Researchers at Duke University in North Carolina explored why some people develop misophonia, a condition marked by intense negative reactions to everyday sounds. The findings were shared in a peer‑reviewed article published in the journal PLOS One.
Misophonia triggers powerful emotional and physical responses to common noises such as chewing, breathing, or the click of a keyboard. Individuals with misophonia may experience irritation, disgust, or anger that can escalate to aggressive behavior toward the source of the sound. The experience is highly personal, with sounds that are perfectly ordinary for most people becoming intolerable for those affected.
The study does not claim a single cause but points to a meaningful association between misophonia and high levels of stress, including post‑traumatic stress symptoms. This aligns with a broader understanding that stress biology can influence sensory processing and emotional regulation in ways that heighten sensitivity to specific auditory cues.
In this investigation, a total of 143 adults with heightened sound sensitivity took part in a series of assessments designed to screen for various mental health conditions and stress responses. The research aimed to map how misophonia relates to trauma histories, current stress levels, and related psychological factors, rather than to establish a simple one‑to‑one cause-and-effect link.
Among the participants, a portion reported experiences of trauma within the study period, while a larger share described having encountered traumatic events at some point in their lives. Commonly reported traumas included serious vehicle incidents, sexual violence, natural disasters, and the sudden loss of a loved one. The data suggest that trauma exposure is not rare among individuals with elevated sound sensitivity, underscoring the need to consider personal history when understanding misophonia symptoms and potential treatment approaches.
Another notable finding is the presence of hyperarousal in some individuals with misophonia. Hyperarousal—characterized by heightened alertness, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty with sleep or concentration—is a feature often associated with PTSD. Observing this pattern in the study sample supports the idea that misophonia may interact with broader stress‑response systems, contributing to the intensity of reactions to specific sounds.
Researchers emphasize that misophonia is a multifaceted condition likely influenced by a combination of neural, cognitive, and environmental factors. While the precise mechanisms remain under investigation, the work adds to a growing body of evidence that links sound intolerance to stress biology and trauma exposure. This perspective can help clinicians design more comprehensive assessments and tailor interventions that address both auditory triggers and the underlying stress responses that shape their impact. Future studies are expected to explore how individual differences in emotion regulation, attention, and sensory processing contribute to the spectrum of misophonia experiences, as well as how treatment strategies might incorporate trauma‑informed approaches.