Need Help – Misophonia Ruining my Life

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  • This topic has 5 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 5 years ago by Robotance.
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  • #1009981 Reply
    Skintt

      Hi All,

      First time posting here but feel that I need some assistance with my misophonia – any advice welcome.

      First of all my trigger is people “coughing” – It is repetitive coughing that gets me, and I can’t handle it anymore. I’m afraid that I’m going to end up hurting someone over it soon. I’ve already broken up with my Girlfriend over it and am now living in an apartment by myself, because I can’t go back to my family home as my mother has the most annoying repetitive cough of them all!!

      I work in an office, where it seems that everyone has ill health conditions, as I am surrounded by at least 5 or 6 people who cough every minute throughout the day. It has come to verbal outbursts from me on a few occassions, and I am surprised that I haven’t attacked someone yet.

      I basically have no idea how to contain it, I suffer from extreme anxiety because of the condition and it as affecting my whole day, and my Out look on life. It’s getting to the point where I am thinking medication might be the only solution, but I don’t want to pick up a dependency on top of it all…

      Can someone please assist me with coping mechanisms or even medication that they take to alleviate it? I’ve found myself drinking alcohol a lot more recently, and this dulls me to it, but it’s not a good path to go down either.

      Thanks.

      S

      #1009984 Reply

      Hey Skintt,

      I really feel what you’re going through.

      You have a few (none of them perfect) options here:

      1. Talk to your boss. See if you can wear headphones while you’re working (proper headphones that’ll block out all the coughing). Also see if you can work the odd day from home or in a quiet room in the office. Turn it into a benefit for the company. Explain that when you can work in total quiet you can get lots more done.

      2. Consider changing job. It might sound dramatic, but if there are 5 or 6 people triggering you constantly this problem isn’t going anywhere, even if you’re drugged up to the eyeballs. You might find ways to cope and reset in-between triggers but you’ll subjected yourself to an exhausting regime day in day out. There are other offices and jobs and, if you’re able, there is always freelancing. Too often as misophones we feel like have to conform to the accepted ‘norm’ (cramped, noisy offices) but there are a lot of different ways to work now.

      Re: Drugs. Some people have found CBD oil helps a little. To be honest drugs won’t be a truly effective or sustainable route and they don’t really work for miso. It’s a bit like trying to shoot down a bumblebee with a rocket launcher and they never silence just the miso without tinkering with something else. They’ll be unwanted side effects and possibly dependency etc etc Some might give you a temporary respite (as you’ve found with alcohol) but when they wear off the misophonia is usually exacerbated, so I would avoid going down that route.

      Wishing you all the best with it.

      #1009989 Reply
      CJ

        Offer cough sweets? Keep asking if they want a cough sweet? Some people offer to get a cougher water as a subtle hint, but usually they are oblivious! Worth a try though?

        #1009992 Reply
        Skintt

          @Keymaster – Many thanks for that. In my current job it isn’t possible to work in a separate room, from home or wear earphones – it is a Support role and can’t be away from the phone lines unfortunately. At the moment, I am considering changing career path, as it truly is that torturous to be sitting through day in day out. I fear that I won’t be able to hold the rage back one day.

          I do Vape CBD when I get home from work – It definitely relaxes me when I’m home, but didn’t do much when I vaped it on my lunch breaks. That is exactly the reason I don’t want to try any prescription drugs, because they will completely dull my senses and I will most likely get addicted.

          Offer cough sweets? Keep asking if they want a cough sweet? Some people offer to get a cougher water as a subtle hint, but usually they are oblivious! Worth a try though?

          I get so enraged by it that I don’t think I could say something along those lines without it being extremely aggressive. I have tried to say it to them like “Oh, have you a cold or something?” But that just seemed to make them cough more. I think they have their own mental issues whereby it is a form of tick that they can’t help, but it drives me mental.

          Maybe the only way, truly is a career switch – I was thinking of becoming a delivery driver or something similar so that I am solo in my own space.

          #1010016 Reply
          CJ

            Stink the office out with vix vapour rub or develop a cough which is louder and more frequent. This can help to bring it to attention and resolution.

            #1010022 Reply
            Robotance

              Here are some techniques I have learned throughout the years to improve everyday life as a person with Misophonia:

              • Use white noise.
              • Use earplugs.
              • Music therapy.
              • Headsets at the theater.
              • Imagine yourself in their shoes.
              • Leave and breathe.
              • Explain it to people.
              • Therapy.
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