How misophonia and anxiety are related

• People with misophonia have an extreme aversion to natural human sounds like chewing or breathing. For them, these sounds trigger an intense emotional response. 
• We don’t yet fully understand the relationship between misophonia and anxiety, but experts say that they often present together. Both conditions may be tied to genetics and differences in brain structure.
    
• If you’re living with misophonia and anxiety, knowing your triggers, managing stress, and communicating your needs can help. There are also mental health professionals who can treat the underlying conditions causing your misophonia.

Misophonia is an aversion to specific human sounds that causes intense emotional distress. People with misophonia are affected by typical sounds that may be undetectable to others. In some cases, misophonia and anxiety seem to co-occur. 

As is often the case with anxiety, people with misophonia experience an extreme reaction to triggers. Hearing someone sneeze, cough, yawn, chew, or make other noises can elicit the fight-or-flight stress response, creating a desperate need to escape and other uncomfortable symptoms.

Some experts have advocated for recognizing misophonia as a diagnosable condition. But currently, misophonia isn’t a recognized mental health condition, and it’s not something you can be formally diagnosed with. Even so, misophonia can be a very real and disturbing experience. Learning more about the connection between anxiety and misophonia can help you understand your inner experiences and get the support you need.

How misophonia causes anxiety

Most of us know what it’s like to feel annoyed by human sounds. Whether it’s coming from a partner, coworker, friend, or stranger, sometimes listening to someone loudly chew, cough, or yawn can test our patience. But for people with misophonia, these sounds are much more than a casual frustration. For them, these sounds can create debilitating anxiety that impacts their ability to function in daily life. 

Misophonia can create anxiety when it impacts a person’s ability to care for themselves and engage with the world around them. The following scenarios provide some examples of how this might play out in real life:

• “If I get a job in an office setting, I might have to be around someone who coughs all the time. I know that would make me incredibly anxious, so I can’t apply for the role.”
• “I can’t go on dinner dates, even if I’m interested in the person. Just the thought of having to listen to someone chew sends me into a spiral of worry.” 
• “I stopped spending time with my friend because their loud breathing made my heart race and set my emotions on edge. Instead, I spend most of my time at home alone.”

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How anxiety causes misophonia

While there’s some evidence that genetics and brain structure may play a role, we don’t fully understand the relationship between anxiety and misophonia or if one causes the other. 

In addition to anxiety, some experts suggest that misophonia may also be tied to other conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Like misophonia, these conditions can lead to symptoms that closely mirror symptoms of anxiety, including:

• Emotional dysregulation: Uncomfortable emotions like fear, anger, or rage that are difficult to control
• Behavioral reactions: A strong desire to physically escape or avoid a trigger or get the trigger (in this case, a sound) to stop or go away
• Physical changes: Uncomfortable physical sensations like a rapid heartbeat, sweating, nausea, head or body aches, and more 

Managing the effects of misophonia and anxiety

If you’re experiencing co-occurring misophonia and anxiety, you may benefit from seeking professional help. This may include interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), lifestyle changes, and medication, if needed. 

But there are also some things you can do on your own to manage misophonia and anxiety:

• Identify your triggers. Knowing which sounds make you anxious can help you take steps to avoid or reduce them, if possible. For example, devices like earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones can help, as long as you’re in an environment where it’s safe to use them. 
• Practice stress management. Ask yourself, when you’re feeling anxious or triggered due to sensory overwhelm, what helps? For some people, it’s doing a grounding technique or a body scan. For others, it might be journaling, doing something creative, or getting some exercise. While you can’t always prevent exposure to human sounds, having a plan to cope with them can help you feel more in control.
• Communicate your needs. In addition to seeking professional help, you can also ask others for support. For example, if a coworker eats at their desk and their chewing makes you anxious, you can respectfully ask them to eat in the break room. Of course, they’re not required to comply, and how they respond will likely depend on the type of relationship you have with them. But sometimes, you might be surprised at how willing people are to offer support when you share your experience with them.

Clinician’s take

In my experience, learning grounding techniques — like deep breathing or focusing on your senses — can be very helpful. These strategies help calm the body’s stress response when triggered by sounds, making it easier to manage both misophonia and anxiety in the moment.

Brandy Chalmers, LPCClinical reviewer

Find care with Rula

Whether you’re living with misophonia, anxiety, or both, help is available. By working with a mental health professional to address the underlying cause of your sound sensitivity, you can manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best. 

Rula makes it easier to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who accepts your insurance so you don’t have to choose between affordable care and excellent care. With a diverse network of more than 15,000 providers, 24/7 crisis support, and appointments available as soon as tomorrow, we’re here to help you make progress — wherever you are on your mental health journey.

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