If the sound of lip smacking, and saliva being churned around someone’s gob doesn’t fill you with some level of rage, odds are that you probably annoy someone with that very habit.
But apparently it is due a condition known as Misophonia, which literally means the hatred of sound, although it is generally accepted that sufferers of it are only sensitive to specific types of noise.
Tests suggested that the most common sounds that made people want to punch whoever they were sat next to were ‘mouthy noises’.
From tests which monitored the reactions of volunteers to certain stimuli, those considered to have misophonia did have a greater response than those without.
But strangely, the misophoniacs knew their response was disproportionate and tried to use coping strategies to stay calm, but these strategies would have a negative effect on their day to day lives – which I can imagine.
If this is all sounding too familiar, don’t worry, there is hope for you and it doesn’t involve meds. No, instead there is a process of desensitisation therapy.
The method used by one Dr. Pawel Jastreboff is to use positive reinforcement and retrain the brain to associate positive experience with negative triggers. For example, smelling and eating your favourite food in the presence of a noisy eater.
That could work, or it may just ruin your favourite food as you negatively reinforce sensations surrounding it with the blood boiling emotions felt as a noisy eater nashes away in your ear.
Either way, the growing studies into misophonia should serve as proof that we’re not all crazy for getting annoyed at noisy eaters, but we do all have varying degrees of tolerance.
You basically have three options: 1) Potentially damaging coping mechanisms. 2) Therapy. Or 3) Just ask the annoying prick you’re eating with to consume their food less like a farm animal at feeding time.
It’s your call.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.