Misophonia International

This is a hot-button topic that I have seen on support forums, as well as through comments and questions on Misophonia International. Now, I wish I could give you a magic wand, wave it, and then have your parents believe that you have the disorder. Unfortunately, this doesn't exist... we're working on it (kidding). Now, let me tell you - there was a time - a few years ago, when my parents didn't believe I had misophonia. My mother was quick to change her ways, and accept my disorder when she realized it truly was something that was more than just an annoyance. My father took a bit longer, and there are still days were we trifle. For the most part though, he's on board too. In my book, [amazon_textlink asin='1517018706|1517018706|B014ED2GMI' text='Full of Sound and Fury: Suffering With Misophonia' template='ProductLink' store='misophoniaint-20|misophoniai0b-20|misophoniaint-21' marketplace='CA|US|UK' link_id='1f12b94f-1c67-11e8-ab01-67584b6f16cd'], I discuss in length having 'the conversation' about misophonia, and I realize that family, friends, and coworkers all have different requirements. This conversation might be uncomfortable at first, but it's certainly worth it. Try not to get angry with them In general, most parents want the best for their children. It can be difficult for parents to accept that there is something "wrong" with their child. It can take time to realize that their child is not making this up, and that they have a disorder. Often, parents might be reacting negatively because they are afriad what it might mean if it's true that their child has an unknown condition. Use resources to explain your condition This guide for parents can help you to explain misophonia. Alongside our other resources and materials, it's our hope that your parents will come to terms with their child's affliction. For younger children/teens/preteens, there is the website www.misophoniakids.com. If at first they don't believe, keep trying! This also falls under 'don't get angry'. Sometimes changing perspectives takes time, and getting into an argument is not the right way to convince somebody that you're in pain. I know this can be frustrating, but unfortunately it might take patience and perseverance to explain to a parent that misophonia is a real condition. Dr. Jennifer Jo Brout perfectly explains in her Psych Today article how mothers might be deemed crazy for saying their children have misophonia: While it can be difficult to refrain from the natural urge to make everyone you know understand Misophonia, think of it more as a process (i.e. allow people a learning curve). When faced with other peoples' misconceptions about Misophonia (and your child's behavior) don't tell, ask. For example, even though you are disappointed, hurt, angry and heartsick, try politely asking the person if they know anything about Misophonia. Often this "disarms" the other person, as they actually don't know much and  are willing to learn. Supply others with links to websites you like, research articles and/or popular press articles that you find useful. It frustrates us that the research on  Misophonia is in its infancy. However, a little information may go a long way for   someone who has never heard of the disorder. If you find yourself in the "defense trap" again with that same person, kindly remind them of the information offered. If they haven't read it, maybe they will now.Remember the learning curve. Parents, like all other people, are people. They may require some time to understand the disorder. Dr. Brout's advice can be helpful with your parents, teachers, or friends. Keep trying! I hope in time, the world will come to a better understanding of misophonia!  [Read More]

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved singing. I would sing in the shower, sing in public, and sing at church. I joined a choir when I was still in elementary and remained a part of that choir up until I graduated from 8th grade. I sang in a choir in high school up until I graduated. Now that I'm in college, I am part of a youth choir that sings at different churches. Singing has always been a part of my life. When I first started experiencing misophonia, I wondered how this would affect my singing. It didn't. Not at first. I was okay to sing in groups and do a solo every so often with one ear plug in. As I got older, triggers got worse, and words got lost because all I could hear was the trigger. It scared me. I didn't think I'd be able to continue singing because the noises around me angered me so much. I almost quit singing. I had to wear headphones while I sang so I wouldn't get triggered. I didn't know if I was being too loud or too soft. I had to look at people's lips to know if I was singing on beat, something I never used to have trouble doing until I started wearing headphones. The thing I loved best, I almost quit because misophonia just made it so much harder. Fortunately, I couldn't just stop singing. It would hurt too much. I sang when people bullied me and it made me want to disappear. I sang when I was happy, sad, or angry about something. I sang when I was in love. I sing because it takes away the pain. I sing certain songs just lift my spirits. Other songs speak to me when I'm in a horrible mood, and then that mood just gradually goes away after I sing them. Sometimes, the person singing the song triggers me, which is frustrating. If that happens, I find a karaoke version of the song and sing it. Singing a particular song after I get triggered helps me calm down. It's called Gasoline, by Halsey. For those who don't like to hear or read bad words, there's at least two mentions of the "F" word in that song. But the reason I sing (and listen to) the song is for these two phrases: "Are you insane like me? Been in pain like me?" Another one of my favorite phrases in the song is "Do you tear yourself apart to entertain like me?" I can relate, because it feels like I try so hard to "entertain" people by being friendly and holding back my triggers ("Been in pain like me?"). They wouldn't understand how much pain I'm in because normal, everyday sounds don't anger people to the point that it can be called disabling. Misophonia makes me feel insane. But after listening to and singing this particular song a few times, it just makes me feel better. It's like I'm talking to the "normal" people about misophonia, only I'm doing so inside my head. When I sing, misophonia is just gone. I'm in my own little world, singing to my heart's content. Singing misophonia away. [Read More]

