Living with Extreme Sound Sensitivity

If you feel disgusted to the point of rage when you hear the sound of chewing, swallowing, breathing, throat-clearing and other common “people” noises, you’re not alone. You’re also not crazy. Misophonia is a sound sensitivity disorder, which makes certain noises intolerable to the sufferer. Although this condition is primarily neurological, the experience of these sounds can cause psychological distress. The term misophonia was developed by Pawel and Margaret Jastreboff, American neuroscientists. Literally translated, it means “hatred of sounds.” This condition usually develops when a child is just entering into his or her tween years, although it can develop earlier in life. The affected child will often feel a frightening and uncontrollable urge either to strike the person making the noises or run away with hands over ears. Alternatively, some will mimic the sounds of the chewer in an attempt to cover up the noise or to communicate in a nonverbal way how horrible the sound is to them. This reaction is called ‘echolalia’ and is also quite common among those on the autistic spectrum. One of the primary difficulties of living with this disorder is others’ reactions. Those who do not have any hypersensitivity to sound simply cannot imagine how their chewing and swallowing noises can be so disgusting to another person. Often, protests from the sufferer are misinterpreted as passive-aggressive personal attacks or simply not ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Tags: Alternative and Nutritional Supplements General Green and Environment Health-related LifeHelper Mental Health and Wellness Psychotherapy Treatment Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder brain Dr. Pawel Jastreboff Margaret Jastrebof Source Type: blogs