzelska

Why am I getting triggered by more and more sounds as I get older?

Between Dumplings

Just put my traumatic childhood together with my reaction to slamming doors! Aargh. Now listening for how to manage.

Between Dumplings

As my hearing ages I can no longer distinguish close sounds like our 1:1 conversation vs all the other conversations going on around me - physical component is aging ears. But why does it not help me screen out the enraging noises like slamming doors in the hall?

Jill Landry

It’s 2026 and I just listened to this podcast. I came to the comments for 2 things: 1. How was snoring not mentioned once? ;) 2. I want to know if others have reactions that are more physical and temporary. Backstory, while pregnant with baby #2, from month 5 until delivery, baby #1 was nearing 2yo. Out of nowhere, the sound of him crying at night triggered intense nausea. Only his crying, only at night. What’s up with that.