From what I have learned, not many people know what Misophonia is. If they do, their response is "Oh, isn't that a fancy name for pet peeve?". This might be the most aggravating thing to experience when explaining a challenging disorder. We need to ensure that people realize that a pet peeve won't trigger you. When it is merely an annoyance you will not consider punching a wall. A pet peeve won't upset you so much you fall down shaking in panic and start crying. A pet peeve won't bother you so much that it makes your heart beat so fast and you feel like the sound is going to suffocate you. A pet peeve does not make you feel like there is no way out. A pet peeve won't trigger the response of me falling apart either mentally or physically. After my trigger sounds. sometimes I don't even feel like myself. I feel like I'm looking at someone else, someone else that I don't want to be. Then, I remember, that it is me. It gets hard sometimes to see myself without the flashing words of "you're not a whole person, you have a disorder". There's times, admittedly, a lot more than I am willing to accept, where I listen to that flashing sign. There's other times where I know I am more than this disorder and I am a whole person, disorder be damned. Accepting that you have something wrong with you and that its out of your control is sometimes the toughest pill to swallow. At least, it has been for me. For my whole life I never knew why simple everyday sounds bothered and upset me so much. I couldn't fathom why sounds of bare feet on the ground and people whispering and floors creaking and so many other sounds ruined me from the outside in. For some time I thought it was normal and that everyone felt that way. Suddenly, I realized that it wasn't a normal reaction. What was happening to me isn't normal. I then thought that I was alone in what I was feeling, no one could understand me and what I was going through. One night, after a breakdown, I went searching online for answers and I stumbled on Misophonia. As I continued my search I realized that all these symptoms matched with mine, that I could so easily relate to all the stories of other sufferers. I realized I wasn't alone, that there are people out there that understand me and I'm going through, and it brought so much joy to me. But then it hit me, there's no cure for this, this is what I have to deal with for the rest of my life. This isn't going away. I was listening to a press conference on misophonia and this woman, I think her name was Steph, was explaining her story, and how when she found out she had misophonia she said, "when I found out what i had, it was great. But I also knew what I had and I had to live with the realization that it would never get better."  This spoke to me. Misophonia isn't easy to live with, hell, I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Misophonia is livable, if that makes any sense. You can't let the misophonia run your life, you have to see yourself outside of this disorder and make something useful out of it. Maybe it will inspire you to help others with disorders or to help others in general, no matter what you make out of it, make sure you get the best out of it. You should have a mantra, "I am more than my misophonia" repeat in the mirror. On the way to school or work, tattoo it on you if you please. Just remember: you are more than this, you are more than anything that tries to limit you. If you believe in a God, believe that whatever God you believe in, must have some plan for you, and if you don't, like me, know that, this is out of your hands and not your fault. Don't blame yourself for having misophonia, accept that it's something you developed and live your life. Why? Because it's all you can do. Guest Submission [Read More]

It’s always nice to have a name for what you are suffering from. It is true that people will seek to know what it is that is taking over their life. “What is my diagnosis?” However, the true challenge is ultimately to find the name… and then let it go. I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) at 15 years old. I held onto that diagnosis for 5 years. It fit me perfectly. If people asked what I suffer from with BPD I would list off the all the symptoms and challenges from NIMH: Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment A pattern of intense and unstable relationships with family, friends, and loved ones, often swinging from extreme closeness and love (idealization) to extreme dislike or anger (devaluation) Distorted and unstable self-image or sense of self Impulsive and often dangerous behaviors, such as spending sprees, unsafe sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, and binge eating Recurring suicidal behaviors or threats or self-harming behavior, such as cutting Intense and highly changeable moods, with each episode lasting from a few hours to a few days Chronic feelings of emptiness Inappropriate, intense anger or problems controlling anger Having stress-related paranoid thoughts Having severe dissociative symptoms, such as feeling cut off from oneself, observing oneself from outside the body, or losing touch with reality (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/index.shtml) It was easy to tell people about these symptoms because personally, I suffered from all of them… plus more. However, this disorder began to define me. It told me what to do in the morning, day, and night. It told me who I was and how I should feel. I became my illness. I got comfortable in that space. I would tell myself that I’m suffering… but it will end. I can end it anytime I want. I was right about that point. I could end it at any point I wanted but not in the way you would think. I’ve attempted suicide twice and, it was extreme. Both of these instances I was saved by police or a civilian. On both of the those attempts I knew once I stepped onto the train tracks or when I got on top of that building – I didn’t want to die – I wanted the pain to end. I knew I could end it myself. I didn’t want to be healthy. I didn’t “deserve” it. I didn’t want it. I was the sick person in the family, at school, and at work. I got special treatment, I got attention. I liked getting those things, but most of all, I liked being sick. It was my identity and I didn’t know who I was without the title of Borderline Personality Disorder. If I wasn’t institutionalized what was I going to do with my life? With my days? It was boring, and everyone who knows someone with Borderline Personality Disorder knows that when we suffer it is certainly not boring! I was living life on the edge when really all I wanted was to step back and find out who I am. I grew older and went through addictions and drug rehab and detox programs, eating disorders, self-harm, suicide, abuse, financial problems, and more. I knew it was time. I moved out of my parents house and into my own apartment in downtown Toronto. I started my own little organization, a non-profit for LGBTQ mental health and it has begun to grow into something incredible. I started attending Ryerson University. I was out of all abusive relationships. I had friends, family, and a girlfriend by my side. In those 3 months, I found out who I am truly as a person. I found out that I am Zee. I love running my organization. I take the time to take homeless people to Tim Hortons, buy gatorade, feed the homeless dogs biscuits, and even give the sweater off my back. I know this all sounds like a quick turnaround and truly – it was quick. As if I blinked and my whole life changed. You see, I was hospitalized at a private institution. In this institution you never got stripped checked, you got to wear your own clothes, have electronics, there was even a shopping centre in the middle of the facility, and restraints were only used if you were put into a different unit. I wasn’t used to this. I was used to having no privacy. I was used to having cameras everywhere, getting patted down, and I was not allowed anything but one brown crayon with a sheet of paper. When I went into this private institution, I figured something out about myself. I grew up in an upper-class home. My parents made lots of money and had great motor trade insurance, but I didn’t grow up an upper privileged kid. In my adolescence I was surrounded by escorts, drug dealers, abuse, fear, gangs, sick people, confused people, and having to stand my ground no matter who wanted to knock me down. I’m not saying anything is wrong with any of those types of people – some of them were the sweetest people I have ever met. But I learned if you kick me when I’m down, I’ll break your leg. I grew up defensive. I grew up not knowing who would be sleeping in the hospital bed next to me. Sometimes, not even knowing if I was safe. However, in this last institution, everyone was “normal” they were suffering… but they were upper class and their suffering looked a lot different than what I was used to. For therapy in the hospital, I would look out my window, or sleep. For therapy at this private institution I would sit in massage chairs, work out, go swimming, tennis, learning to play the ukulele, meeting people who have been through a lot at a different level. I didn’t stay long. I left after 10 days. Those 10 days changed my life. I got to see the difference in care between the well-insured and the non-insured.The difference is incredible. That’s when I found my purpose. I opened Revolving of Doors (ROD) because of two people who were revolving door patients just like me. We used to joke around and say “see you next month” when one of us got discharged – but it wasn’t a joke, it was true – we always did see each other at least a month later. I dedicated my life to bettering the mental health system. If you go back to one of my dangerous suicide attempts, I was saved by a police officer. How? He asked me what I wanted in life – I was 16 and I said I wanted to be a mental health advocate. At 20 years old, after going through 33 hospitalizations, 1 group home, 1 crisis house, 3 institutions, and 3 consecutive years in a hospital bed – I learned who I was in 10 days. I learned that I may come from a wealthy home, a well-educated home, and that helped me in life. However, it does not define me. I am an advocate. I go to peer support groups, shop at thrift shops, and live off potatoes and diet coke. However, I am well educated, I have a university education, I was a scholar in high school, I have won multiple awards such as Scotiabank Game Changers, Accessibility Award, EA2014, Special Achievement Award, and more. I’m grounded, I know what it’s like to be scared every time I close my eyes and I also know what it’s like to walk on stage and tell my story – fearless. I said earlier “I can end it anytime I want. I was right about that point. I could end it at any point I wanted but not in the way you would think” my point is when I was in a dark place I could have ended my life but I grew stronger everyday and I ended my major suffering. I ended it by coping. I no longer went to the hospital to avoid coping. I only went when I absolutely needed it. I spend an hour everyday on “vacation” from electronics, I read, write, colour, knit, anything. I just want to be with me and that’s enough. I cope on a regular basis, not just when I am in crisis. Growing up with Borderline Personality Disorder gave me the chance to blame everyone, especially myself. But, I no longer hate myself. I know people love me and I love them. I know that I have a purpose. I know that even if nothing is happening in my life and it’s “boring”, I can enjoy my own company. What helped me survive was coping by myself on a regular basis. I used to hate the word “coping” and now I use it regularly. I’m not saying you have to see the world to understand and find yourself. I’m saying you need to take that time for you and only you. Get to know what you like, hobbies…anything. With Borderline Personality Disorder, when I had nothing to do I would go to something unhealthy – I have changed that to healthy and I’ve never been as content. Don’t get me wrong… I still suffer. I’m anxious everytime I leave the house, sometimes I just stay in bed all day because my migraines are incredible and I’m heavily medicated. I have help at school to get through it without exploding from stress… but, not all my days are bad now. I have “ok” days, good days and sometimes even great days. BPD is known as the “hopeless” diagnosis. Doctors to this day don’t know how to diagnose or treat the disorder properly. But to everyone with BPD, I want you to know you are special, you have a strong purpose, you feel everything so deeply and no one except you and other sufferers will understand that. However, please know that your journey isn’t to be as sick as you can but to find your purpose and live it to your full potential while still receiving help. We feel emotions so intensely and that means we are extremely passionate about everything in our life – imagine finding that one thing that you are passionate about. That is your purpose. It could be as small as smiling in the mirror at yourself everyday to being Prime Minister. That is the purpose. I know you are suffering, I know it’s hard, I know you think no one understands, I know you feel hopeless, I know some doctors give you attitude because of your title, but I know you can get through this. I know that you were blessed with a curse and that you can overcome anything. You are strong. Your are willing. You can do this if you [Read More]

