There is currently no established cure for misophonia, but support and treatment may help people manage distress, regulate reactions, and participate more comfortably in daily life. Research on interventions is growing, although no single approach works for everyone.
What does treatment aim to do?
Misophonia can involve intense emotional and physical reactions to specific sounds, including chewing, breathing, tapping, or repetitive noises. Treatment does not need to begin with the assumption that a person should simply tolerate every trigger. Useful goals may include understanding one’s responses, managing physiological arousal, reducing secondary distress, improving communication, and making everyday environments more manageable.
What does the research say about CBT?
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the better-studied psychological approaches for misophonia. A randomized clinical trial involving adults found improvements with a structured group CBT program, and a more recent randomized study of young people has added to the developing evidence base. These findings are promising, but studies are still relatively limited, and different CBT protocols should not be treated as interchangeable.
CBT can encompass several techniques, including attention skills, emotion regulation, approaches to unhelpful thought patterns, and behavioural change. Exposure-based techniques are used in some protocols, but they are not a requirement of every CBT-informed approach. The International Misophonia Foundation does not advocate exposure therapy as a treatment for misophonia.
What is CBT-MISO?
CBT-MISO is a misophonia-focused, skills-based adaptation of cognitive behavioural principles developed by Shaylynn Hayes-Raymond. It emphasizes psychoeducation, bottom-up regulation, understanding triggers, and practical coping skills rather than exposure therapy. Educational CBT-MISO materials and a 10-week program have been developed, and an evaluation of the educational program is underway. CBT-MISO itself should not be described as a clinically validated or proven treatment at this stage. Its principles and materials may be useful to discuss with a qualified clinician, alongside other available approaches.
Do accommodations count as treatment?
Accommodations and treatment serve different but complementary purposes. Changes to the environment, access to a quiet space, flexible seating, and thoughtfully used sound-reduction tools can reduce barriers and make activities more accessible. These strategies do not need to be withheld until a person has completed therapy. The goal is to balance immediate access and comfort with longer-term coping and quality of life.
How can I find professional support?
Depending on individual needs, people may consult a counselling therapist, psychologist, audiologist, occupational therapist, physician, or another appropriately qualified professional. Ask about the clinician’s experience with misophonia, their approach to sensory regulation, and whether proposed interventions align with your preferences and goals.
Browse the IMF Clinician Directory to locate professionals who have listed their services. A directory listing is not a certification, referral guarantee, or endorsement of a particular treatment.
Where can I learn more?
Explore the Foundation’s free misophonia resources, its general treatment overview, and books on misophonia, which include educational resources about CBT-MISO and coping strategies.
Selected research
Jager et al. (2021), Cognitive behavioral therapy for misophonia: A randomized clinical trial; Lewin et al. (2026), Treatment of Youth Misophonia: A Randomized Controlled Trial; Swedo et al. (2022), Consensus Definition of Misophonia.
This page provides general education, not individualized medical advice or a promise of treatment outcomes.
