Trigger Sounds

     Any sound can potentially be a trigger sound for someone with Misophonia. I started out with just one trigger and over the years, have gained more at a seemingly accelerating rate. I'm trying to make sure that my ways of coping can keep up with the rate of new triggers but this is a daily struggle! Here is a list of my current trigger sounds, in the order they appeared, and how severe they are for me. While everyone with this disorder has their own triggers, the feelings and responses to them are often similar.

   Paper

  Around age 13 is when I first remember being bothered by certain sounds that didn't bother anyone else. My first trigger sound was anything to do with paper being touched. Pages turning, paper being rubbed together, being folded or creased - these sounds made me feel involuntarily enraged and physically uncomfortable. All through my academic career, this has made being confined to a classroom difficult.

     By the time I was in college, I would often excuse myself to the bathroom just to avoid the stress of anticipating the next trigger. When I was in a room full of people, all reading a book, the last thing I could focus on was the material. I was (and am) hyper-vigilant, because my reactions are even worse when the sound is unexpected and I don't have time to mentally prepare. I often found myself trying to look like I was doing what I was supposed to do, but also trying to cover my ears without anyone noticing, knowing someone must be noticing, and feeling like a freak. 

Snapping and Clapping

     The next trigger sound to appear was loud snapping and clapping. I don't think this started to bother me until after highschool. Applause is fine, but a single person clapping or snapping, or even one extra loud clapper that cuts through the applause is very hard for me to deal with. It's not my worst trigger by far (I'm able to mentally move on a little faster than I am with some others) but this may be because it's not something that I have to deal with most days.

Fingernail Biting or Picking

     This is a fairly recent trigger (last 3 years or so). My reaction to this sound is not all that severe. It is enough to cause me to leave the room, even if I am watching a movie I'm invested in. Hearing someone pick with their fingernails or bite their nails feels very jolting and instantly draws my attention away from whatever I'm doing. It's very hard to maintain focus on an activity or task when this is going on, so I usually give up or leave the situation. 

Door Slamming and Closing

     Door slamming is one of my most severe triggers. It only came to be one in the last calendar year, but my negative response to it is the strongest of any sound. When a sound becomes repeated, this is usually when it starts to become a trigger for me. I spent about 8 months living in my parent's house this past year and their house is older. The doors all slam, without anyone intending to slam them. I can't bear this sound and will try to wake before anyone else and play loud music through my headphones. Recently, just the sound of a door closing has this effect, unless it is done very softly. 

Repeated Tapping

     This sound became a trigger in just the past few months/weeks, so I am actually still figuring out what all falls into this category. Mostly it is the repeated tapping of a spoon or spatula on the edge of a bowl/pot etc. to get the excess food off. One tap is fine, but hearing two or more, especially repeatedly, sends me into a rage inside. I have to get away from this sound. I have taken to leaving the house or building whenever people are cooking. So far, the sounds with cooking cause the most severe reaction, but I have noticed a reaction to a mouse double clicking, someone knocking on a door, and tapping a toothbrush on the sink to get the water off. 

Other Common Triggers

     Those listed above are most of my triggers as of April 2016. But they are not the trigger sounds that most people with Misophonia experience. The most common triggers for sufferers are: mouth sounds like loud breathing, chewing of food, crunching, slurping, smacking etc. rustling of wrappers, keyboard tapping and pen clicking, silverware scraping, gum chewing and snoring.

    As you can see, eating a meal with a group of people is often extremely stressful for someone with Misophonia. I don't yet respond to most of those sounds, thankfully. However, sounds can become a new trigger at any point. Many sufferers resort to isolation as their only option. If you ever come across someone who tells you they have Misophonia, or need quiet to focus on what they are doing, please have grace and understanding.

    Also, please know that I don't blame anyone for making these sounds! They are for the most part normal, expected sounds. I simply can't control my mind/body's reaction to these noises and sometimes I have to protect myself by avoiding certain situations. No one with Misophonia wants to get up and leave the family gathering, stop watching the movie they were enjoying, or eat the dinner their spouse prepared alone in their room. We must avoid our triggers, or suffer. The guilt that comes with this is immense so please understand that we don't mean to offend anyone by avoiding our trigger noises. I hope this post offered some insight into the everyday difficulties of someone with Misophonia.

Kaitlyn