This Explains A Lot

Have you ever heard of the term Misophonia? Yeah, me neither. But, now that I read more about it, I'm fairly certain I can diagnose myself without hesitation: I suffer from Misophonia. Literally, it means the hatred of sound. But not just any sound - a person with Misophonia has adverse reactions to certain sounds, which vary between individuals. Some of the common "trigger sounds" among Misophonia sufferers are coughing, sniffing, sneezing, snoring, breathing, swallowing, lip-smacking, and various other sounds of the mouth and nose.

Personally, I can't stand chewing sounds - like loud eating or gum chewing - or little things like a pen clicking. They drive me bonkers and fill me with inordinate amounts of rage. My friend Angie hates loud typing. See, she must have it, too.

Sadly, there is no known cure, except for people around them trying to be more patient and not telling someone to "get over it." I've always thought my extreme reactions to small sounds was something only I was bothered my; it's kind of comforting to know I'm not the only one.