Misophonia sufferer says 'noises make me so angry'

The University of Sussex is running what it says is the first ever randomised control trial into a neurological condition which affects millions of people.

Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those made by other people.

Often sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.

Alex Ayling, from Sompting in West Sussex, who has had the condition since childhood, says: "Some noises make me so angry."

The HGV driver said people crunching on an apple, eating crisps or sniffing "drive me absolutely mad".

"If somebody has a water bottle and they crunch it, that noise goes right through me.

"All the noises relating to my HGV are fine. But with my colleagues, when we have break time, I have to put ear plugs in as I can't listen to them eat," she said.

In 2023, researchers from King's College London and University of Oxford found almost one in five people have misophonia.

Dr Louisa Rinaldi, a research fellow at the University of Sussex, who is leading the latest control trial told BBC Radio Sussex: "Sufferers often have a fight or flight reaction to sounds and often just need to get away from them.

"They often feel isolated and the condition is not widely understood.

"So this new trial could be vital for improving treatments, as well as increasing awareness and potentially understanding the causes of the condition."

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