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06/22/2012 05:00 AM

Healthy Living: Misophonia

Does the sound of someone eating drive you crazy? A little bit of annoyance is normal, but for some people, it is not. Marcie Fraser has a closer look at the condition known as ‘misophonia.’

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"Its freaks me out and can't control it and sometimes I start crying," said Jessie Babcock, misophonia patient.

The condition is called misophonia, literally "hatred of sound." It occurs when a common noise, like a person chewing loudly, creates anxiety or anger in someone who has it.

"It's just like a panic rush through my head. I just get angry. I will start just screaming telling them they are pigs," said Babcock.

Her symptoms began two years ago when she found her dad having a seizure, and a few days later he passed away.

"I tend to see it with patients who have some post traumatic stress, possibly obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression. It usually manifests out of something bad that happened," said Dr. Erin Walborn, Audiologist Solutions.

"It started with chewing gum and food, eating at the table but it was mild at first but accelerated from there, you couldn't eat with her at a table, you couldn't have gum around her with her saying rude and foul things to us," said Kristina Babcock, Jessie’s mom.

Because the disorder is so new, few medical professional know how to treat it.

"There is no treatment. She is in counseling. She sees a psychiatrist, counselors. She has a family doctor, we have an ENT, we tried an audiologist," said Kristina.

She seldom eats in restaurants, traveling is difficult, and friends have fallen by the wayside.

It has affected Jessie's self esteem and she often finds herself sitting alone.

"I would sit in a separate corner from everyone and I have to go to a different classroom and be alone," said Jessie.

To find out more on misophonia, visit audiologicsolutions.org.