Support Misophonia Research and Awareness

Misophonia, often misunderstood or overlooked, is a neurophysiological disorder where specific sounds provoke intense emotional and physiological responses. The term was first introduced by audiologists Margaret and Pawel Jastreboff in 2001. Through their work, they noticed that some individuals reacted strongly to everyday sounds—such as chewing, tapping, or typing—triggering reactions far beyond annoyance or discomfort. They proposed that misophonia involved heightened arousal of the autonomic nervous system, sparking a “fight-or-flight” response. Unlike those with hyperacusis, who hear sounds more loudly, people with misophonia respond to repetitive, pattern-based sounds with severe irritation and anxiety.