What are the main symptoms and treatments of misophonia? Misophonia is a condition where an individual can feel very uncomfortable because of various small and everyday sounds. They can strongly react to things like someone breathing or chewing too loudly.
The condition is rare enough that hearing about it for the first time can feel like the other person might just be saying that because they find the sound mildly annoying. However, the truth is that these small noises, like the clicking of a pen or someone smacking their lips, can make people want to scream or become visibly uncomfortable.
The very physical reactions that people can have to these everyday sounds are similar to what a person can feel during a flight or fight response. Therefore, they will often feel rage, panic, or anxiety.
Symptoms of Misophonia
Misophonia can be a difficult disorder to explain to people since they can easily think that people are just overreacting. However, people with the condition cannot change how they feel about these small noises. These sounds can be very triggering and can often lead to the person having a very severe reaction where they can become very uncomfortably angry or depressed.
The biggest symptom of misophonia is an individual’s very strong reaction to certain sounds. These sounds are usually very ones that you can hear every day, such as the leaves rustling, heavy breathing, or even clicking a pen.
Of course, there is a range of other stimuli that the individual can experience when they hear any of these triggering sounds. Some of the other symptoms can include:
- Feeling irritated and disgusted by a certain sound
- Severe or uncontrollable anger, where the person can feel like they want to lash out at someone
- Their reaction could be a very physical one or a very verbal one
- A severe feeling of anxiety when in a situation where they might have to interact with the triggering sound
- Feelings of helplessness and anxiety overwhelm the individual, increasing the likelihood of a panic attack
- Tightness in the chest or throughout the body after hearing the sound
- A sudden and severe rise in body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate
These symptoms can be especially common among teens or adolescents who have been through very traumatizing experiences. The sounds that they hear can either remind them of their trauma or give them a feeling of uneasiness, which reminds them of their trauma.
Treatments for Misophonia
Misophonia is a very recent condition that does not have any dedicated cure. Since the triggers can vary and have different reasons, researchers have needed help finding appropriate treatment for the condition.
However, many have concluded that some misophonia cases result from people having a traumatic experience. Therefore, they have tried different trauma treatment options to help people cope with their symptoms. Furthermore, since they cannot cure the underlying issue, they will focus on helping cure the symptoms.
Counterconditioning
Counter conditioning is the process of a therapist conditioning the brain to respond more positively to the different triggering sounds. In a study performed in 2015, this treatment was able to help a woman with very serious misophonia better control how she reacted to her trigger.
Misophonia Symptoms & Treatments: Conclusion
Misophonia is a very serious condition that can suddenly flare in individuals and affect how they spend the rest of their day.
If you’re struggling with misophonia and have very extreme reactions to small triggers, then consult Stephen Katz about misophonia treatment options. With over 20 years of experience, he developed cognitive retraining therapy specially suited towards those suffering with misophonia..
Stephen Geller Katz LCSW-R
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