A teenage girl from Bahrain, living with her parents, leads a seemingly normal life until one day she starts feeling repulsed by the sounds of her family eating, to the point where it disrupts her daily life.

Especially crunchy stuff like apples or nuts gets on her nerves. It’s like every bite sounds like a thunderclap in her ears. It’s enough to drive anyone crazy.

• She starts avoiding family meals altogether.

• She stays in her room more often.

• She lashes out at classmates who dare to munch on snacks next to her.

It’s a recipe for social isolation.

And it gets worse. The mere thought of being exposed to these triggering sounds makes her anxious. This leads to depressive episodes and even suicidal thoughts.

It all started with annoying noises, but it became a nightmare in every aspect of her life. No teenager (or individual) should have to endure this.

From mild annoyance to a life-altering nightmare

This teenage girl has a neurological condition called misophonia.

It’s an extreme response to specific sounds, like chewing, pen clicking, sniffing, or even distant noises like trains. Any time you hear them you’ll go into beast mode feeling anxiety, distress, and sometimes anger. Often, this problem starts in childhood.

But it’s not just about sounds. Some people get triggered by specific movements too, like finger tapping.

One in every five people might have misophonia so don’t be alarmed if you’ve got it.

If you just get annoyed then you’re a mild case. You get a slight discomfort or annoyance with these trigger sounds but you can manage your reactions relatively well. It doesn’t interfere with your daily activities and relationships.

In severe cases, it can lead to anger, anxiety, or even panic attacks triggered by common sounds like breathing or eating. This would clearly affect all aspects of your life.

This neurological disorder is often linked with other conditions like Tourette syndrome or obsessive-compulsive disorder. They share some symptoms like sensory hypersensitivity and heightened emotional responses, so be mindful of the sounds you make around them.

What’s the cure doc?

In the case of the teenage girl, she underwent many different treatments. She was treated with several antidepressants (Escitalopram first, then Mirtazapine, and finally Fluoxetine) and went to psychotherapy but she continued to struggle with misophonia and depressive symptoms.

However, she learned some coping strategies such as using earplugs, headsets, and music to manage her symptoms. Through self-awareness, self-distraction techniques, and positive internal dialogue, she gradually learned to tolerate triggering sounds and reduce the severity of her misophonia.

Her neurological condition persisted to some extent but the symptoms decreased significantly.

As with the abovementioned case, there’s no cure for this yet. But some people have found relief with medication and going through therapies like tinnitus retraining or cognitive-behavioral therapy:

• Tinnitus retraining therapy: tries to desensitize individuals to these trigger sounds by combining sound therapy and counseling to reduce the negative associations with those sounds. Patients habituate to the sounds, making them less bothersome over time.

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy: focuses on changing the thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors associated with misophonia. Patients learn coping strategies to manage their emotional responses to trigger sounds, such as relaxation techniques, cognitive restructuring, and exposure therapy. They’ll regain control over their reactions and help them go through their days easier.

These treatments could reduce the misophonic symptoms but you have to see it case by case. The effectiveness varies depending on individual differences and the severity of their condition.

Misophonia is a real thing

Even if it looks like an annoyance with certain sounds, it can seriously impact people’s lives.

You might despise people who chew loudly next to you, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Until we find effective ways to treat it, let’s be mindful of those trigger sounds that might affect others and if it bugs you personally, maybe invest in some noise-canceling headphones for a start.

It’s a noise we can’t afford to ignore.

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