Misophonia
Counseling and Treatment
Misophonia is a condition where certain everyday sounds trigger a strong emotional reaction, such as anger, irritation, anxiety, or disgust. People with misophonia have an extreme sensitivity and reactivity to specific, typically repetitive and relatively soft sounds such as breathing, chewing, swallowing, and clicking.
What is misophonia?
Do I have misophonia?
How can I tell?
Someone with misophonia may experience:
Sudden anger or rage at slight sounds
Anxiety or panic
A strong urge to escape the sound
Physical tension (tight chest, clenched jaw)
Feeling overwhelmed
A person with misophonia usually know their reaction to sounds is stronger than it “should” be, but it feels uncontrollable.
-
Misophonia can be treated at almost any age, but the approach depends on developmental stage. Misophonia often first appears in late childhood and teen years are most common for symptoms to intensify.
-
Consider professional support if reactions feel like rage or panic, it’s affecting school/work, it’s damaging relationships, or you’re avoiding social situations.
How do you diagnose Misophonia?
At Good Day Psychiatry, misophonia is diagnosed through a comprehensive, team-based evaluation process. Our psychiatric providers work closely with a licensed testing psychologist, allowing us to look beyond surface symptoms and understand how misophonia is affecting you.
Our diagnostic process may include a detailed clinical interview, developmental and academic history, behavioral questionnaires, and formal psychological testing when appropriate. The result is a clear, evidence-based diagnosis and a thorough report that explains findings in plain language and outlines personalized treatment recommendations.
By combining psychiatric expertise with in-depth psychological testing, we help patients and families feel confident, informed, and supported in the next steps of care.
How do you treat misophonia?
The most common and effective treatment for Misophonia is CBT with a focus on exposure therapy. The goal isn’t to force you to like the sound, it’s to lower the intensity of the reaction and regain control.
CBT can help to identify trigger patterns, challenge automatic thoughts ( such as “I can’t stand this”), reduce anticipatory anxiety, and build emotional regulation skills.
Treatment for misophonia is highly effective and helpful for coping. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), sound therapy (white noise, background noise), noise-canceling headphones, and stress management techniques are most helpful when treating misophonia.
