American scientists from Duke University in North Carolina studied the causes of misophonia – intolerance to certain sounds. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine PLOS One.
Misophonia is characterized by intense negative emotional and physiological reactions to quite ordinary sounds: chewing, breathing, tapping keys on the keyboard, etc. In people with misophonia, these sounds can cause irritation, disgust, and even outbursts of anger, including physical aggression toward the source of the sound.
The exact causes of misophonia are not fully understood, but in a new study, scientists found a link between this disorder and severe stress as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The experiment involved 143 people with increased sound sensitivity. They were subjected to a battery of tests to identify various mental disorders and stress conditions.
Results showed that 12% of participants with misophonia experienced trauma during the study, and 33% had experienced trauma disorder at least once in their lives. Events that cause trauma most commonly include car accidents (52%), sexual assault (36%), natural disasters (32%), and sudden loss of a loved one (29%).
It has also been found that people with misophonia are prone to hyperarousal, which is considered an aspect of PTSD.
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