What are some common misophonia triggers? Misophonia is a disorder in which people suffering from it have anomalously strong negative reactions to sounds like chewing, pen clicking or loud breathing. They tend to get extremely irritated by such sounds and often display their discomfort by exiting the room, wearing earphones or even yelling at the source of the sound in an attempt to stop them from doing so.  This condition is also called selective sound syndrome. Common reactions of misophoniacs range from mild annoyance to extreme rage and anger.

Common Misophonia Triggers

It is interesting to note that the source of most sounds that trigger misophonia come from a human. The sound of a dog licking itself will not be as annoying for them as the sound of another human’s chewing.

Some of the most common triggers of misophonia include oral sounds, i.e., breathing or chewing — keyboard tapping, pen clicking, scratching nails against the wall or the sound of windshield wipers. Sometimes a small repetitive motion can be the cause as well — for instance, someone sitting next to you wiggling their foot.

According to a research in Amsterdam, eating sounds affect 81% of the subjects being studied. Loud breathing or nose sounds affect 64.3%. Finger or hand sounds affect 59.5%. While some even said that they get irritated by the sight of someone repeatedly shaking their knees. This means that misophonia has to do with visual triggers as well.

Since misophonia is a newly identified disorder; proper treatment options are still limited. Some doctors even confuse it with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  Individuals suffering from it usually develop coping mechanisms to give themselves some relief. Using headphones or wearing earplugs to lower down the effect and when possible, leaving the room where there are triggering sounds. Practicing self-care, meditating and seeking a supportive therapist is a great option.

Avoiding social gatherings because of it can be a little problematic for the individual’s social growth. They can even lose friends, which is most definitely not a good thing. Social interactions are extremely important for one’s healthy personal growth. What they can do is, explain to their friends in a polite manner that they suffer from this condition and that they are sensitive to certain sounds.

Moreover, one should not simply tell misophoniacs to ‘ignore and focus on their own work’. It would be very similar to telling a depressed person to be positive and move on.  Disregarding someone’s problem and telling them to ignore it and snap out of it is a very insensitive thing to do. It can be very hard for them to focus on their work if the constant triggering sound is annoying them and messing with their head.

Bottom Line

To conclude, misophonia is real. It is as real as depression or any other disorder. If you get triggered by sounds that humans make and you feel like punching the human who’s making it, then my friend I’m afraid to let you know that you may be a misophoniac. Do not worry or panic, look it up in detail now that you know that it exists and it has a name. You may even want to discuss this matter with a Misophonia specialist if you think that it is beyond your control and needs proper treatment. Good luck.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment with the best Misophonia specialist in NYC and find out solutions, tips and tricks to tackle all your misophonia related problems.