One in five Britons suffer from misophonia, a study has found. What is this disorder that is affecting more and more people?
If you are really annoyed by certain sounds, such as when someone chews their food, when they press keys on a laptop, or when they take a deep breath, and you can't help but show their anger, then you have misophonia.
You don't have to worry because you are not the only one! A study carried out at the University of Oxford found that 18.4% of the general UK population had the disorder.
What is misophonia?
Misophonia is an extremely negative reaction to certain sounds made by other people. Some people may be disgusted by these sounds, while others may become irritated, angry, and even panicked.
Dr Jane Gregory, lead author of the study published in Plos One, explained, according to The Independent: “Misophonia is more than just an annoyance. This disorder makes you feel trapped, as if you cannot escape this unpleasant sound. Often people with misophonia feel shame about their reaction when a loved one makes such a sound.”
The most annoying sounds
The sounds that trigger misophonia can vary from person to person. Chewing, snoring, deep breathing and yawning are just a few. The list of trigger sounds can include any sudden noise, squealing, loud voice, as well as some quiet sounds such as whispering.
The study found that only 13.6% of the people studied were aware of the existence of the condition, which shows that many of those who suffer from misophonia are unaware that there is a term to describe their negative reactions. The analysis also found that misophonia is common among both men and women and tends to become less severe with age.
Specialist Jane Gregory recommends more research in the future to understand what exactly causes misophonia and how people with the disorder can be helped.
