Scientists investigate the phenomenon of misophonia 

People don’t realize that misophonia isn’t just an annoyance with sounds. It’s rage...I want to hurt people over chewing sounds.

My daughter can't have dinner with the family without having ear buds in. Her triggers are clicking, chewing, slurping, smacking, also certain tones of voices. Layered voices in songs (like harmonies by Simon & Garfunkle) baritones, the group volbeat. I remember when she was 1-3 if I was singing to the radio in the car she would tell me "stop it mama stop it" I didn't understand why until years later. School was almost unbearable for her and some sounds trigger absence seizures for her (like loud trucks and motorcycles) so now she's 23 but can't drive due to these. Eating sounds cause a strong disgust, nausea, extreme anger. Other types like some music sounds and harmony can cause major irritation, some anger, and some seizure-like sensations. It can be really rough for people who suffer from misophonia.

Thank you for these insights. It's not easy to live with misophonia when you work in a shared office. Crunching sounds, the sound of an apple being chomped on rather than being cut into manageable pieces, the aggressive scraping of an empty yogurt container; the sound of air bubbles going up a straw when a beverage is finished, etc, truly infuriate me to the Nth degree. I become a hateful monster with V shaped eyebrows and ears back. I find that even more infuriating than the sounds themselves is the fact that the miscreant is utterly unaware of how annoying it is.

When I was a child, my room was in the front of the house, and I heard every single noise. It would literally put me into a rage. My parents ended up swapping mine and my brothers' room, which was at the back of the house, and put a box fan in there. Now, as an adult, certain sounds throw me into a fight or flight response, such as repetitive tapping, slurping, taking too long to close chip bags, soft, but high-pitched singing, or humming. I also have visual sensitivities, like repetitive movements, like leg bouncing, or feet moving. The list goes on and on. I finally purchased some noise cancelling earphones, and they help a lot, but it is difficult for me to watch a tv show, unless everything else around me is silent. I wish I knew what causes it, because it is not a fun thing to live with. It's almost as if my blood starts to boil when I am triggered, as I can literally feel my body start to flush, as it makes its way toward my head/face.

I’m glad that there are videos out there on this subject that don’t suddenly bombard the audience with unannounced trigger sounds. Thank you for being considerate. :)

I actually felt crazy for so long. I understand how irrational it must sound to someone who doesn’t suffer from this. I could be in a great mood and suddenly want to punch a hole through someone’s skull if I hear them chewing. Other sounds like celebratory “woos” also piss me off. “Piss me off” is an understatement, it’s the most unbridled, visceral rage I’ve ever felt. The frustrating thing is we just have to sit with it and act normal.

People whispering/talking to themselves makes me want to claw my eyes out and stuff them in my ears

I'm almost 70. My misophonia started as a child too. When I would hear things that would annoy me, I'd complain, but the response that I usually got from either parent was, "Just tune it out." That was like telling me to stop breathing. I COULDN"T tune it out and couldn't understand why. I heard about misophonia for the first time a couple of years ago from an unrelated TV program. It was a reality-type show, and one of the people in the cast referred to it. I sat up straight and said, WHAT? I realized instantly there was a name for my problem, and I wasn't alone. However, mine extends beyond just annoying sounds. I work as a transcriptionist, typing various audio files. I don't have any problem as long as the principle voices are relatively clear. I've even had to learn to control my reaction if someone is chewing gum or making some other noise like that in the background. I guess because I can't do anything about it. BUT the real problem comes in when there are multiple noises in the background, be it unrelated voices, people milling around, then my brain has trouble isolating the voices I'm transcribing. Add an echo to the mix, and it's nearly impossible for me to do the job. I have struggled to finish jobs like that, but it takes me WAY longer than it should, exhausts me, and causes me great anxiety and agitation. It can even get to the point where my brain simply can't process it anymore. My experience in those situations leads me to believe the problem may be more complex than just being unable to tolerate chewing or other repetitive human noises.

I love this..I suffer from this daily and I think it really boils down to us being affected and disturbed by peoples lack of social awareness and etiquette

cbt did not work me for me i have lost a lot of hope in ever recovering from misophonia. it’s such a peculiar illness and the lack of research jus makes me so upset. nobody knows what we go through and how hard it is for us to do normal things. it’s so much easier for us to develop anxiety n depression. ive noticed i’ve become less social since it started :(

I'm suffering terribly from this and I just started learning about it last week. I feel really helpless to it

headphones help me a little because when a trigger occurs its like everything else is unbearably loud. i don't want to be hurtful to everyone eating around me so i eat in a different room by myself. its depressing but having seen how this affected my dad, to the point of not always controlling his rage/violent response, i'd rather not allow it to well up that way.

