In middle school, I began noticing that certain sounds put me in extreme distress. More sounds became triggers over time, including the sounds of crunching, sniffling, throat clearing, coughing, gum chewing, pen clicking, typing, and more. I also developed visual triggers like bobbing knees.

Doctors diagnosed me with a neurological disorder called misophonia (hatred of sound), where certain triggers cause me distress (both mental distress and physical distress). While there may not be a cure, there are coping skills.

Lemon popsicles used to help me relax when I was a kid. My mission here is to share how I use 5 basic senses to help myself cope with misophonia, and why I have real hope for the future!