Many persons ask the question, "Is Misophonia psychological?" While the answer to this question is largely based on a small body of research, the answer is none-the-less important . This question is particularly challenging not because of misophonia, but because of the ever-changing field of research and theory. In modern times it has become increasingly difficult to categorize disorders in this way because disorders overlap, and exact cause often remains unknown. This, of course, adds to the confusion. While a research paper has declared misophonia a psychiatric disorder, there is perhaps little evidence to support this claim. While the paper asserts that Misophonia is not only psychiatric, but related to OCD, little more is offered than a case study of 2 children. Furthermore, findings were self-reported and small scale. Dr. Jennifer Jo Brout explains the limitations of the study. "[A]s limitations to their study, the authors note that most study participants were female and that only self-report measures were used. However, in a case study of two children, the researchers report that Misophonia appears to be a psychiatric disorder that is highly correlated with OCD. In addition, due to accommodations parents have made so that children may avoid “trigger sounds” at home, trigger sounds may have in fact worsened. That is, lack of exposure to these particular noises have worsened the severity of the response. In general, the OCD researcher/clinicians agree that patients would benefit from by re-conditioning therapy similar to that of the Jastreboff’s." But, aside from this research, is misophonia psychological? Compelling evidence has arisen that points misophonia in a different direction. Instead of psychological, the condition may in-fact be neurological. Not only this, it takes part in the center of the brain that regulates fear, the limbic system. As explorations continue, it seems less likely that misophonia is merely a psychological predicament. However, this does not mean that a cross-disciplinary approach will not be beneficial for the eventual treatment of the disorder. Miren Edelstein, researcher and author of, "Misophonia: physiological investigations and case descriptions" advocates for better communication in the research world, particularly for brain conditions. "I think it would be extremely beneficial to have neuroscientists and audiologists, as well as clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and physicians, all collaborating together to conduct Misophonia research. Right now, a major problem for Misophonia research that needs to be addressed is the lack of communication between various fields of study. Researchers from different disciplines all have unique and valuable perspectives on the topic, but this information is not being communicated in an effective manner across groups. I believe that an interdisciplinary research environment, while simultaneously promoting a more unified dissemination of knowledge, will be the most effective at fostering breakthroughs in the field." The complexity of misophonia is important. While the disorder does some psychological symptoms it does not entirely pertain to psychological processes, "In addition to reporting psychological symptoms, all of our misophonics reported physical symptoms synonymous with autonomic arousal in response to trigger sounds." (Edelstein) While an exact answer on whether or not misophonia is psychological is not yet possible, there is great cause for concern when the condition is absent-mindlessly labelled as psychological. [Read More]

