Misophonia from the controversial board

[sasywtch]

When I read the description of misophonia, I was like OMG. I have never spoken to a doctor about this as I thought I was either weird or had ADD. When I was younger, certain noises drove me insane. Not just irritated, but enough that it was building and building up in me to where I just couldn't take it anymore. 2 examples: We were on a drive, my dad was driving and his breathing was very heavy. I could feel it building inside of me, chest tightening to where I yelled "quit breathing so heavy". I could not sit by my sister or nephew when they ate as they smacked and my sister scraped her teeth on the fork. This annoyed a lot of people but the build up in my body, it gets extremely tight (kind of like if someone is standing in front of you calling you names after names and it's building up to where you are going to blow). This has been going on since my teenage years. Lately 2 things I can't handle and I either have to leave or let it build up, stress me out and either blow or leave. #1 At the casino when I go once a week to play my freeplay-people clicking the buttons or slapping them. It irritates others around me but with me, I can't tune it out. It's like I block everything else out (the music playing overhead, etc) and only hear that clicking/slapping. It's like my brain tunes everything else out and pinpoints on that one irritating noise. My blood pressure feels like it's going up, I start tightening up. #2 My daughter's tv noise in her bedroom when I can hear it in the living room. It's faint, but when I hook onto the sound, I can't let it go. It's beyond an irritation, it's like I tune into these things and it builds up inside of me to where I can't let it go. Now that I type it out, it sounds kind of silly but I've dealt with this most of my life and thought it was some noise sensitivity but it's only certain things. I realize a lot of these would be annoying but I can't let it go and I feel the bp raising and chest tightening as an over reaction. Those on the other board that have this, does any of this sound familiar?

 

[Imzadi]

I missed that thread on the other board. I don't think you are silly. I have become more sound sensitive as I've gotten older. But, not like what you are experiencing.

Can you wear noise cancelling headphones? There are rather discrete looking ones. People will just think you are listening to music. Or try listening to soothing music with headphones that may drown out the sounds.

Third, maybe find a therapist who does a mind/body approach. One who can teach you how to meditate and breathe when you having that experience, so you are concentrating on your breathe and possibly some phrase, consciously working with your body to loosen your chest, to cancel out how your body is responding to that stimuli. It will give some control over your environment and response, rather than being randomly triggered and not have something in place to move your focus, or with the headphones, to cancel out the sounds.

 

[HappyGal]

Yes, I have it but my daughters is worse. Hers presented at 9years old and made her life hell. She had to have special accommodations in school, lost most friends and family life crumbled.

She saw a CBT therapist for several years and that helped somewhat. She’s 22 now and is managing but we still have to be “careful” around her.

It’s a frustrating affliction because no one really understands it and you feel like you’re crazy.

 

[emer95]

I understand this so well! My brother and I have this. My brother has it worse than I do, but I really struggle. If anyone is smacking gum I have a physical reaction. And lately it seems like smacking gum is acceptable everywhere- at the workplace, in church, even at wakes and funerals. Sniffing is another tough one for me.

 

[goofyernmost]

Know what noise drives me crazy, makes me unable to sleep and very tense? Silence, it's like bugles blaring in my ears. After giving it much thought I finally realized that it wasn't really the silence, but the fact that when there was total silence I could hear myself breathing, which should be comforting but I can't help but think about what it would mean if I stopped breathing altogether.

 

[Rogue1677x]

I have it and yeah, it can be a nightmare. Some noises also trigger my migraines, so that's pretty terrible.

When I was in college, I had a professor who when speaking had an audible click in her voice. Almost like her tongue was slightly stuck to the roof of her mouth for a second. Anyways, it wasn't something she could help but at the same time, I was practically on the verge of jabbing pens in my ears to not hear it, that's how bad it was. I ended up dropping the course and when she asked me why, I honestly explained the situation.

I've found ways of working through times I'm around noises that are hard on me.

 

[mjkacmom]

I have it, my sister has it, and one of our kids. The positive, my kids learned early on not to eat with their mouths open or to scrape their teeth with their fork. I can’t be in the room with someone eating cereal.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Sounds like a tough thing to endure

 

[ronandannette]

There are a lot of sounds that I find cringy, and it is a visceral reaction and very, very preoccupying. I couldn't even type the specific ones out here without feeling weird. It never would have occurred to me to mention it to a doctor. Other than CBT, is there any treatment for this?

 

[Skippy918]

Only certain sounds bother me. People chewing hard candy or ice or making sucking noises when eating said candy. It’s really irritating.

