I have Misophonia.

At least, I strongly suspect I do, self-diagnosed (!).

Misophonia is a neurological condition where specific sounds trigger strong negative emotional and physiological reactions. Common trigger sounds include chewing, breathing, or repetitive noises. People with misophonia may experience intense anger, anxiety, or panic when hearing these triggers, often leading them to avoid situations where they might encounter these sounds.

The main daily triggers for me are:

  • Chewing.
  • Breathing.
  • Tapping.
  • Loud walking (stomping/scraping/etc).
  • Lisps.

Chewing/slurping/eating noises though. Every meal is hard.

As such traveling through Asia is always hard. Ear plugs or headphones at the dinner table is rude right?

The best coping strategies is escape. Eat fast and focus on clearing the table, washing the dishes, etc. Background noise in a crowed restraint is typically fine, thank god. So the social impact is minimal.

Strangers are fine, it’s when I get the same representative noises from people I “know” that gets to me.

For example:

  • (Excessive!!!!) Repetitive throat clearing by a lady that goes to the gym the same time as me every day.

It sucks.

The best way to think about it is as a self-organized criticality (think sand piles). A specific sound results in accumulated distress/annoyance that eventually results in a release in the form of a comment, a mimic, an escape, something. I hate it.

My mother had it. My sister has it.

I used to think the continuous stream of comments/corrections from my mother to the rest of the family while we were growing up caused the issue in my sister and myself. She may have, it may be conditioned.

I later learned the name for it (“Misophonia”). It’s probably genetic.

Here’s a minimal diagnostic test by Claide Sonnet 3.5:

Misophonia Assessment Scale (MAS)

Instructions

Rate each item on a scale of 0-4 based on your experiences over the past month:

  • 0 = Never
  • 1 = Rarely
  • 2 = Sometimes
  • 3 = Often
  • 4 = Almost Always

Part 1: Sound Triggers

For each sound, rate how much it bothers you:

  1. Eating sounds (chewing, crunching, slurping)
  2. Breathing sounds (heavy breathing, nose whistling)
  3. Repetitive sounds (pen clicking, keyboard typing, tapping)
  4. Mouth sounds (lip smacking, throat clearing)
  5. Environmental sounds (clock ticking, humming appliances)

Part 2: Emotional Responses

Rate how often you experience these reactions to trigger sounds:

  1. Immediate feeling of anger or rage
  2. Anxiety or panic
  3. Strong desire to flee the situation
  4. Difficulty controlling your emotional response
  5. Physical symptoms (increased heart rate, muscle tension)

Part 3: Impact on Daily Life

Rate how much misophonia affects these areas:

  1. Work or school performance
  2. Social relationships
  3. Family relationships
  4. Ability to eat in public places
  5. Overall quality of life

Part 4: Avoidance Behaviors

Rate how often you:

  1. Avoid social situations due to potential trigger sounds
  2. Use headphones or earplugs to block sounds
  3. Ask others to stop making trigger sounds
  4. Leave rooms/situations due to trigger sounds
  5. Arrange your schedule to avoid trigger sounds

Scoring

Add up all scores:

  • 0-20: Minimal to no misophonia symptoms
  • 21-40: Mild misophonia symptoms
  • 41-60: Moderate misophonia symptoms
  • 61-80: Severe misophonia symptoms

Important Notes

  • This assessment is for screening purposes only
  • A formal diagnosis should be made by a qualified healthcare professional
  • Consider seeking professional help if your total score is above 40 or if symptoms significantly impact daily life
  • Bring these results to your healthcare provider for discussion

Additional Observations

Please note any other sounds that trigger you, specific situations that are particularly challenging, or coping strategies you’ve found helpful:

I scored a 64 (Severe misophonia symptoms)

Maybe I scored myself too high?

This helps, and reminds me:

  • I use headphones all day long.
  • I use ear plugs to sleep nightly.
  • I am overly critical with my family and I hate it (asking for the subject to reduce the trigger, as if they could…).
  • I dread the anticipation of the trigger (e.g. gym, meals with specific people.)

Claude’s best coping strategies:

Misophonia Coping Strategies

Here are some effective coping strategies for managing misophonia:

  1. Sound masking: Using white noise, nature sounds, or music through headphones to block trigger sounds. Musicians’ earplugs can also help reduce trigger sounds while still allowing conversation.

  2. Lifestyle adjustments: Communicating your needs to family/friends and setting boundaries, like requesting quiet zones for eating or working. Sometimes repositioning yourself away from trigger sounds can help.

  3. Relaxation techniques: Deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness meditation can help manage the physiological stress response when exposed to triggers.

  4. Cognitive strategies: Working with a therapist to develop coping thoughts and reframing techniques. This might include focusing on accepting the presence of the sound without fighting it.

  5. Environmental modifications: Using soft furnishings to absorb sound, having background music during meals, or arranging seating to minimize exposure to trigger sounds.

I used to play classical music at family meal times as a mask.

I should do that again!

I sometimes think that I will go deaf, given the excessive daily headphone use for decades. I may and it may not be a bad thing.