Know Misophony: A Medical Condition of Sound Intolerance

Let the first stone be thrown away who has never been irritated by an annoying noise made by someone else - from sounds made by the mouth during chewing to that characteristic swallowing noise that occurs when you take something too fast or even someone's typical panting breath. whose airways are damaged by the flu.

Even if this sounds like a joke or mood effect, there are some people who develop an almost pathological intolerance to certain noises. This neurological disorder is called the Selective Sound Sensitivity Syndrome (SSSS or S4), also more popularly known as misophony - which means ojeriza or intolerance to sound.

This medical condition is possibly triggered by one or more negative experiences related to certain noises. Therefore, people suffering from misophony have a hypersensitivity to specific sounds, but they are part of normal daily life, which generates reactions of extreme psychological movement, such as irritation, anger and, in certain cases, panic.

When the disorder happens

As well as obsessive compulsive disorder, hyperactivity and bipolarity, misophonia can also reach critical levels and be diagnosed as a treatable disease. Both in the psychological environment and through the chemical rebalancing of some substance, this hearing disorder can (and should) be treated.

Symptoms of the disease, which was only officially recognized by the World Health Organization in the 1990s, include irritation with common environmental sounds such as nail clipping, tooth brushing and chewing gum. Other more specific sound emissions, such as repetition of some consonant in speech or broadly repetitive frequencies, may also irritate sufferers with this disorder. In addition, these people are also affected by visual stimuli.

These situations can cause intense anxiety in people who develop misophony, as well as evasive behavior, tending to social isolation to avoid conflict.

To overcome evil

The steps you must take to realize that you may be developing pathological intolerance to sounds are relatively simple. Some experts suggest that you avoid the loudest disturbing noises, you might even want to put on headphones or try to focus on some other sound that overlaps with what is bothering you.

Perhaps the most important part of all is to consult a doctor to confirm or not the diagnosis of the problem. Because the syndrome is psychological in nature, sometimes a denial by a skilled professional can make you no longer have a nuisance about a sound that bothered you so much. You need to take health seriously!

* Originally posted on 19/07/2013 .

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