Silence soothes my soul, it calms me down when my senses are heightened. I love to be alone with my own thoughts and no one to distract me with trigger sounds or movements. Taking in deep breaths of positive thoughts, exhaling all of the negative as I fall into a state of relaxation. I suffer from a disorder known as Misophonia. When I say “suffer” I do mean literally. Everyday sounds that trigger me constantly, are unavoidable. In addition to audio triggers, I am also affected by olfactory and visual triggers, the list of these triggers is much shorter, and they are easier for me to manage. I can close my eyes or look away when I am visually triggered, and I can walk away from an offensive scent, but I do not have windows in my ears that I can close. I have often wished to be deaf, and I have wished my ears had an on/off switch. How glorious would it be to shut the world off? There are few doctors that know about Misophonia, there is no cure, no medication. Sufferers have to reply on coping techniques to help deal with their Misophonia. As few doctors are aware of the disorder, there are even fewer people that “accept it” as a valid disorder.  Misophonia is yet another object of ridicule such as OCD.  “Ha ha, clicking my pen gets a reaction from Vicki, let’s click, click, click away.” WRONG! Misophonia is NOT a joke! How can you get people to understand what you are going through when you are triggered? I always try to explain it in ways that people can relate. Think of an electrical outlet, you plug in an adapter, then you plug in your television, your DVD player, a phone charger, a lamp and the stereo. Then you decide you want to do some housework so you plug in a vacuum cleaner. What is going to happen?  Yes. Overload! You blow a fuse and now, nothing is working. Think of the brain as that electrical outlet, and the objects plugged in as sounds. Our brain goes into sensory overload and we experience a fight or flight response. That outlet has no control over what YOU plug into it. A misophone has no control over sounds that trigger us, and like that outlet, we will blow a fuse. For some of us, when we "explode" we do not "work." Sensory meltdown effects range in severity for each of us. No two misophones are alike. Although we share common triggers, the way we manage them is different. A coping technique that works for me, may not work for you. That is okay. Sure, it does not make sense, Misophonia does not make sense. My explosion is a "meltdown." I burst into tears, sob uncontrollably and after that, I am absolutely useless. I need to be alone, preferably in the dark to decompress, a process that will typically last for several days. I experience a "funk" or depression for days after the meltdown. Sometimes my reaction is sudden, other times it will fester, but rest assured, there is always a reaction. Even if I am able to "keep it together" at the moment, those feelings of anger and hatred will be unleashed. For me, silence is essential for my well-being. I crave the sound of silence. The only sound guaranteed not to trigger me. [Read More]

I can't sleep without white noise playing. I also can't sleep without an eye-mask. In a past article on sleeping with misophonia I talked about all of this. When I purchased this sleep eye-mask I wasn't expecting much. In-fact, I was ready to send them back if they weren't ideal. I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is this eye-mask mostly comfortable, it stays on my face all night long, and it's great for listening to meditation, or white noise. The only issue is that if you wear it over earplugs, the noise might not be loud enough. Without earplugs, and it's the perfect volume. They could sound a little bit better, and have a slight tin-like aspect, but it's not enough that it triggered me - and it's certainly better than trying to wear both headphones and a sleep mask. They're rather comfortable, but if you sleep on your side there will be a little bit of pressure where the speakers are. The meshing inside is actually very soft, and didn't bother me despite having tactile triggers. Price-wise, they are decent since they're around $30-$40 depending on if you're in the US or Canada. As an added bonus (or perhaps the best features) these work with Bluetooth, have a charge of 1-2 nights, and are wireless. I would definitely recommend! While this wasn't a featured that mattered to me (since I'm not using them to travel), they came with a nice hard travel case. The case is hard and is great if you'll be frequently using them on trips. It's about the size of a pocket camera case. Update: After a couple of months the LEFT speaker completely stopped working. I emailed the company (via Amazon) and despite it being past the date, they replaced them and shipped out new ones within 10 hours. However, I do find them flimsy, and just... not that great. Long term I just don't use them or find them loud enough. Also, if you're a side sleeper, they are very uncomfortable over time. [Read More]

I can't sleep without white noise playing. I also can't sleep without an eye-mask. In a past article on sleeping with misophonia I talked about all of this. When I purchased this sleep eye-mask I wasn't expecting much. In-fact, I was ready to send them back if they weren't ideal. I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is this eye-mask mostly comfortable, it stays on my face all night long, and it's great for listening to meditation, or white noise. The only issue is that if you wear it over earplugs, the noise might not be loud enough. Without earplugs, and it's the perfect volume. They could sound a little bit better, and have a slight tin-like aspect, but it's not enough that it triggered me - and it's certainly better than trying to wear both headphones and a sleep mask. They're rather comfortable, but if you sleep on your side there will be a little bit of pressure where the speakers are. The meshing inside is actually very soft, and didn't bother me despite having tactile triggers. Price-wise, they are decent since they're around $30-$40 depending on if you're in the US or Canada. As an added bonus (or perhaps the best features) these work with Bluetooth, have a charge of 1-2 nights, and are wireless. I would definitely recommend! While this wasn't a featured that mattered to me (since I'm not using them to travel), they came with a nice hard travel case. The case is hard and is great if you'll be frequently using them on trips. It's about the size of a pocket camera case. Update: After a couple of months the LEFT speaker completely stopped working. I emailed the company (via Amazon) and despite it being past the date, they replaced them and shipped out new ones within 10 hours. However, I do find them flimsy, and just... not that great. Long term I just don't use them or find them loud enough. Also, if you're a side sleeper, they are very uncomfortable over time. [Read More]