Thank you for researching this. My misophonia started when I was 7 or 8. I discovered it's name when I was 29. My childhood was extremely traumatic and I have a whole bunch of problems as an adult because I was not able to deal with this as a child. I long for a cure and help. It's traumatic for me that my life could have been very different. It was triggered by a sexual exploitation when I was 7 and I think that actually triggered another memory that I had gone through earlier as a child but have blocked out of my mind. Still to this day, no one in my family can talk openly about the way that I have suffered. No one understands or can identify. It's like this big secret. I never ever talk about it because it's too heavy.

Loud noises are what makes me angry. From morning to late at night, people here seems to like loud noises. If is not loud exhaust, motorcycles or loud car speakers, even churches are loud here in Puerto Rico. This is hell, and it won't matter if you uses ear plugs or earphones. Even people without misophonia, will propably end up having it. This is seriously insane, and government and their laws are dumb. I've been here for one and a half year and im going insane. Thankfully im moving soon 😡

So glad awareness is becoming greater on this subject.

Todays world is loud as f*#@ you just can't easily find a quiet place or time.. with the cars, the mobiles, the social media, the yelling, the children.. it's too overwhelming for me.

I have misophonia. Crunching noises give me electric shock sensations in the ear drums. As a kid, loud noises such as fire alarms going off drove me crazy and caused physical pain. It turns out I'm sound sensitive due to adhd, cerebral palsy, and migraines, Surprisingly, I became an EMT // RN years later and work in ambulances.

It brings me hope when I see these videos, however... I find it odd that most studies mainly mention rage. My reaction is extreme, soul crushing anxiety (blurred vision, hyperventilating, shaking that can lead to a panick attack) and I've head of others who also have extreme sadness as their reaction.

Misophonia: Uncontrollable neck-pulsing murderous RAGE. I wish this on NO-ONE. I have so many triggers it makes me look-forward to the long sleep that will arrive one day. I literally look-forward to death (not suicidal, just longing for that permanent peace)

Mine started age 12. I'd have full on panic attacks from certain sounds that were constant. An alarm clock, the shower, and even the ceiling fan would trigger a panic attack. Still deal with it today but it's more people chewing and unexpected loud noises enrages me

for me it’s noises from other rooms, or just genuinely loud noises that may not be loud to other people. It drives me nuts

i noticed that when sounds repeat overtime they become a trigger

Having miso made me realize how hermits came to exist

My triggers are whispering and men talking in a soft voice... anyone talking in voice fry does it too.

Glad to hear that someone is researching about this. Is there any kind of discussion groups in social media somewhere? My list of triggers were only few, but i have observed that the list has grown considerably post covid. Anyone else on the same boat? I wanted to understand how you are coping with it

My trigger sound is whistling. It really sucks in public because I can't just tell people to stop, they just don't understand. In school my trigger sounds were pencil tapping and pen clicking. I just thought it was distracting, didn't know misophonia was a thing at the time. I discover new sounds any time I'm out in public.

This is conjecture but I think my Misophonia started when I was publicly shamed for eating loudly I soon became hyper aware and distressed by any dirty/rude noise I made or others made. This mixed with social anxiety is not a fun combo.

Can’t stand a sound is kin of an understatement. Certain noises can put you into a violent rage. At least inside that’s how you feel. Maybe a little bit of disgust. But mostly anger. The sound causes a physical sensation. And it’s hard to control your reaction. I’ve said rude things to dates. And have ate alone or suffered through if there we had a noisy eater. But yes, if someone is making a noise, it’s nearly impossible to listen to a conversation, and actually be present. It would be great to know what causes the issue of Misphonia.

I personally think very few people have any idea what misnophonia is.i hear people talking of small trigger sound's and chewing and all that guy's yourll are truly blessed u guys Shud appreciate the small degree of misnophonia that url have I really envy yourll I live with misnophonia and guy's hear this some of us have it to the max like applied level's here life is hell misnophonia is a curse how can u live ur life when every sound terrifies you guy's this thing is hell ask me whrs hell and I'll point you straight to misnophonia people who pretend to have it I have no words for u but that day u shall experience such I promise u you will turn even on the very God uve been praying to your entire life.

