Take part in a new misophonia research study trying to better understand misophonia at the more severe end of the spectrum (online survey for UK participants only)

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Researchers at the University of Oxford and King’s College London are recruiting adult participants living in the UK for an online survey study about misophonia. They are trying to better understand misophonia as a potential disorder, by comparing those with severe, moderate and no misophonia. They want to see if there are any unique differences in those with severe misophonia, to better understand the experience of those suffering most with this condition.

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New online study recruiting participants with misophonia for a new misophonia computer test

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This is a new study from a team of researchers in Germany, USA and England and they are currently recruiting participants who have misophonia. The study is testing out a new way of assessing misophonia using a computerised test. Participants have the possibility to win one of 48 amazon vouchers for $50/£50 for completing the study.

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Making sense of the senses: Transdiagnostic techniques for sensory sensitivity (Workshop for clinicians at BABCP conference, Manchester, UK)

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There is wide variation in responsivity to sensory cues in the population. Sensory sensitivity is proposed to be a vulnerability factor in anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders, a key feature in some neurodevelopmental conditions, and a defining feature of sensory processing disorder and misophonia.

This workshop will introduce a simple model for understanding the potential cognitive and behavioural mechanisms involved in the distress and impairment caused by sensory sensitivity. Many existing transdiagnostic strategies can be used to target these mechanisms, and the model can be integrated into broader formulations for individual clients.

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Misophonia in youth is a family problem, in need of family solutions

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Individuals with misophonia are no strangers to using devices and modifying routines to reduce their contact with troublesome sounds. From trusty foam earplugs to elaborate noise cancelling technology to visiting the cinema at the unsocial hour of 11am on a Monday, for many of us with misophonia, modifications are part of life. But new research suggests that for youth with misophonia, these kinds of strategies might extend to the rest of the family too.

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New misophonia study looking at the effect of the drug Propranolol or a behavioural intervention on learning and memory

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If you are to get to Mount Sinai in New York City, please consider taking part in this interesting new study! The researchers are looking for adult participants aged 18-55, who have sound sensitivity. Participants will be asked to listen to potential trigger sounds as part of the study.

Participants will be able to choose between doing a behavioural intervention (computer task) or a drug intervention (Propranolol). Participants who take part in the drug intervention cannot be pregnant and cannot have a history of head trauma or seizures.

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Misophonia: nearly one in five UK adults have the condition causing extreme reactions to certain sounds

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Many of us have sounds that we find to be annoying. But for some people, certain sounds actually trigger extreme reactions. It’s a disorder known as misophonia, where sounds like chewing, sniffing and pen clicking can cause intense emotional reactions – and sometimes even physical reactions, such as an elevated heart rate and spike in blood pressure.

As it turns out, this condition is more common than many realise, as our recent study showed. We estimate that nearly one in five adults in the UK may have misophonia.

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How to help kids with misophonia and sound sensitivities

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For some kids, family meals and noisy classrooms can feel like absolute torture. Misophonia is phenomenon where small repetitive sounds like eating and breathing feel impossible to ignore and can cause an extreme emotional reaction. While the research on misophonia in young people is still very young itself, there are some ways that families can help their children with misophonia.

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How to get help for misophonia on the NHS

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If your misophonia is at the point where it is impacting your mental health or interfering with your work, studies or relationships, you may be able to receive help from the NHS. It may take a while, and may feel like an uphill battle at time, but help is available.

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Ten things you might be diagnosed with before you discover you have misophonia

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Misophonia slowly drifted into the public consciousness after it was mentioned in the New York Times in 2011. Despite nearly one in five people in the UK and one in six in the US experiencing it to some degree, it is still a relatively unknown phenomenon. There is now good evidence that misophonia is a distinct phenomenon and cannot be explained by other condition. While health professionals catch up on learning about misophonia, you might find that your reactions to sounds are misinterpreted as something else.

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How does misophonia affect our emotions and behaviour around other people?

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This study is no longer recruiting participants.

How does misophonia affect our emotions and behaviour around other people? Current misophonia research. Image of cartoon young person with four different expressions.

As misophonia research grows, so have opportunities for students to ask curious questions about this fascinating condition. Undergraduate student Elizabeth Day, at Newcastle University, is working with Dr. Sukhbinder Kumar on a project looking at misophonia in the context of emotional and social aspects.

There are so many ways our social experiences might influence misophonia reactions. We might become more anxious because of how we imagine we look to others when we are reacting to sounds, we might worry about the impact of our behaviour on our relationships, or perhaps copy others behaviours in an attempt to reduce the intensity of our reaction.

Text: Project summary. Image of angry cartoon person.

Title: Misophonia and social cognition

Researchers: Elizabeth Day (undergraduate) and Dr. Sukhbinder Kumar, Newcastle University

This project looks at how misophonia affects a broad range of people’s emotions and actions.

How do you imagine you look to other people when you are reacting to sounds? Join the conversation on instagram or twitter.