By Dr. Greg Grillo (dentably.com) There are a lot of sensory elements that come with being at the dentist. The bright lights, loud noises, tastes and smells of oral care products, and being touched by people can cause anxious feelings for anyone. However, patients with Misophonia may be even more sensitive to these elements and this condition is something that more dentists should become aware of. Misophonia is a neurological disorder in which auditory, and sometimes visual stimuli, cause an individual to go into the fight/flight response. Sounds and sights that may not be noticed by most people, but individuals with Misophonia may be extremely disrupted by everyday sensory elements. I have been practicing family dentistry for 17 years and it’s always a goal of mine to do what I can to ensure the comfort of my patients. Dental care is extremely important to one’s health and well-being and most dentists will do whatever it takes to help a patient receive care. Here are some ways you and your dentist can work together to improve your dental experience. Dental care at home Having a good oral hygiene routine at home is essential to the well-being of one’s mouth. In individuals with Misophonia, it can be very difficult to have a dental care routine. Toothbrushes and the feeling of toothpaste can either be under or over stimulating and put people in heaps of discomfort. It’s important to find a toothbrush and toothpaste that what works best for you. Every person is unique in their needs and feelings so what works for them, may not work for you and that’s okay. Another way to keep your teeth healthy outside of brushing and flossing is by maintaining a healthy diet. Foods that have a lot of vitamins and minerals will keep your teeth strong and healthy. The best source of nutrient-rich foods is in fruits and vegetables. If certain foods cause sensory overload, find which ones feel best for you. Foods come in many different tastes and textures, so center your diet around what works for you. Many health food stores also sell vitamins and supplements in various forms to help you receive the nutrients that you need.   Talk to your dentist Talking to your dentist is a great idea for making any accommodations you may need during your visit. They are a great source for information, and you can ask them any questions that are on your mind. As I mentioned, it’s a dentist’s goal to make a patient as comfortable as possible. If any accommodations need to be made to assure a good visit, they will be more than willing to do so. One thing that may be beneficial to someone with Misophonia is reducing the waiting time before your appointment. It’s common that the auditory and visual elements in the waiting room such as gum chewing, shaking legs, and other movements can be overwhelming. Talk to your dentist about scheduling an appointment at a quieter time where there won’t be as many patients at the office. Also, ask if you can be seated in the dental chair as soon as you arrive to avoid sitting in the waiting room Another element of the dentist that individuals with Misophonia experience are triggers from dental tools such as toothbrushes, picks, and drills. The sound and feeling of metal scraping against the teeth can be unbearable. Talk to your dentist about different methods they can do to make you comfortable enough to receive dental care. Never give up Working towards having positive dental experiences may seem like a long and tiring journey. It’s important that you never give up. Dental care is essential to your overall health and well-being. Even if it takes years, there is a solution out there for you to make dental hygiene easier for you. Your dentist is a great source of support on this journey. You can work together and learn from each other on what works and what doesn’t. The dentist office can be an overwhelming place for anyone, but living with Misophonia can make going to the dentist much more difficult. However, there are ways to overcome these issues and turn work to make it a more positive experience. Your dentist will want to work alongside you to make the visit be as comfortable as possible, and these tips can help you to begin making the dental office an easier place to visit. [Read More]

Sound Sensitivity and Auditory Gating Study Marina Kliuchko of the Cognitive Brain Research Unit at the Institute of Behavioural Sciences (University of Helsinki, Findland) and colleagues sought to better understand and more specifically measure the neuralmechanisms related to noise sensitivity (NS). In their study noise sensitivity is described as both physiological and psychological states that increase an individual’s reactivity to noise. The authors note that NS is not synonymous with hyperacusis, tinnitus or neurologic disorders in which sound sensitivity is a symptom. In addition, the causes of NS are poorly understood, are often nonspecific to noise sources, and encompass a wide range of reactions to sound. The authors report that NS is estimated to disturb between 20-40 % in the general population, whereas high sensitivity to noise is estimated to be between 12-15%. In this study, the authors describe NS as a factor that moderates noise and the reactivity that it induces, and they also point out that NS has negative impacts on physical and mental health. Using a combined electro- and magnetoencephalography (EEG/MEG), the researchers presented 71 subjects with a multi-feature mismatch negativity (MMN) paradigm.  In a typical oddball task a subject would be asked to identify a deviant stimulus (or deviant stimuli) in a series of repetitive stimuli. However, in this combined MMN paradigm, a deviant noise with increasing intensity was embedded within an auditory complex context (in this case music) along with 5 other deviant features (i.e. pitch, rhythm, location, and intensity). As the authors note, this paradigm has more ecological validity as it more closely resembles a typical noise environment relative to the oddball task’s repetitive tones. The authors compared the automaticity of sound processing and the ability to discriminate the deviant sound feature within the more complex auditory context between High NS subjects and Low NS subjects. Results indicated that High NS individuals have more difficulty with general auditory encoding, as well as difficulty with auditory discrimination(particularly of noisy sounds). In addition, High NS individuals demonstrated higher nervous system arousal in the “noisy conditions” relative to the Low NS individuals. Higher NS individuals also demonstrated attenuated auditory gating ability. Auditory gating refers to the way in which the central nervous system inhibits responsivity to repetitive stimuli (gating out) and increases responsivity to novel stimuli (gating in). More specifically, the researchers speculate that the difficulty in the High NS groups was due to gating out (or filtering out) novel stimuli within a stream of complex stimuli. The authors discuss the predictive coding framework, in which perceptual experiences are organized hierarchically based on prediction. They speculate that the High NS group may be unable to “build a precise top-down prediction of sensory input due to an inaccurate encoding of sound features”. In addition to providing support that physiological and psychological over responsivity to noises is neurological in nature, the authors state that more research is needed to understand individual differences regarding negative reactivity to noise. [Read More]

