Apparently, there’s a condition called misophonia, and it’s a lot more common than you might think. People with this condition are annoyed or even angered by certain sounds, such as chewing or tapping. Unfortunately, most of the common “trigger sounds” for misophonia are sounds you’re likely to hear everyday.
According to Dr. James Cartreine, Phd. of Harvard University, “people with misophonia are affected emotionally by common sounds — usually those made by others, and usually ones that other people don’t pay attention to.” These people experience a fight-or-flight response triggered by a certain sound. This makes them angry with a desire to escape, but these feelings can manifest physically in an expanse of ways.
Your Brain on Sound
A single part of the brain – the anterior insular cortex – is responsible for both anger and processing outside input (such as sound). When this cortex is overactive, the person becomes extra sensitive, especially emotionally, to sound. It tricks other areas of the brain into activity, such as the areas responsible for fear, emotions, and long term memory.
