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

Updated in November 2023 to add links to research and new information about misophonia

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.

While there are themes to misophonia symptoms, each individual’s experience is as unique as they are. It can be influenced by past experiences, environment, the way sensory information and emotions are processed, beliefs, values, personality and support systems around the person with misophonia.

If your health professional doesn’t know about misophonia, they may take all that information and try to fit it with something they do know about. Here are ten possible diagnoses you might hear from a health professional before you discover that your experiences can be explained by misophonia.

1. Social anxiety

If you avoid social situations because of the sounds you might encounter there
If you are afraid you’ll do something to humiliate yourself when you react to sounds.

2. Panic disorder

If you are afraid that your reaction to sounds is so intense that you might have a heart attack, faint or go mad.
If you feel a sense of panic when you can’t get away from sounds

3. OCD

If you experience aggressive thoughts, images or urges and worry that you will act on them
If you feel like you must be a terrible person because you can imagine shoving a fork in your loved one's face
If you go to great lengths to control your environment so that you don’t have to hear sounds
If you feel compelled to copy another person’s behaviour as a way of dealing with sounds

4. Depression

If you spend so much time thinking about your reactions to sounds that you don't do the things that make you happy and fulfilled
If misophonia continues to effect you even when there are no sounds present
If you feel ashamed and guilty about the way you react
If you feel hopeless about your future

5. Anxiety

If you are so worried about sounds that you avoid seeing friends and doing things you enjoy
If you feel on edge and anticipating sounds, even when they are not happening

6. A phobia

If you avoid specific sounds, people or places, or endure them with distress and suffering

7. An eating disorder

If you don’t eat around other people (either because of the sounds others make or not wanting to burden others with your own sounds)
If you go off your food because of the association with feeling stressed and upset by sounds at mealtimes
If you eat more than you need because sounds are more tolerable when you're also eating

8. Autism

If sounds are so overwhelming you have sensory meltdowns
If you get so overwhelmed by sounds that you struggle with communication or relationships
If you develop rituals or repetitive behaviours to help you cope with sounds

9. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

If you get so distracted by sounds that you can't focus on your work or study
If you fidget or change activities because you can’t relax when sounds are present

10. A personality problem

If you are not being listened to properly.

Misophonia can be mistaken for any of these things. It can also occur alongside them. If the explanation you are given doesn’t feel right to you, it’s okay to tell your health professional that you feel like they haven’t properly understood your experience. It’s also okay to provide them with information about misophonia or to look for a different health care provider if they aren’t listening.

Click here to read about how to get treatment for misophonia on the NHS.