affected people experience more stress than average

People with misophonia tend to live with higher levels of stress, according to a new PLOS One survey.

The study included 143 adults living in the United States with misophonia. The average age of the participants was 37 years, 68% of them were women. The study was conducted from December 2019 to December 2022.

Participants completed assessments of severity of misophonia, possible psychiatric disorders, possible symptoms of PTSD, the way they perceive stress, and the level of perceived stress (acute or not).

Misophonia: Affected people perceive stress more strongly

The results showed that 33% of participants had experienced a traumatic disorder at least once in their lives. Among them, 22% suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. The most common traumatic events were traffic accidents (52% of participants), unwanted sexual experiences (36%), natural disasters (32%), and sudden death of a loved one (29%).

The more severe the misophonia symptoms, the more they were associated with higher levels of “perceived stress” and from “acute stress” Communication with “perceived stress” was the strongest.

“These results suggest that stress-related processes may be therapeutic targets for adults with misophonia.” the study authors conclude.

Misophonia: Which Sounds Cause the Most Disturbance?

Misophonia is a strong irrational aversion to certain sounds or noises. Here are the most frequently cited:

– tapping fingers on the keyboard,

– noise from the mouth or chewing,

– snoring,

– nasal noises,

– the sound of ice cubes in a glass,

– teeth grinding,

– absorption of liquid through a straw,

– the clicking sound of the washing machine.

“Considered as a psychological disorder in its own right, misophonia is thought to be caused by hyperactivation of the inferior insular cortex (this is the area of ​​the brain that allows us to direct our attention to what is happening around us),” clarifies the Hearing Foundation.