Misophonia: When chewing food and other sounds drive you crazy
Back in 1949, someone designated May as Mental Health Awareness Month. As such, I’m going to spend the next four weeks discussing different issues that fall into this category. First up, misophonia — the word that means “hatred of sound.”
Have you ever felt a deep irritation from everyday sounds like from someone chewing food or breathing? That’s misophonia. Maybe you can relate — it essentially means you hear a sound that has the potential to drive you crazy!
This is a condition that can range from mildly annoying and tolerable to utterly enraging and disabling. It’s more than hyperacusis, which is more along the lines of heightened sound sensitivity. You see more of that condition with kids on the spectrum.
Misophonia will trigger a seemingly irrational emotional response, usually with anger. The offending sounds are usually chewing of food or slurping, but also could be lip-smacking, sniffling, utensils dinging the plate, repetitive tapping of feet/fingers or hearing words with consonants like “s” or “p.”
This is just a sampling of sounds that cause people to feel unsettled, anxious, angry or enraged. It makes them stay at home, say no to events and stay away from people who they know will trigger them.
Misophonia, which translates to "hatred of sound," is a medical disorder that causes reactions like anger, disgust or anxiety. Often misunderstood and under-researched, this condition is sometimes caused by serotonin deficiency, which is why it is sometimes seen in people who have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It’s not always the case though.
At times, reduced GABA activity is at play, too, which is why sedatives may help. And interestingly, there’s a correlation with people who have excessive myelin around their auditory pathways.
It’s not really the sound, per se; new studies suggest there’s a mirroring effect that people with misophonia have. In other words, their brain overreacts when they hear someone chewing, for example, and it’s like they, themselves, are participating in the annoying activity/sound, which enhances their reaction.
Medications are available to help to improve GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) activity that might help balance neurotransmitters. In my longer article, I provide natural GABA-inducing herbal remedy options and the latest in drug treatment.
Recognition of this as a mental health problem is critical. It’s often dismissed as a personality quirk. Sometimes it occurs in combination with other disorders such as Tourette syndrome, anxiety, major depression and, as I’ve mentioned, OCD.
If this topic is interesting to you, please consider reading the longer, more comprehensive version that I’ve posted at my website, suzycohen.com. My information is strictly educational, so if you have this condition, see a qualified medical doctor with expertise in mental and emotional health concerns.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Misophonia: When chewing food and other sounds drive you crazy
