Misophony, when everyday sounds irritate us

Misophony consists of the panic that feels before everyday sounds. Perhaps many feel pleasure to hear the rain fall, or it seems relaxing the sound that comes out of a tap, but this is not the reality for those who suffer from misophony. Who lives with misophony feels irritated with everyday sounds, such as someone chewing a gum or moving a pen.

Content

• Misophony
• Thoughts are violent
• What are the causes of misophony?
• Misophony symptoms
• Misophony treatment
• Live with misophony
  • Bibliography

Misophony

The term misophony is composed of the 'miso' root, which means hate and 'fony', which means sound. Therefore, those who suffer from irrational to sounds, are considered to suffer from misophony, or "hate to sound". It is a condition that should not be confused with hypercusia, which consists in perceiving the sounds in a higher way and feeling pain when they are heard.

However, Both hypercusia and misophony are related to little tolerance to sounds. But, while in hypercusia the person feels the sounds in such a high way that it cannot endure, in misophy the discomfort is caused by repetitive patterns of sounds.

Those who suffer from misophony react just by listening to another person's cough, sneezing, the light blows of a pencil against a table, among others. Even another person's breathing may seem irritating, as well as the sound of the rain, which makes them experience anxiety, angry, discomfort and even fear.

Although each person affects in a different way, in general, the sounds that are most annoying to those who suffer from misophony are those of other people's breathing and the sound that others make when eating.

To misophony It is also known as selective sound sensitivity syndrome (SSS), When such hypersensitivity responds to sounds below normal, which would be between 40 and 50 decibels. In this syndrome an answer persists that is disproportionate and that comes from the nervous system to certain daily sounds. It usually appears at the beginning of adolescence or at the end of childhood.

It was in 2013 when he was classified as a psychiatric disorder, however, in 2001 the term had already been coined by the American neuroscientists Pawel and Margaret Jastreboff.

Thoughts are violent

The most impressive thing about this disorder is that The person may experience violent thoughts when they perceive the sounds that bother them. For example, they have expressed their desires to hit others, or avoid sites in which there are people eating, such as trains and restaurants.

Although it seems incredible, misophony has been the cause of divorces and the loss of work of some people who could not support the environment due to repetitive sounds, because, it is a psychiatric disorder that has a fairly significant impact on whom it suffers.

What are the causes of misophony?

It is a neurological disorder in which auditory stimuli are not correctly interpreted by the central nervous system.

However, the specific causes are not yet clear and, although it is likely that many people have suffered from this condition for a long time, it was not until the arrival of the nineties when it began to recognize as a disease.

Misophony symptoms

As mentioned, the persistent symptom is the extreme reaction and discomfort generated by specific sounds for a person and, although they can appear in childhood, adults can also begin to experience at any time. It all starts with a small list of sounds, until this list is swelling and other sounds are added that are also irritating.

Misophony treatment

Unfortunately, there is currently no cure or treatment for misophony; However, the doctor could recommend some therapies to cope with the discomfort. However, it is noteworthy that many of those suffering from misophony have medical pictures similar to those of people with obsessive compulsive disorder (TOC).

Therefore, some institutions recommend the application of cognitive or cognitive behavioral therapies, trying to understand how the person feels and how this condition affects their lives.

Live with misophony

Living with misophony is a challenge, there are those who try to hide the discomfort of detonating noises with music, while others try to avoid the places where it occurs, but depending on the severity of the disorder, the person can even distance themselves and avoid some relationships personal or get involved in certain social activities.

These people feel misunderstood, since they are usually cataloged as hysterical or exaggeratedly sensitive. However, it is important to go with the doctor to verify that misophony is really suffering.

Bibliography

• Cobo Méndez, S. V. Misophony.
• Godoy Domínguez, M. J. (2019). Misophony in aesthetic code. Thémata. Philosophy Magazine, 60, 77-96.
• Martinelli, l. R. (2017). Tangles, hyperacusia and misophony. FIAPAS: Iberian Federation of Associations of Parents and Friends of the Deaf, (163), 16-17.
• Peiro, f. M., González, m. TO. L., Garcia, J. TO., Pueyo, J. L., & Ortega, F. AND. (2009). Treatment of open field hyperacusia. Spanish Otolaryngological Act, 60(1), 38-42.