I LOVE THIS

For me, even the sound of someone swallowing a drink sets me off. I have to put headphones on quick or leave the room. Or I'll get so angry. Recently learnt I probably have this condition. I'm learning to become a sensory integration practitioner as an occupational therapist so it's really interesting to learn about

Misphonia is torture!! Its torture that I endure alone because no one around me really cares or is truly empathic about what I'm feeling. I think I'm wrong because everyone has right to chew the way they want. But I also think my family is wrong because if they cared about me even a little bit they could just learn to eat with their mouth closed and that would be a very small adjustment that would 100 alleviate the TORTURE that I feel. But I've explained it to them several times very scientifically and calmly. And they don't stop. Deep down feel it's because they don't care about me enough for that. They are just not empathetic to me. And they are in their right to not be. But I'm in my right to not live TORTURED. So I'm debating cutting them out of my life forever because I don't know what else to do with this problem.

The devil created this

i’ve had misophonia ever since i can remember. it’s awful and nobody understands

If Americans actors would finally learn to talk without constantly lip smacking I could actually watch a whole movie again 🤬💩

My misophonia is critically severe as well. So much so that i can't function at all.

I'm misophonic please pray for me.

Beware, this appalling and potentially life RUINING condition can happen to ANYONE, anytime, all it needs is the wrong kind of brain damage, like if you're attacked, or have a serious accident, or pick up a certain parasite etc. And it can mean having to stop working completely, and losing your partner if you're lucky enough to have one, and your kids, it could mean losing your home and even becoming homeless and then being unable to go to any hostels, the possibilities are appalling.

I’ve got misophonia and my triggers are: Chewing slurping Loud breathing (I can’t remember the rest 😂) and I remember I got put next to someone who breathed from his mouth that I Nearly started crying! One of my “friends” told the teacher sp he moved but I do hear him sometimes.

Glad im not alone, this is horrible!

i have an incredibly good and incredibly long memory and can remember the day this started with me. my mom had some dumpy fugly 1970's clunker we called Pepe Le Pew (because it was black with a white stripe). this was in the days of kids not being required to ride in car seats. i used to sit in the floorboard of the backseat rather than in the seat (because being restrained by the seatbelt would make me vomit every single time.. which is another issue probably. i am sensitive to certain pressures or surfaces. and i blame that car.) there was no carpet in the floorboard btw. and my mom never cleaned anything so it was always nasty, gritty, hot, just a bucket full of yuck. and the car's speaker was right next to my head. and while i don't remember the title of the song she was playing that day i do remember the chorus would end with a mighty clap of several hands. And it was that song on that day that I knew what actual torment was. none of my skinned knees, kitchen scratch booboos, falling off my bike or bumping my head every came close to the ear shattering racket i experienced with that song. And it just kinda got worse over the years. The funny (or maybe sad?) thing is I was often alone when i was younger. i didn't have friends to hang out with because my mom didn't like going anywhere and she didn't like sending me off with strangers and she didn't like getting to know new people. so i would stay in my room and read and listen to my little bedside radio or i went to school. that was the extent of my social life until the last year of middle school. when my mom and i would rent movies or go a theater i was hyper aware of her chewing and the sound she made through her nose while doing it and always felt bad for thinking it was disgusting. The memory of her smacking on chewing gum while driving through town still haunts me. by the time i got into high school i didn't even want to have a social life so it was a moot point. i would skip lunch and hide in the library for the entirety of high school. basically i had no idea other sounds bothered me until i finally started hanging around more people because prior to that i was going out of my way to avoid social settings. and what really baffles me is .... i have a farm. The sound of a horse crunching away on his grain or the cow eating hay, the ducks snurdling around in the mud, even my pigs and dogs eating their food... none of that bothers me. But give my husband a bag of giant pretzels and i will lose my mind. if my oldest son eats an apple i have to leave the house. Loud motorcycles make me feel an unnatural hatred towards the rider... same goes for loud cars and trucks. i don't mind a muscle car rumble that shakes the ground. that decibel is low and soothing. but the moment you make it scream.... i wanna commit violence. shrill barking dogs, or dogs that have skin issues that make them chew on themselves. rain on a tin is maddening. loud music - even music i like..... Big Nope. If it's loud enough to make someone shout over it to be heard then you can bet the farm that i experiencing pain. i could go on for a while but ya get it. i just want to live a quiet calm life with my farm......and my family.... but they are just so danged loud!!

Growing up with a brother with misophonia has done serious destructive damage to me. I had no context or feedback other than his about the sounds I made. Thought it was me.

Chewing, tapping, car alarms, scuffing feet when walking (flip flops/thong sandals are the worst)...just a handful of sounds that make me want to scream. I became a flight attendant six years ago...the best job! The sound of the jet engines kind of blocks out everything else.