Living with Misophonia is a struggle for all of us. How do you work with Misophonia? Imagine working in an office, which you would assume is a quiet atmosphere. WRONG! An office has an infinite number of triggers, from keyboards, shoes on the floor to those annoying co-workers who always have an endless supply of noisy snacks at their desk. What do you do? How do you cope? How do you get through the day without going postal?  REASONABLE MISOPHONIA WORK ACCOMMODATIONS. In the United States, you have a right to ask for reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The thing to remember is that employers are only required to accommodate your restrictions if they are reasonable and do not cause undue hardship to the employer. MYTH-  I do not have a disability, do I? FACT- Misophonia is not recognized as a medical condition under the DSM, that does not mean it is not an actual condition. “The ADA defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.” As a sufferer of Misophonia, it definitely qualifies as a disability. How do you go about getting reasonable accommodations? It is not as complicated as you think. Many people are afraid to ask for accommodations because they are afraid to lose their job. YOU CANNOT LOSE YOUR JOB BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DISABILITY. Would you rather step up and advocate for yourself or continue to suffer? That is a question that only you can answer. I am going to provide you with some general guideline to use to help you get work accommodations. You will be pleasantly surprised at what a difference they will make. Step 1  Preparation Make a list of your triggers in your workplace. Next, evaluate ways that can make those triggers less distressing. Some examples of possible triggers and possible solutions might include: Trigger-  Coworker that talks very loud on the phone all day Possible accommodation-  Ask for permission to use noise-cancelling headphones. You can always put a sign on your desk or cubicle wall “Wearing headphones/earplugs, please gently tap me on the shoulder if you need to speak to me. Thank you.” Trigger-            Your workstation is next to the copy room, and the sounds of the copiers, printers and possibly heavy foot traffic Possible accommodation-  It could be as simple as relocating your workstation away from the copy room. Depending on the workspace, some accommodations can include a private office, ability to wear noise cancelling headphones, relocation of your work station, etc. Step 2- Draft a letter to your Human Resources Department. Keep it simple. Less is always more. Example: Date To:   From:   Topic:   Requesting Workplace Accommodations I am INSERT TITLE employed by INSERT COMPANY for XX years   This letter serves as my official request for work accommodations under the ADA. I suffer from a condition known as Misophonia/Abnormal Sound Sensitivity Processing Disorder, a severely debilitating condition. As a person with this disability, I am requesting reasonable accommodations to allow me to perform my job duties. COMPLETE THIS WITH YOUR OWN REQUESTS. i.e.  The ability to wear headphones I would like to request a meeting to discuss some options for accommodating my disability that can be mutually beneficial to all of us. I would appreciate a written response within 1-2 weeks. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Your Name Be prepared, your employer may request supporting documentation. Find out what documentation they specifically require. Don’t panic, a simple letter from your physician should be sufficient documentation.  Typically, once the documents are in place, you will need to update them annually. If you have any questions about disabilities in the workplace, there is a wonderful organization called the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) which offers free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.  (www.askjan.org)   Vicki has worked in HR for many years. For a sample accommodation letter to take to your doctor and have customized, please see here.  [Read More]

Through S. Raymond Media and Counselling Inc. and The International Misophonia Foundation, Shaylynn Hayes-Raymond is currently directing and producing a documentary on misophonia called, "Misophonia Matters". This is an advocacy-based project with the goal of raising awareness on misophonia and showing the very real impact this disorder has on sufferers of the condition. Those who submit accepted videos will receive free access to our premiere of the documentary (date TBD). Types of videos we are accepting: Videos should be well-lit and have good sound quality We are not accepting web-cam videos Please record the video in 1080p or 4k via a real camera Sound quality should be within an acceptable range and codec (128 kbps / 44 kHz) Topics of videos: How misophonia affects you personally (suffers only) How misophonia affects your family (family or sufferers) Misophonia from a clinical perspective (professionals only) Misophonia from a research perspective (professionals only) Please do not include trigger-sounds in your video as this is meant to be watched by persons both with and without misophonia. Please submit via a link to dropbox/google drive, or any other file sharing service that is lossless. You may also use a private/unlisted Youtube link. Submit here:   [Read More]

Since we believe in choice, we are offering separate donation campaigns based on needs. You can allocate where your funds will go within the organization. We are asking for help in this campaign with purchasing important computer equipment to help us operate the foundation and conduct research. All donations in the USA will receive a tax receipt. The International Misophonia Foundation is dedicated to serving the needs of individuals and families impacted by Misophonia through increasing ethical, accurate, and educational resources for researchers, institutions, policy makers, and individuals and families impacted by Misophonia. The International Misophonia Foundation seeks to increase the development of research that respects the needs and dignity of those suffering with Misophonia by facilitating and publishing original research as well as offering institutions and individuals researchers consultation services, publication assistance, funding opportunities, and ethical oversight. The International Misophonia Foundation also seeks to increase awareness and understanding of Misophonia through providing resources to educate sufferers, researchers, clinicians, and the public about how this disorder effects individuals and families as well as best practices for increasing inclusion of individuals and families living with Misophonia. You can donate here: https://misophoniafoundation.com/shop/computer-donations/ [Read More]

