Misophonia is a disorder that is characterized by an extreme aversion to specific sounds. It is a rare and little understood condition affecting the autonomic and limbic systems, resulting in intense anger, anxiety, and even rage when the individual is confronted with particular sounds. Some of the distressing sounds can include chewing, lip-smacking, scratching, leg-tapping and nail biting. Misophonia often co- occurs with Hyperacusis (abnormal sensitivity to loud sounds) and Tinnitus (audible sounds, often ringing, within the person’s head), and can lead to Phonophobia (fear of selective sounds).

It can occur in individuals of all ages and has no relation to hearing ability. Treatment may involve aversion therapy, medications, or TRT (Tinnitus Retraining Therapy). The premise of TRT is to reverse the abnormally strong connection of the limbic and autonomic nervous system to the auditory system. This involves associating unpleasant stimuli with more enjoyable sounds, thus retraining the brain to have a more positive response to the selective sounds. Treatment can generally take several months.