I only found out about a year ago that this is a condition. For years I have been trying to understand why certain sounds would send me into a rage fit. I can't stand the sound of people eating, even the way some people breathe. My GF thinks it's a joke or that I am being unnecessary when I get annoyed with her and the way she eats. What she doesn't understand is that I am fighting off the urge to punch her in the face. I have to ask myself all the time, why do people need to make all these unnecessary noises with their mouths?

I lost my eyes because of cancer when I was 4. And I have this condition as well. It irritates me and get angry whenever I heard noises until now. Then my negative thoughts start to come out. I ve been trying to adjust how I feel about this noises but it doesnt work :(

Beeps, bells, slack chimes, and robot sounds of any kind -- especially hold music/voices, and robot Ai voices -- all make me want to fight or scream. Most support for misaphonia seems geared towards chewing noises, but Id rather be in a roomful of people eating than next to one person with loud phone or computer notifications.

They really don't know and that's really sad

I hate revving engines

I had cbt for this and it done absolutely nothing to help. Also aversion therapy was part of it which was hell. Having to sit and listen to my trigger sounds (slurping) and not be able to move, make a sound or cover my ears. Awful.

I have it with burping and it is the worst as people can easily use it to bully me so I hide it so people can’t bully me with it, should I get earphones or earplugs, I am at the level where I have attacked people because of it and the only thing stopping me is usually a teacher.

My triggers are pretty much mouth sounds..eating, smacking, brushing teeth, swallowing loud after drinking(only my sister does this so far I heard) BUT I also hate SEEING people eating and certain food related words piss me off! When people say mmmm, tasty, sometimes yum yum, SOOO GOOOD! So watching tv and commercials from McDonald’s, Dairy Queen and any other food commercial I at least look away so I don’t see them chewing! I hate how I am!!! 😢

I don't want to endup punching a class fellow during the class...I better will leave the place where these sounds are coming from ,,,and it really is unbearable, if you does not react or leave that place it will mentally and physically effects you bery bad like it weekens you

Is it the same as hearing pounding or hammering repeatedly or the honking or idling cars or people talking at the same time loudly? All those sounds drive me crazy, make me want to flee the place or wherever I am just to get away from it.

This makes me wanna move to the UK and be close to their studies and findings and such.... I´m mexican and for the moment living in Mexico as well, and being a 3rd world country makes it even tougher for people with miso since there´s cero acknowledge about it even existing, which translates to cero empathy and a whole lot of judging...... anyway thanks for making these videos..... they sure give me hope.

Can this be a particular persons voice. There's a particular person in my family who's voice really irritates me or when they cough, snore or clear their throat. I'm also irritated by the sound one one of the dogs when I hear them tapping across the floor while others don't bother me?

I remember how i Scratch the blackboard because that terrible sounds.

Ya let's show people eating in a misophonia video. Love that

I wonder if the use of technology by children escalates this condition

If people instead of making fun of misophinia took ot as serious as it governments could use it as a torture tactic.

Forget chewing and tapping etc. what about raucous CACKLING fits from FAT-trap loudmouths, or dogs, or banging doors or gates, or stupid skull piercing "whistling", or that stupid insane finger-click nonsense which has become such an insane obsession with the so-called "entertainment" industry, and which is constantly played over the PA system in shops and various public buildings making them inaccessible, eh?

Any cure

---- IF YOU HAVE ROOT CANALS THIS MIGHT BE WHY YOU HAVE MISOPHONIA ---- Just wanted to come back and say mine is gone because I had a failed root canal for 7 years on a back molar (#15 tooth). Since it was capped with a crown that trapped infection which spread to my ear and thus brain. I almost didn't make it. After trying millions of things the decay hiding under my nice looking crown cracked the tooth and I was in severe pain for a month, disabled. ----- IF YOU HAVE ROOT CANALS THIS MIGHT BE WHY YOU HAVE MISOPHONIA

This sounds like a reaction to inconsideration, not sounds!!

Hold on a minute, if that lady presenter is supposedly misophonic then how on EARTH can she work?! What if you can't even visit a supermarket because of the excruciating noise in such places?! I'm sick and tired of hearing people online who claim to suffer with misophonia and then they mention their nice fancy professional job, and their partner, and social life, and entertainment, and their holidays etc. Well what about those like ME who have NONE of that but just an absolutely WRETCHED solitary existence and confined to disability welfare and spend their whole life almost entirely alone and relentlessly tortured out of your skull! And stupid earphones and plugs etc. are absolutely USELESS, they DON'T WORK!

Hasn't that lady presenter got a lovely fuller figure?!

Many people don't know how bad misophonia is *E V E R Y S I N G L E D A Y I W A N T T O L A S H O U T* *I TRY TO KEEP IT IN, THIS IS EVERY DAY* *stop, stop,STOP* *AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*