Sensory processing involves the reception of and automatic neurobiological responding to stimuli from the outside environment (Brown, Tollefson, Dunn, Cromwell & Fillion, 2001). The proposition that we learn through our senses has been widely accepted within the fields of mental health and child development for over half a century. For example, Piaget (1958) described how the infants’ coordination of sensorimotor actions forms the foundation of cognitive development as they become internalized, and symbolically represented in memory. With the advent of more sophisticated technologies in neuroscience, the various ways that sensory stimuli are processed in the brain were elucidated in the late 1970’s-1980’s (LeDoux, personal communication, 2016). Joseph E. LeDoux, for example was one of the early pioneers of affective neuroscience, and demonstrated in rodent models that sensory stimuli is the forerunner to emotional responding (Almada, Periera Jr. & Carrara-Augustonborg, 2013). In 1990, LeDoux made this connection overtly clear in the title of his paper “Information flow from sensation to emotion: Plasticity in the neural computation of stimulus value.” The senses, then, are connected to complex and incalculable neural processes, including perception, learning, memory, motor coordination and emotion regulation (Brown et al., 2001; Kandel, Schwartz, & Jessell, 2000; Shepherd, 1994). In addition, over the past 20 years, sensory processing problems related to the tactile, auditory, visual, gustatory, olfactory, proprioceptive, and vestibular systems have been associated with various problems related to daily living. These problems include motor planning, visual and auditory discrimination as well as the processing and reacting to sensory stimuli in a graded manner (Bundy & Murray, 2002; Greenspan & Porges, 1984; Kandel et al., 2000; Reeves, 2001; Schaaf & Anzalone, 2001; Wiener, Long, DeGangi, & Battaile, 1996; Williamson & Anzalone, 2001). Early estimates of the prevalence of sensory processing problems in Kindergarten children were 5% (Ahn, Miller, Milberger, & McIntosh, 2004). In contrast, estimates of atypical sensory processing in children with developmental disabilities were between 40-88% (Adrien et al., 1993; Dahlgren & Gillberg, 1989; Kientz & Dunn, 1997; Ornitz, Guthrie, & Farley, 1977; Talay-Ongan & Wood, 2000). Sensory Over Responsivity (SPD-SOR) The inability to respond to sensory stimuli in a graded manner refers to individuals who may over-respond, under-respond or crave more sensory stimulation than others. Sensory Over Responsivity, or SOR, describes children who react adversely to sensory stimuli that others find neutral or even pleasant. (Ahn, et al., 2004). Prevalence estimates of children who are over responsive to sensory stimuli (SPD-SOR) are estimated to be 16% in children 7-11 years old (Ben-Sasson, Carter & Briggs-Gowan, 2009). In a ground breaking study McIntosh, Miller, Shyu, & Hagerman (1999) used electrodermal activity and vagal tone as dependent measures. The researchers found that children with SPD-SOR demonstrated a greater sympathetic response (i.e., freeze, fight or flight response) to stimuli, as well as a weaker parasympathetic response (i.e., the system referred to as "rest and digest"; McCorry, 2007). SPD-SOR children demonstrated responses to stimuli that were larger in amplitude, more frequent, and/or of longer duration compared to typical peers. In addition, they demonstrated specific difficulties in habituation, manifesting difficulties returning to baseline arousal compared to typical peers (McIntosh et al., 1999; Schaff & Anzalone, 2001). Notably, later research comparing sensory over responsive children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children revealed that while ASD children were more likely to under-respond to sensory stimuli than children with SPD, over-reactivity within both groups were similar. (Tavassoli et al., 2017). Finally, a more recent neuroimaging study revealed strong evidence for specific brain differences in children with SPD, adding more validity to the diagnosis. In this study boys with SPD were found to have decreased white matter connectivity, particularly in the parietal regions of the brain (Owen et al., 2013). SOR, Auditory Gating and Misophonia Research supports a decreased ability to auditory gate in children with SPD. In other words, children with SPD are less able to detect changes in the frequency and the loudness of auditory tones presented sequentially (compared to typically developing control children; Davies et al., 2009, 2010; Davies & Gavin, 2007; Gavin et al., 2011). It is interesting to note that parallel to this research Jastreboff and Jastreboff (2001) termed the newly proposed disorder Misophonia. Misophonia is a newly termed disorder (Jastreboff & Jastreboff, 2001) that shares a phenotype similar to auditory over-responsivity (SOR specific to the auditory sense) and is particularly relevant to auditory gating. Although the research on this disorder is in its infancy, Misophonia is considered a neurophysiological condition characterized by heightened physiological responsivity and a high level of emotional reactivity resulting from intolerance to specific auditory, and sometimes visual, stimuli (Jastreboff & Jastreboff, 2001; Jastreboff & Jastreboff, 2014; Moller, 2011; Edelstein, et al., 2013). Originally described by Jastreboff and Jastreboff (2001), individuals with Misophonia demonstrate increased sympathetic nervous system arousal, accompanied by emotional distress in response to specific pattern-based sounds, irrespective of decibel level (Kumar et al., 2017; Schröder, Vulink & Denys, 2013). Examples of these sounds include other people chewing, throat clearing, slurping, finger tapping, foot shuffling, keyboard tapping, and pen clicking (Edelstein et al., 2013; Rouw & Erfanian, 2017). Additionally, some sufferers have reported experiencing visual triggers, such as leg-shaking, mouth movements, chest movements, etc. (Edelstein et al., 2013; Schröder et al., 2013). Preliminary experimental studies have noted hyper-myelination between the parts of the brain that process auditory stimuli and parts of the brain that process emotion (as well as detecting salience of stimuli; Kumar et al., 2017). To date there have been no studies directly comparing Misophonia with SOR. Nor have there been studies exploring whether earlier and more generalized auditory over responsivity is a risk factor for the specific sounds in Misophonia. However, because of the overlaps between Misophonia and SOR, exploration of how self-regulatory skills develop in Misophonia is warranted as part of a larger discussion of SOR, and self-regulation. Excerpt from: Brout, J., Ahn, R, & Appelbaum, M. (2018). Sensory Over Responsivity, Attachment, and Self-Regulation: Considerations of the Specific Impact of Auditory Stimuli. Reframed: The Journal of Self-Reg, 2, 4-13. [Read More]

