When the sound of chewing drives you crazy

I’m definitely one of those people who find the sound of chewing infuriating. I have moments when it’s tolerable but, for the most part, it drives me crazy. Irrationally so. It turns out, this may be as much of a biological thing, as it is a psychological thing (and yet another thing to add to my list of Things). According to Mike McCrae’s article titled “If You Can’t Stand The Sound of People Chewing, Blame Your Brain” –

The sound of people chewing, slurping, tapping, or humming can drive some people into a rage, and scientists have actually discovered the neurological wiring responsible for this strange condition.

Called misophonia, it describes the unreasonable emotions that well up inside some of us when we hear certain repetitive noises being produced by those around us. People with this condition experience annoyance or even anger at the clacking of a keyboard, the rustling of a chip packet, or the smacking of lips.

Mike McCrae

It doesn’t seem like there’s a cure. Well, there is. People can chew with their mouths closed. Just a thought.

Sadly for those with misophonia, the discovery doesn’t come with an easy fix. It might help the rest of us sympathise, however, and consider chewing with our mouths closed.