Misophonia
Daniela Dostálková

HD-video, 2015

Misophonia, literally “hatred of sound”, is a neurological disorder in which negative experiences are triggered by specific sounds. People who have misophonia are most commonly angered by specific sounds, such as chewing, slurping, throat-clearing, fork biting, people clipping their nails, brushing their teeth, eating, drinking, breathing, sniffing, talking, sneezing, walking, chewing gum, laughing, typing on a keyboard.

Sufferers may experience such physical symptoms as sweating, muscle tension, and even quickened heartbeat. Some are also affected by visual stimuli, such as repetitive foot or body movements, fidgeting, or movement they observe out of the corners of their eyes; this has been termed misokinesia, meaning hatred of movement. Intense anxiety and avoidant behavior may develop, which can lead to decreased socialization. Some people feel the compulsion to mimic what they hear or see.