Mizophonia, which occurs in the form of mouth smacking, breathing, chewing gum, nail cutting, hypersensitivity to the sounds of cutlery or keys to the degree of disgust, negatively affects the life of the person. Mizophonia, which mostly occurs during adolescence, can be accompanied by physical symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath and sweating. It is recommended to be treated in case mizophonia negatively affects the person's life and restricts his/her life.
Üsküdar University NP Feneryolu Medical Center Psychiatry Specialist Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver gave information about misophonia (misophania), which occurs as intense sensitivity to sounds.
Extreme discomfort from sound
Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver defined mizophonia as "a feeling of extreme discomfort that reaches the point of disgust from sounds that everyone makes in daily life such as mouth smacking while eating, the sound of cutlery while eating, breathing, chewing gum, nail cutting, coughing".
They may even fight
Noting that although many people are very sensitive to some sounds, this situation is at the level of disgust in people with misophonia, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver said the following:
"The sensitivity of those with schizophonia to sounds is at the level of disgust and experiencing feelings such as anxiety, fear and anger with hearing that sound. People with schizophonia do not become desensitized to these sounds. In fact, they perceive the disturbing sound at a higher and higher intensity than other people. It is also accompanied by physical symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath and sweating. Sometimes they may even fight with the person who is making the noise. In cases of disturbance from the sound of food that we often see, we know that they do not eat in the same environment with the person who makes that sound."
It occurs during adolescence
Stating that Mizophonia usually occurs during adolescence, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver said, "Mizophonia can be seen in people with anxiety disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or those with high sensory sensitivity and perfectionists. The electrical activity in the area where sound is perceived in the brains of those with mizophonia was found to be higher than those without mizophonia. In other words, they really perceive sound more intensely."
Stating that it is not possible to specify gender since the number of researches on mizophonia is insufficient, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver pointed out that it is mostly seen in female patients in the clinic.
Mizophonia can be treated
Stating that if the person's life is affected by the humophonia, it should be treated, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver said the following:
"If the person's quality of life has significantly decreased, if he/she has outbursts of anger, or if he/she lives a limited life by constantly avoiding voices, depression or anxiety disorder may have developed accompanying the humophonia. In this case, antidepressant treatments can be applied. Attention shifting techniques, the use of other sounds to suppress the voice, behavioral therapies may be useful. It is important for people to get plenty of rest, since mizophonia increases with fatigue. Both sleep and relaxation and breathing exercises can have a relaxing effect."
