Monday, June 20, 2016

Misophonia and Me



Misophonia and Me: Dealing with Misophonia Using Herbs
Molly Sams
Essential Herbal May/June '16

 Misophonia is a real mental disorder that can cause discomfort, isolation, anger, rage, and even pain when hearing the sound of chewing, lip smacking, pen clicking, or other repetitive sounds caused by humans. For years I thought I was the only person in the world with this issue and would feel terrible when I would have to leave the room when a family member was eating carrots or plug my ears so I could watch a movie while someone typed on their keyboard. I thought I would have to deal with this forever by myself. Then one day my mother found a definition for it and I was as relieved as I am every time I find my favorite ear buds in my purse.
 Unfortunately, little research has been done to help treat those living with misophonia but I found plenty of ways to cope. If you or your loved one has this disorder, herbs can be incredibly beneficial and may even halt a panic attack in its tracks.


Aromatherapy
 Aromatherapy works wonders when someone with misophonia is being triggered. My mother gave me a little black cat doll filled with lavender to take to school with me when I was little. Anytime the teacher cracked her gum or a fellow student had the sniffles I would reach for my lavender-scented friend and take deep, calming breaths. I cannot suggest this idea enough to parents that have children with misophonia. They will never want to leave home without it and it will help them learn to deal with their triggers in a healthy and manageable way.
 

If you’re an adult and cannot bring a stuffed animal to a meeting or presentation, you still can have the benefits of aromatherapy right under your nose. In the winter I often wear a scarf. Before leaving home every day I will usually spritz my scarf with our lavender spritz or liquid smudge. If someone next to me in line is humming or tapping their feet I can discretely lift the scarf over my nose and inhale slowly.
During the spring and summer I will often spritz the pages of my current notebook with similar scents. That way I can begin writing or doodling and inhale the fresh, calming scents without looking like I am huffing a book.

Teas and Tinctures
I know between my mother and I it sounds like a broken record but I will always suggest taking holy basil. I often drink the tea but if I need a cup of coffee or I’m dying for some ginger tea I will put holy basil tincture in it as well. I swear this little plant has saved my life on many occasions. When I lived in New York I was surrounded by coughs, wheezing, and (my personal favorite) slurping. Every day before work I would have a cup of holy basil tea or tincture in my morning cuppa. Then I would bring the tincture with me to work and take it as needed. It helped me get through the day and was always a quick pick me up if I was getting too frazzled.
 If Tulsi is a little too herbie tasting you may enjoy lemon balm. It has a gentle citrus taste and has been used for years to combat SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Though it is mainly taken for SAD I will drink it hot or cold to help me calm down and readjust my focus away from the sound that is distracting me.
 It may seem counter-intuitive but I will also sip coffee a lot of the time I’m trying to manage my symptoms. Unlike the herbs mentioned above this plant is loaded with caffeine (as you already know). While it is good to calm down and get out of your head when you are dealing with symptoms, you do not want to lose energy or momentum. Having a cup of coffee will allow you to escape the noise and stay focused on the task at hand.

Herb Sachet (or heck, a blanket)

While researching for this article I learned one way people with misophonia manage symptoms is through physical pressure. By using pressure on their forehead, chest, or other parts of their body they are able to calm down and get through their day. Parents with children of misophonia have even created pressure blankets filled with sand or small pebbles to help their child feel grounded and calm. I found this absolutely fascinating and wondered how to incorporate it with herbs. While I have yet to create a blanket I have begun to use rice packs filled with lemon verbena and lavender to place on my forehead or temples. I have also begun using warm tea poultices on my eyes to create a comforting meditation. I have found it works really well for me and does create a sort of grounding feeling when your mind is flying every which way to try to stop the noise.

Spontaneous Garden Tour
 Some people call it going for a walk but I enjoy running around town looking at everyone’s front gardens. It is calming, gets me out of my head, and you may find a new plant you absolutely need. During many walks around town I see beautiful natives and new interesting plants that I take pictures of or look up while I’m walking. It is a great learning opportunity and I end my walk calm and fulfilled.

 To those reading this because they have misophonia, it’ll be ok. To those who love someone with misophonia, thank you so much for your undying patience and love. And for those learning about this for the first time, thank you for taking the time to understand.


Sources:




7 comments:

Tanya Murray said...

Never heard of it and I'm fascinated. Thank you for a great post

IrisWeaver said...

Hey Molly, I don'rt have misophonia (though sometimes sounds can drive me crazy), but I do have chronic anxiety. Your suggestions actually sound marvelous for anxiety as well, and I am going to try them. Thanks you so much for this article--for the education and the suggestions.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your article. I love my Dad, but he has smacked while eating and often hours after eating since my childhood. I swear he does it on purpose some times. It just makes no sense to me. I can actually handle a once in a while smacking sound when someone opens their mouth to put food on it, albeit it still triggers slightly. It's the slow motion thick sounding smack-smack-smacking that I just can't take. It is the strongest level of rage I have ever felt in my life.

Anonymous said...

I am known as a calm, rational and flexible person but I have dealt with horrible, visceral reactions to chewing, tapping, even someone rubbing their sock-covered feet together, since I was young. It contributed to me "running away from home" when I was in junior high (for 1 night :), smoking, and quitting a college class (rampant gum-chewing). I cannot believe how angry I feel when these noises happen - rage is the only word that makes sense. I want to throw things, hit things, swear, leave, you name it. The sound of a dripping faucet is merely an annoyance, but these human-made sounds can unravel me in moments. I was searching for earplugs (again! since the foam ones that I have are almost impossible to get in properly) when I came across this site. Misophonia is so real. I am anxious to try the essential oils, etc., that others have found beneficial. Good luck, everyone, who deals with this issue. Family and friends of misophonics - this is so real!

Anonymous said...

Today i discovered that i have misophonia! Last week and some other time when my boyfriend yelled at me i became so angry that i wanted to strangled him! Of course i did not! Same for car sounds, when someone call my name loudly, when childrens are screaming and others. I always thought that my ears could hear better than some people, but when it turnsed to an anger that affects my life i did some research and i sure have misophonia �� not cool for my parents because they are calling my name 5 times a day and i get very mad ��

Unknown said...

Thank you for this article! My 12 year old son suffers from anxiety and misophonia. We're in between meds and it has gotten worse and I will be trying your remedies.

Anonymous said...

My neighbour drives me crazy. She constantly coughs while she smokes all day long right beside my house. She never covers her mouth. Even the birds mock her she does it so much. I want to send her lozenges, but instead I use oils.