 

[disykat]

My sister and my son both have mild versions of this. The funny thing is that they are both kind of noisy themselves.

Okay, editing to add....My son, who happens to be visiting this weekend just came in from the other room saying "what is that noise?" I was doing a word game that made a little clicking noise.

 

[Imzadi]

And lately it seems like smacking gum is acceptable everywhere- at the workplace, in church, even at wakes and funerals.

Your example just reminded me I can't stand when people whistle. It drives me insane. It used to be a more acceptable thing to do when I was a kid. Now, thankfully, I guess people have moved onto music on headphones.

Also, I really, really want to get a Cricut or Silhouette stencil cutting machine. It would really allow me to make different kinds of crafts. But, I don't think I can listen to the screechy, ratcheting sounds the cutter makes for a long period of time. I live in a small apartment. There is no place to put it where I wouldn't hear it. I was recently given a pair of noise cancelling headphones, so I may revisit the idea of getting a machine.

 

[emer95]

Your example just reminded me I can't stand when people whistle. It drives me insane. It used to be a more acceptable thing to do when I was a kid. Now, thankfully, I guess people have moved onto music on headphones.

Also, I really, really want to get a Cricut or Silhouette stencil cutting machine. It would really allow me to make different kinds of crafts. But, I don't think I can listen to the screechy, ratcheting sounds the cutter makes for a long period of time. I live in a small apartment. There is no place to put it where I wouldn't hear it. I was recently given a pair of noise cancelling headphones, so I may revisit the idea of getting a machine.

Yes! Whistling! I know now that one of my uncles had misophonia too because he heard someone whistling once and he said, “Go whistle in the woods!” It made me laugh at the time but I get it now!

 

[shh]

I cannot stand the sound of kids' voices at loud volumes. Everyone thinks I hate kids and judges me for it I don't at all...I just cannot tolerate the higher decibel and shrill range when they screech, laugh, cry or yell in those high octave voices. I want to stab myself with a fork and am miserable.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

I can't stand the noise of people dragging their feet when walking, especially those wearing flip-flops. I want to shout "pick up your feet!"
My DH chewing his food; it sounds like a washing machine.
The scrape of utensils against a bowl, dinner plate, mug, etc. A coworker uses a spoon to stir her coffee, and it sounds like a Kitchenaid.

 

[Imzadi]

I cannot stand the sound of kids' voices at loud volumes. Everyone thinks I hate kids and judges me for it I don't at all...I just cannot tolerate the higher decibel and shrill range when they screech, laugh, cry or yell in those high octave voices. I want to stab myself with a fork and am miserable.

Me TOO! Except I want to stab them with a fork. (Just kidding. . . No, not really. )

 

[mjkacmom]

I cannot stand the sound of kids' voices at loud volumes. Everyone thinks I hate kids and judges me for it I don't at all...I just cannot tolerate the higher decibel and shrill range when they screech, laugh, cry or yell in those high octave voices. I want to stab myself with a fork and am miserable.

Me too, and I have 5 of my own. Dd21’s bff since kindergarten was always loud and shrieking. I drove a dance carpool with 6 girls several times a week for years, I was not afraid to say I’m going to end up driving into a tree with the sudden screams.

 

[WDWJDS]

Yeah, I’ve got it too (actually found out about it from a message board). I realize now that I first had symptoms as a teen (I actually told my sister that she needed to stop blinking ).

Gum popping, sucking of teeth, tapping of feet, clicking a pen, etc all make me wanna stab someone with a pencil (that’s what my husband says ).

I’ve been able to removed myself from most situations but recently I got a new coworker that pops gum. I had to pull the old “chewing, and especially popping gum at the front desk is unprofessional” . She has toned it down since then.

 

[stitch'sgirl]

I have found my people!!
Whistling was the first one I noticed when I was pretty young. When I hear someone whistling in a store I have to put down my purchases and leave. When I am run down or feverish the raging feelings are worse. I am working on getting plenty of sleep and have asked my doctor for a prescription for Wellbutrin. I was on it years ago and found that things didn't get to me as much. Crossing my fingers that it helps but I don't see my doctor until October.

 

[HappyGal]

Forgot to mention, my daughter is on anti anxiety medication and that has helped along with her CBT therapy. And at Disney, she’s never without her noise canceling headphones.

Another somewhat related thing that we both suffer from is miso kinesia. Repetitive movements like hair stroking, legs crossed and foot bouncing, arms swinging while walking, nail picking. This goes on. Like misophonia, once you see it, you can’t unsee it and it’s enraging. Like crawl out of your skin screaming painful.