People with noise sensitivity anxiety experience an intense emotional and sometimes physical reaction when exposed to certain sounds. Often, these sounds do not seem to bother anyone else. The medical term for this condition is misophonia.
What is misophonia the anxiety caused by noise sensitivity?
WebMD describes misophonia as a neurological disorder where specific sounds trigger an emotional response that can include anger, fear, or annoyance. Misophonia triggers the fight-or-flight response in some people. This response causes them to panic or feel a need to run away from the distressing sound.
Misophonia is sometime called selective sound sensitivity syndrome. People describe feeling like they are going crazy when they hear the triggering sounds.
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What Types of Sounds Trigger Noise Sensitivity Anxiety?
Innocuous oral sounds such as chewing, breathing, or eating are a common trigger for misophonia. Other sounds like the tap of a pencil, keyboard, or foot may cause a reaction in people with this condition. The presence of visual stimulation at the same time as the problem sounds may worsen the symptoms. Also, repetitive motions tend to be very problematic.
Is There a Cure for Noise Sensitivity Anxiety?
Yes. There are some very effective medication treatments for noise sensitivity anxiety. The most common among these are the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Noise Sensitivity Anxiety
These drugs target specific elements within the brain that contribute to the development of symptoms. A drawback is the annual prescription required to relieve the tinnitus often associated with these medications.
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Is Exposure to Loud Sounds Really that Harmful?
Not always. Examples of repetitive or violent sounds can lead to injury. For this reason, we are told to avoid loud noises that would promote bruise formation.
Misophonia the formal name
The strongest contributing factor to developing noise sensitivity anxiety, however, is to be around people that have this condition. This happens because they may be unable to hear some frequencies of sound that humans are able to hear. A general rule of thumb is that people living with noise sensitivity have a heightened sensitivity when they are around people with the condition.
When Do You Need Therapy for Noise Intolerance?
The first line of attack for correcting misophonia is medication. If the triggers continue to be uncontrollable, consider seeking out psychotherapy. There are psychiatrists that specialize in psychotherapy or counseling based on misophonia, as well as specialized teachers that work exclusively with this child-like condition.
It can take years of consistent therapy to overcome these issues, which partly explain why the misophonia problem appears to persist even after treatment.
Some recommendations include the rather simple “listen and say ‘no’.
You don’t have to stop everything to stop the occurrence of recurrent misophonia. Meditation, taping stop signs, and strategy sessions provide great success in dealing with the condition. You can also ask a trusted friend to do some listening exercises for you. You might also try choosing not to listen to certain types of sounds, such as the tapping sounds reported below.
Are There Any Remedies for Noise Sensitivity Anxiety?
Antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine, should be the first-line treatment for any person with misophonia. These medications increase the rate at which your central nervous system (the part of the brain that manages stress and also controls muscle movement) processes sounds.
Misophonia Remedies
However, hard drugs, such as those used to treat depression, can cause addiction, sedation, and memory loss. There are, however, other drugs that can help reduce or stop the exacerbation of your symptoms. These include acupuncture, neuroleptics, and alpha hydroxy butyric acid (AAB).
It can help to use a combination of medications to reduce your symptoms.
Fad diets are not the answer for managing noise sensitivity anxiety. What worked for one person may not work for you, and vice versa. Like with most conditions, the treatment and management of the condition should be individualized.
One of the issues that many misophonic people deal with is that family and friends have very different ideas about how they should be handling their discomfort. They may not have the language to explain however they feel.
This is why the misophonic community online has come together to share their experience regarding this condition and the best coping strategies. Please seek the advice of your physician if you experience any symptoms associated with noise sensitivity anxiety.
Signs and Symptoms
There is growing evidence that auditory training modalities, such as music, can be a powerful tool in the treatment of anxiety. It is ideal for people who experience misophonia to deepen their attention and integrate these sounds into their everyday life.
How Do I Recognize the Signs and Symptoms of Meant to Fix My Misophonia?
The answers for this question depend on the people you ask. The typical pattern is someone will experience:
- have a sound that is aggravated by background noise, and it feels like someone is tapping their foot.
- after drinking, say they cannot hear the sound of a beer well above the background noise.
- after performing particular tasks, be aware of the tapping of their feet.
- they experience intensification of poor sleep quality when listening to musical pieces to alleviate the auditory experience. Truly be aware that this sound means you are about to have a near-death experience.
Noise Sensitivity
Having a condition called noise sensitivity can be a life-saver. The challenges caused by white noise, bursts of static, and raspy phone conversations can be transformed into moments of peace, joy, and productivity. Though, people living with this condition know it is not an easy situation.
Many studies have shown that listening to relaxing music can improve the quality of life for people who have misophonia. There are specific songs that can help to alleviate the distress of the condition. These songs include:
If you have exposure symptoms caused by misophonia and have tried the above suggestions for managing exposure, no matter how many tips you have tried, they have not helped. Are there any other tips you think could help?
Fortunately, there is a treatment called Exposure Control for Noise-Induced Phallus Stress Disorder. This treatment involves encouraging the patient to listen to relaxing music.
Once music is worn out, the patient is encouraged to listen to a louder, better-sounding piece of music. Successful treatment of this condition significantly improves the quality of life for people with misophonia.
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