"The Sims 4" is a popular life simulation game that offers players an immersive experience in creating and managing virtual lives. However, for individuals with sensory sensitivities—such as those associated with autism, sensory processing disorder (SPD), vestibular disorders, migraines, misokinesia, and ADHD—certain in-game elements can pose challenges. Loading Spinners Animated loading spinners are common in games to indicate progress. However, continuous or rapid animations can be overstimulating for individuals with sensory sensitivities, potentially leading to discomfort or sensory overload. Highlighting Objects and Blink Object Change In "The Sims 4," objects may flash or blink to indicate selection or changes. Such visual effects can be jarring for players with sensory processing issues, triggering discomfort or even migraines due to sudden visual stimuli. Calendar Interface The in-game calendar, designed to manage events and schedules, might present a complex and cluttered interface. For individuals with ADHD or cognitive processing challenges, this can be overwhelming, making it difficult to navigate and plan within the game. Blinking Text Caret The blinking cursor in text input fields is a standard feature. However, for some players, especially those with misokinesia (a strong reaction to seeing repetitive movements), this constant blinking can be distracting or irritating. Ambient Sounds Background sounds like whistling or chewing are intended to enhance realism. Yet, for individuals with misophonia (sensitivity to specific sounds), these noises can cause significant discomfort. Additional Considerations Camera Movements: Sudden or smooth camera transitions can induce dizziness or disorientation in players with vestibular disorders. Color Schemes: Certain color contrasts or brightness levels may be harsh for individuals with light sensitivity, common in conditions like migraines. Recommendations for Enhanced Accessibility To make "The Sims 4" more inclusive, consider implementing the following options: Customizable Animations: Allow players to adjust or disable certain animations, such as loading spinners or object highlights, to reduce visual overstimulation. Simplified Interfaces: Offer alternative, less cluttered versions of complex interfaces like the calendar to aid those with cognitive processing challenges. Adjustable Cursor Settings: Provide options to modify the blink rate or appearance of the text caret to accommodate players with misokinesia. Sound Customization: Enable players to toggle specific ambient sounds on or off, catering to those with sound sensitivities. Camera Control Options: Include settings that allow players to adjust camera movement speed or switch to a static camera mode to prevent disorientation. Color and Brightness Settings: Implement customizable color schemes and brightness controls to accommodate light sensitivity. By incorporating these accessibility features, "The Sims 4" can provide a more comfortable and enjoyable gaming experience for individuals with various sensory sensitivities.   This article was provided by Simsworld.net, a website dedicated to simulation gaming. [Read More]

I'm a teenager currently in secondary school and with misophonia. Living with this condition can be hell. Some days are better than others. Some days, I feel like punching the teacher for triggering me and some days I can just try and find my happy place. I think that for children and teenagers, dealing with misophonia can seem even more difficult because of everything else happening; hormones, exams, friendships, relationships, family problems, etc. It seems that a lot of teenagers don't realise what they have and therefore go years before trying to get help. So they live through the problems and fall into a negative cycle they can’t break free from. Luckily for me, my school and most teachers were fairly understanding. They've let me wear earplugs around the hallways (they're banned, technically) and I'm currently awaiting an appointment with an audiologist. I still wear them in noisy lessons, since teachers don't notice and I still pay attention. If a teenager with misophonia doesn't have earplugs, it can be really difficult. I know from experience; it sets you in a bad mood for the rest of the day, it can cause you to say or do things you'll later regret, it can cause arguments and so on. Despite what I can now do, it did take a long time to get the school to let me wear them. Most teachers would tell me off for wearing them in the corridors. Some teachers didn’t do anything for a long time simply because they knew nothing about misophonia and how it affects people. Like the majority of doctors, my GP didn’t have a clue what misophonia is. However, my mother made sure to let me see a GP who was very kind and understanding; the same one who dealt with my older sister. I printed off a document from the Misophonia International website, which was essentially an information pack for doctors who have never heard of misophonia. I explained what my triggers were and the symptoms and I showed him a page from the document that explained several ways to get help (coping skills, Audiologist, etc). He did send me to be assessed for ASD (Autism/Aspergers) as well as be referred to an audiologist, although this is taking a long time. Despite all this, he did listen and I was very lucky to have an understanding doctor. Editor note: you can find a document for doctors/professionals here. Some teenagers, however, cannot see a doctor. They sometimes believe that their condition may not exist because there’s not enough information about it. They may not see a point in seeing a doctor if the doctor won’t know anything about misophonia. Their parents and family might not let them see a doctor because, unfortunately, some families simply aren’t very nice or understanding. If this is happening, there are still options. My basic advice for young people who think they have misophonia is to firstly talk to the school. If you have a pastoral staff member you can talk to, or maybe a headteacher or head of house, you can talk to them. I understand there's a stigma surrounding misophonia because it isn't recognised by doctors yet, however if you show them articles or explain the condition to them they should understand. Secondly is to buy a pair of earplugs. Online, you can get them cheaply at 99 pence. I recommend silicone ones, although you should find a pair that you are comfortable with. If you have long hair, you can hide them easily and you should still be able to hear the teacher but drown out triggers or the noisy classroom. Thirdly is to have an escape plan. When I was dealing with anxiety at school, I had a green slip of paper that allowed me to walk out of a lesson if it got too noisy. If you have staff that you can talk to about that sort of thing, perhaps SEN (Special Educational Needs) or again, Pastoral, then you can talk to them about allowing you a way of getting out of lesson if you're being triggered. That way, you can just get out and spend 5 minutes or so calming down and then go back into lesson. Lastly is to have an assortment of objects with you to fiddle with. If you're like me and good at restraining your reactions but become very stressed, then an object to fiddle with is perfect. It could be a fidget cube, a pen, a watch, a stress ball, whatever works for you. You can have several or one and keep them in your bags or pockets to try and keep yourself distracted. Like I said, being a young person with a condition barely recognised by doctors is extremely difficult. Even more so when you’re growing up in a time when the world may seem like it’s going backwards and you have so many other problems going on. Being a teenager is indeed stressful. But you aren’t alone. I hope my story and advice helps at least someone, and helps them realise that you are not alone. [Read More]

This project is not yet titled, but is an anthology of stories from sufferers of misophonia. The aim of this project is to present numerous perspectives on misophonia from the people who matter most: those who have misophonia. This project is edited by Shaylynn Hayes, editor-in-chief of misophonia. Submissions may be featured online on Misophonia International, as well as in print and through an ebook. Guidelines: Submissions should be between 1000 to 3000 words, and must be non-fiction and tell your own story. By submitting, you consent to Misophonia International publishing your work. Please do not make submissions that involve illegal content (violence, excessive drug use etc.) All submissions are subject to editing for grammar, spelling, and style All accepted applicants will receive one copy of the published anthology upon printing. DEADLINE: MAY 30th, 2023 [Read More]