How to cope with misophonia [VIDEO]

by | Mar 30, 2020 | Articles | 6 comments

How to cope with misophonia video

This wonderful video guide comes from Dr Jennifer Jo Brout, founder of the Misophonia and Emotion Program at Duke University and the Director of the International Misophonia Research Network (IMRN). You can find more of her work online here at Misophonia International and here at the IMRN.

Just click the play icon on the image below to view this video. If that doesn’t work here’s a direct link to the YouTube page.

This is essential viewing if you have misophonia or know someone who has it. I thoroughly recommend watching it all the way through. However, if you want to come back to a specific section in the future (I know I will) I’ve labelled the time stamps below so that you can skip to the relevant point.

Inside this video:

Introduction and about Jennifer0:00
What is misophonia?2.24
Current misophonia research – 8:33
Visual triggers – 12:09
The truth about treatment – 14:39
Does wearing ear plugs or other devices to “escape” triggers make misophonia worse?17:25
Cognitive behavioural therapy is not working. Do you know why?22:32
How do you help your significant other cope during times like this?26:12
What is the best practice for dealing with barking dogs?31:10
How do you keep a healthy relationship with your family in the face of triggers?34:05
Submitted Comment: Coping with competing sounds45:13
How do I gently tell my partner to be more conscious of the way he eats?48:56
I used to exercise a lot to cope with misophonia. Now I am injured and can’t handle it51:30
Live questions and answers53:17

A big thanks also go to Shaylynn Hayes for helping produce this video and for her tireless work in the field. She’s included further useful links which you can find directly on the YouTube page, here. Please do click on the aforementioned link and give the video a like if you enjoyed it. Hopefully that way it will become more visible to the wider misophonia community.

Do you have any thoughts or further questions after watching this video? Are there any topics you’d like me to cover in future on Allergic to Sound? Let me know in the comments below.

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6 Comments

  1. Priszcilla Hafenscher

    My Husband is allergic to dust and has a septal deviation, so he hardly can breath through his nose. He breath through his mouth, which has a special sound that triggers me very much. I asked him try to breath quietly, but he can not pay attention to that. It is very hard live with someone who triggers me with just breathing. And I can not sleep beside him even with earplugs. And he also eats loudly. What should I do? I feel hopeless.

    Reply
  2. Susan

    My fear of noise is my neighbours slamming shut their external doors, particularly early mornings 5am to 10am when the damage is done and I can’t get back to sleep.
    My house is detached but it comes through the ground. I dread going to bed, because of what I’m going to face each morning it’s absolute torture.
    I am planning to move, but I’m so ill I’m not capable of doing anything, also what if I go to all that upheaval and the next door neighbours do the same. The reason they slam so much I s letting a dog in and out all day from 5am. I exist on 3 hours sleep, I’ve gone from a happy go lucky lady to a withering to nothing recluse. I am 72, I was so looking forward to this retirement, all ruined by neighbours nouse. I wear ear plugs but it comes right though, I’ve had secondary glazing fitted, but nothing works. I love my house, and have been so happy for 27 years, this noise has been going on for two years, since they got the dog.

    Reply
    • Marc

      Susan, your story is almost identical to mine, except one of the central sources of my anxiety is the neighbor’s sport truck, who build a new house with a side facing garage and parking area facing my bedrooms just 14′ away. I would be startled awake early 6 am each work day, in colder weather add 20 minute warm-ups, all right outside my bedroom window, that’s how I would start my days with my heart racing and tears in my eyes, then subjected to outrageous ‘children’s play’ which included hollering shouting and SCREENING for hours throughout the day. I would suffer from dread going to bed and have difficulty going to sleep, and could only sleep 3 hours a night, I would often wake-up with my clothing soaking wet from perspiration, I stopped have dreams at night and my body weight drop from 165 to 118 (I’m 125 lbs now), and my physical health has diminished steadily over the past 7 years. My home I purchased for my retirement free and clear, of which I was very fond of and lived there for 12 years, I had to abandon (sitting empty now) and moved to a new home which my loving daughter help me purchase and move to. Today, I am still a nervous wreck and have a lingering sensitivity to sound/noise. I’m a software engineer, but my mind has lost it’s ability to concentrate and can no longer use my skills to be productive, I am constantly depressed and have become very anti-social and spend most of my time in my bedroom. My cold sweats have passed and I’m able to sleep between 5-7 hours a night now, but my will has been destroyed, I’m now 63 and wish I have never been born, I pray for oblivion and taunt God daily to take my life as to end my suffering following the advice of Job’s wife… but nothing seems to help – You have my absolute empathy for your plight, I truly understand the damaging health effects such a situation can cause, may you be at peace wherever you may be.

      Reply
  3. Alison McGovern

    I would love help with my phobia of screaming kids in the garden. During the pandemic this has escalated as we are all at home. I am struggling but time had a panic attack yday I want to move house. I am really not coping the triggers are panic anger tears and the need to run.

    Reply
  4. Hilary

    My experience is very much the same as Susan’s except only in the day thankfully. I found it helpful that Jennifer said to give yourself time to calm down and not to take the sound personally. But if the sound is not necessary ( which banging doors isn’t) then it’s reasonable enough to ask the neighbour to shut their doors quietly as Jennifer says things have to be fair for everyone. Right now the neighbours on the other side have a thumping radio on- not too loud but repetitive and irritating. Not really sure how to manage this one. So… putting my own music on for now. I console myself that they won’t be in the garden after dark and -giving myself permission to calm down, depersonalise and take time is comforting too. Thank u Jennifer. Ha! I’m exhausted and weepy now but believing to be fine eventually

    Reply
  5. Angela

    My problem is that I cannot stand to hear noise from neighbors (bass in their music booming through my walls) and there is a “lady” next door to me that stomps up and down her hallway all day and night long every single day and night. It is painful to deal with and I really do hate these people. I simply cannot handle it. Loud music in residential areas ought to be outlawed. People who have no consideration for the peace and quiet of those around them do not deserve to be breathing in the same residential areas. I am very angry and tired of living with this. I am just so glad I finally found a name for what I have.

    Reply

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