Being Annoyed By Loud Chewing Is A Psychiatric Disorder, Not A Personal Preference

Aug 29, 2018

Are you someone who just can't stand hearing the sound of other people chewing loudly in your presence? Does it make you want to scream, run away, or fly into an angry outburst? Do you have trouble holding back your negative emotions when you hear this sound or another specific sound? You're not alone. So many people have this type of reaction to certain sounds that researchers finally took notice and conducted a study of people who have this type of reaction.

Though almost everyone dislikes noisy chewing, some people feel extreme irritation that could be described as borderline rage when they hear another person chewing their food loudly. If you can relate to this feeling your aversion to loud chewing might actually be caused by a psychiatric condition.

Newcastle University researchers conducted a study on people who have this type of strong reaction to specific sounds. The results were quite interesting. They noticed that the individuals reporting this response to loud chewing or certain other noises had different brain chemistry than people who did not report the same reaction.

The condition was named Misophonia.

Though loud eating is one of the major triggers of Misophonia it can also be caused by other sounds, such as fingernails dragging across a chalkboard. It's basically an irrational feeling of panic or anger caused by certain sounds.

Scientists discovered back in 2001 that this disorder could impact several different parts of the brain. Whenever a person with Misophonia hears one of their trigger sounds, various sections of the brain showed an involuntary response. The parts of the brain that the condition influences are those that produce negative emotions.

Misophonia can cause some other reactions within the body, such as a racing heartbeat and increased perspiration. As you can imagine, these symptoms cause sufferers extreme discomfort.

Misophonia can range in severity from person to person. During a reaction it's not uncommon for a person with this condition to use harsh speech and agitated body language. For example, they may grit their teeth, clench their fists, shout, or cover their ears.

Tim Griffiths, a professor of Cognitive Neurology at UCLA and Newcastle University expressed hope that the study would raise awareness of this condition. He and other researchers want to help Misophonia sufferers and their families understand what's going on when a patient has this type of strong reaction to trigger noises.

By the use of MRI scans, the research team was able to pinpoint a variety of different trigger sounds for specific Misophonia sufferers. The most common trigger sounds they discovered were loud chewing and loud breathing. More research will need to be done in the future to help determine the underlying cause of this disorder. In the meantime, this information can hopefully prevent sufferers from blaming themselves too much for their seeming overreaction to everyday sounds.

Until a cure is found, people with Misophonia can try to cope with their symptoms by listening to background music during meals they eat with other people.

What about you? Do you know anyone who has an extreme aversion to loud chewing or certain other trigger noises? Let us know your thoughts! Pass this story along to anyone who may benefit from learning more about Misophonia!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!