What are the top triggers for people who have misophonia? People diagnosed with this condition need to not only identify their triggers but they need to be able to anticipate where they might hear them. People with this condition often have major outbursts when they come in contact with their triggers, which can often make them dangerous to themselves and others around them.
Unfortunately, control only comes naturally among people with different triggers. Therefore, people can often feel like those with the condition are overreacting. They may fail to realize that the reaction might be subdued, as the person with this condition might be trying to control it.
Furthermore, getting a deeper understanding of an individual’s triggers is also essential for the person’s friends and family since they can help them when necessary. In this short guide, we will go over all of the most popular audio triggers that a person with Misophonia might be disturbed at,
Too Many Triggers to Keep in Mind
One of the factors that make Misophonia, such as a difficult health condition, help is that anything could be a trigger. And while some can have a reason why certain sounds can be so triggering, at other times, they cannot find the words to explain why they find something so disturbing.
However, nearly every person with Misophonia can relate to a handful of triggers. These include:
- Chewing
- Pen clicking
- Heavy breathing
- Slurping
- Lip smacking
- And throat clearing
Other smaller triggers can include:
- Silverware or glasses clinking
- Birds chirping
- Mechanical humming
- Nail clipping or filing
- Rustling some fabric or paper
Visual cues for Misophonia
Various researchers have made one of the most important breakthroughs concerning this specific condition: the triggers do not just have to sound. Some visual cues can elicit a very similar reaction from individuals who have Misophonia.
Some of these visual triggers include:
- Chewing with an open mouth
- Fidgeting with a pen
- Twirling hair
- Keeping legs restless
These are just some of the Misophonia triggers that do not have audio cues but can still elicit a similar reaction from people.
Coping with Misophonia
Living with Misophonia is anything but easy, as people need to find a way to not just avoid their triggers but suppress their emotions if they happen to meet them. While some will have much milder symptoms, the most they can feel is mild discomfort.
However, people who experience more severe symptoms can have an especially hard time dealing with the emotions they feel. Since they can either feel a sudden rush of anger or despair, they can often lash out at someone or something if they come in contact with their trigger.
One short hack many have come up with when dealing with this unique situation is to recreate the trigger yourself. If it is an audio cue, you can repeat it in your mind, and nothing will happen. It can be a great way to help create a more positive image of one of the triggers.
Top Misophonia Triggers: Conclusion
The causes for Misophonia are multiple and confusing, which makes it different triggers so much more so. But with the triggers mentioned above, you will better understand how to deal with the daily challenge of trying not to pay attention to the many triggers.
If you’re struggling with Misophonia and have very extreme reactions to small triggers, then Stephen Katz at the Misophonia Cognitive Center™ can help you. With over 20 years of experience, he developed Misophonia Cognitive retraining therapy, which has in some cases completely cured those suffering from this condition.
Call today to schedule a convenient online consultation.
Stephen Geller Katz LCSW-R
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