MISOPHONIA: WHEN EVERYDAY SOUNDS DRIVE YOU CRAZY

Do the sounds of everyday life drive you crazy? There’s a name for that – misophonia. Misophonia – which means a “hatred of sound” – is characterized by intense emotion like rage or fear in response to highly specific sounds, particularly ordinary sounds that other people make – chewing, gum chewing, throat clearing, coughing, sniffing, nose blowing, humming, tapping, pen-clicking. Misophonia got its name just a few years ago, and it is not officially listed as a diagnosis in any medical manuals. Many doctors have never heard of it, and if patients do mention their symptoms, they are sometimes dismissed or diagnosed with a mood disorder. But recent studies have shown that, while no one knows what causes misophonia, it is associated with certain brain regions.
* I have sounds that I hate – loud chewing, babies crying, Adam Levine’s singing voice, dripping water…
* “Doctor, I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of this, but STOP YOUR DAMN PEN-CLICKING!”
* So, I could get a doctor’s note that I have misophonia, and at the next staff meeting tell the boss to shut up because his voice is driving me crazy, then show him the note.
* What do they call it when the sounds of everyday life sexually excites someone? Miso-hornia.
* This story brought to you by Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones.
* PHONE TOPIC: What sound do you hate?