Misophonia Redux and Big Thanks

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Thanks, all who responded to my misophonia post. I had an idea that it might in some way be related to ASDs. I'm finding that it gets worse with age and having fewer psychotropics on board. My nervous system is increasingly naked to the world, and I do not like it one bit.

Since Western civilisation's first etiquette experts insisted upon silent eating--no food gargling allowed, either, nor stuffing one's fingers into one's pie hole while consuming deep-fried fast foods--I must wonder if they were not also misophonic.

But I'd rather find a solution to this huge problem. Persons under 25-30 seem more inclined to behave in a manner that I find rude: open-mouthed chewing and smacking; bleedover noise from the devices from which many cannot seem to disengage. Not that anybody actually *cares* about my opinions out in public: I still need to have a book printed on paper, and will add a pair of industrial-grade "earmuffs" to the armor I assemble when I need to use public transit, which is often.

Oh yeah: there are plenty, plenty of persons over thirty-five who can trigger me. Ppl who chew, and then drool, tobacco, abound in my location (KY, for now).

I look back and find that when I disclose my feelings about noise triggers--even timidly asking an extreme offender to ease up--the triggers are produced more intensely, as in, Let's really bug the weird oldish lady. So I have to keep my opinions to myself.

Has anyone had any success w/ asking/ordering an offender to quit w/ the trigger sound?

I also can't stand wind in my hair, or anything close to it. It gets in my mouth, then stuck to my face, and what does not feels the way I imagine a horde of milipedes must when loosed upon one's person.

I cannot STAND informal contractions like "gonna", the most offensive of the lot, and sometimes have to employ my internal editor to avoid saying "going to" as often as I must. IMO, ppl who use such contractions--wanna, wouldja, hafta--sound sloppy and possibly stupid. Even the erudite actor/celebrity/local weather person.

I've hidden or tossed out bubble gum that someone else bought for a group of ppl, because I so fear having to sit w/in earshot of a nasty chewer.

I really really hope that neurologists etc. apply themselves to finding a physical or pharmaceutical solution to this problem, b/c it's getting worse, and exposure "therapy" only makes the rage--a hot, physical, electrified thing--that much worse.

Gum noises and stereo boom boom are triggers for me as well as eating noises and teeth sucking. I often ask people to stop and most people are very considerate once I explain to them about my condition. Some people are rude and obnoxious but most are very nice and actually do stop the noise for me. I don't say that it's Misophonia though because very few people know what that is. I tell some people that but most people I tell them that I have a heart condition and that the noise makes my heart race and could cause me to have a heart attack. And that is not a complete lie because the stress I feel from the noise does make my heart race and that level of stress can cause a heart attack. In fact there was a study done in Germany, I don't remember where I heard this but it was on a documentary somewhere. They found out that housewives were dying of heart attacks because of the amount of people driving by their homes playing loud boom boom on their car stereos. They were getting stress levels beyond what they could bear. But I am usually very polite when I ask and explain to people that the noise they are making could kill me and they usually stop. And I make sure to really express my gratitude if they do stop. That way people can be educated without feeling threatened. They don't make the noise specifically to hurt you even though it always feels that way. They have no idea that they are doing anything that affects anyone else at all. Once I understood that it was easier for me to talk to them gently and with kindness and not out of the rage I was feeling inside.

But I have vowed never to own a fire arm because I would never think of myself as above "going postal" and using it reactively.

And I am really glad that we are able to help you and at least let you know that you are not alone in this.