Let's remember: hearing is the reception and perception of sound. How we perceive these sounds depends entirely on us. In some cases, the perception of that magnificent song that reminds you of a wonderful memory can be eclipsed just as easily as an annoying song that triggers a negative emotion. There are many techniques for relearning how to manage or avoid these negative emotions when we hear sounds that displease us.
For the vast majority of people, hearing is a sense that enriches life. Hearing birds sing in the early morning, listening to a baby's first word, or simply being able to talk with those we love: all these are moments where the sense of hearing takes center stage.
While hearing often brings a great deal to your daily life, there are times when some people perceive it as annoying, or even exasperating.
Here is an overview of what misophonia is, how it is treated, and its impact on your daily life.
What is misophonia?
Misophonia is a disorder characterized by a strong negative reaction to a specific sound. This intense reaction generally takes the form of anger or disgust, even when the sound is not associated with any particularly unpleasant event.
A common trigger for misophonia is, for example, the sound of chewing. While hearing someone chew loudly may obviously displease anyone, people with misophonia are much more likely to react in an emotionally disproportionate way than the average person.
Here is a detailed examination of the specificities of misophonia and everything you need to know about what it is... and what it is not.
Psychological or audiological disorder?
One of the most heated topics of debate concerns the medical discipline to which misophonia should be attached. Current trends seem to indicate that it is primarily psychological and that psychology is responsible for treating it.
In 2013, a group of researchers from Amsterdam presented work advocating for misophonia to be classified as a full-fledged psychological disorder, in order to help more people get the care they need.
This classification is quite consistent with the nature of the disorder since, at present, the only available treatments are based on therapies aimed at better managing automatic reactions to external stimuli, while retraining the mind.
The reality is that many hearing disorders overlap with psychology. Audiological conditions like tinnitus can be effectively treated through a psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy. This interaction illustrates the multidisciplinary approach of medicine: patients and pathologies alike benefit from being viewed from several angles.
Misophonia and hyperacusis
A disorder frequently confused with misophonia is hyperacusis. Hyperacusis is characterized by perceiving a normal sound as louder than it actually is, to the point of sometimes being unbearable or painful.
Unlike misophonia, hyperacusis has nothing to do with an emotional reaction: it is simply a hypersensitivity to sound stimuli.
Although distinct from misophonia, hyperacusis also belongs to the category of sound hypersensitivities. The key difference lies in the fact that misophonia concerns a specific sound that triggers an emotional reaction, whereas hyperacusis is indiscriminate and relates primarily to a physiological response of discomfort and pain.
What impact can misophonia have on daily life?
Misophonia may seem like a fairly circumscribed disorder, but that does not mean it is without consequences for your everyday life. The reactions it triggers can be completely out of proportion and create distress for the person concerned, as well as for those around them.
Here are some of the ways misophonia can weigh on your general well-being.
Avoidance behaviors
One of the most striking effects of disorders like misophonia is avoidance behavior. This consists of doing everything possible to flee or avoid a situation in which one risks feeling or experiencing something negative.
Many people with misophonia go to great lengths to avoid situations where the trigger sound is likely to occur. For example, declining a dinner or a meal with friends and family if the sound of chewing is a trigger.
The saddest part about these avoidance behaviors is that they deprive the person of moments of social interaction, memories to be created, and relationships to be strengthened.
Increased anxiety
Another possible consequence of misophonia: increased anxiety. If the sound itself triggers a negative emotion, the mere thought of that sound can provoke anxiety and leave the person more worried and tense.
From the perspective of well-being, anxiety can seriously reduce your ability to fully enjoy life. When you are anxious, your body produces stress hormones that speed up your heart rate, increase your breathing, and amplify other feelings of malaise.
The price paid by relationships
Misophonia undeniably has an impact on your daily life, but also on that of your loved ones. Imagine: you are at a restaurant with your family when your spouse starts chewing too loudly, and you snap back at them without even thinking.
Misophonia triggers vary from one person to another, but regardless of the trigger, they can put relationships under severe strain.
How is misophonia diagnosed?
Many healthcare professionals can diagnose misophonia, but the exact way the diagnosis is made generally depends on the professional you consult.
From the point of view of a hearing aid specialist, misophonia is diagnosed somewhat by elimination. A sound tolerance test is generally performed to determine if you are suffering from hyperacusis.
If the test does not point toward hyperacusis and your hearing assessment is normal, but you still react to a specific sound, misophonia becomes the most likely diagnosis.
For a psychologist, there is currently no real formal procedure for diagnosing misophonia; they will generally rule out other disorders like OCD or generalized anxiety before concluding it is misophonia.
How is misophonia treated?
Misophonia takes very different forms from one person to another. Where one will feel extreme disgust at the sounds of chewing, another will get angry at the sound of someone slurping their drink. Despite this wide variety of manifestations, the underlying mechanism remains the same.
Misophonia is primarily caused by an automatic emotional response to a specific trigger. Retraining your mind so that it no longer associates negative emotions with a given sound can be difficult. Over time, however, it is possible to make progress and move closer to a normal life, without avoidance or anxiety at the thought of encountering one's trigger.
Here is an overview of the different ways misophonia can be treated. Depending on the person and the case, one treatment may prove more effective than another.
Psychological support and group therapy
An excellent way to find relief is to talk about your disorder with others, especially with people facing the same difficulties. Having a space to discuss your problems and their impact on those around you can be extremely useful and therapeutic.
Group therapy and psychological support help you feel that what you are experiencing is real and that others understand what it is like.
Group therapy is an effective mode of treatment for several disorders, and it can be beneficial for people with misophonia.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is widely considered the gold standard treatment for misophonia, because it addresses the heart of the problem—the intrusive thoughts related to misophonia—and works to reduce them.
With CBT applied to misophonia, the goal is to identify the patterns you fall into regularly and seek to interrupt them. Let's imagine that the sound of shuffling feet is your trigger: with CBT, you hear this sound, but instead of moving immediately to anger, you work to transform your automatic reaction into a neutral or positive one.
CBT can take time, but it often leads to relief and the ability to lead a normal life.
Conclusion
In summary, misophonia is a disorder marked by a strongly disproportionate reaction to a specific sound. These trigger sounds can provoke very real negative emotions and thoughts, which can degrade your quality of life if they are not managed properly.
By understanding what misophonia is, how it is diagnosed, and what therapeutic options exist, you will be able to make more informed decisions regarding your health.
At CLARIA, we believe in helping people move forward and become their own best advocates. By offering reasonably priced hearing aids, CLARIA gives power back to the people concerned and allows them access to support they might otherwise not be able to afford.
Sources:
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? | APA
Information Avoidance Tendencies, Threat Management Resources, and Interest in Genetic Sequencing Feedback | Oxford
Misophonia: Diagnostic Criteria for a New Psychiatric Disorder | PLOS
