Phonophobia

[Chris_com28]

I've only just found a name for it and so haven't found much information on it yet. This is the only thing I've found designed to cure it. What does everyone else here think about it? I don't have that much money but I could posibly try it out.

Link removed as per "20 post" rule. --PH

[Tom]

Before you drop $150 on this web site, maybe you might want to try EFT?

http://www.emofree.com/

It is supposed to be fast and effective. The best part is that since you have something so specific you can test it with, the free material is probably going to be enough to do the job.

[CFTraveler]

You have phonophobia?

Excerpted from:
Components of decreased sound tolerance : hyperacusis, misophonia, phonophobia.
Margaret M. Jastreboff, Ph.D. and Pawel J. Jastreboff, Ph.D., Sc.D.

Decreased sound tolerance includes more than one phenomenon. In the past, we have used two terms: Hyperacusis to describe patients experiencing discomfort to sound resulting from abnormally high activation of the auditory system. Phonophobia was used for patients expressing a fear of certain sounds, or all sounds and resulting from abnormal activation of the limbic and autonomic nervous systems.


Clinical observations reveal that in many cases, decreased sound tolerance consists of more that one problem. It is not necessarily loud sounds, but even quiet sounds, which can cause discomfort. Decreased sound tolerance might reflect a physical discomfort, or can be related to a dislike or a fear of sound.

Hyperacusis can be defined as an abnormally strong reaction to sound occurring within the auditory pathways. At the behavioral level, it is manifested by a patient experiencing physical discomfort as a result of exposure to sound (quiet, medium or loud). The same sound would not evoke a similar reaction in the average listener. The strength of the reaction is controlled by the physical characteristics of the sound, e.g., its spectrum and intensity.

Misophonia and phonophobia can be defined as abnormally strong reactions of the autonomic and limbic systems resulting from enhanced connections between the auditory and limbic systems. Importantly, misophonia and phonophobia do not involve a significant activation of the auditory system. At the behavioral level, patients have a negative attitude to sound (misophonia), or are afraid of sound (phonophobia). In cases of misophonia and phonophobia, the strength of the patient’s reaction is only partially determined by the physical characteristics of the upsetting sound. It is also dependent on the patient’s previous evaluation and recollection of the sound (e.g., sound as a potential threat, and/or the belief that the sound can be harmful), the patient’s psychological profile and the context in which the sound is presented.

Medical conditions previously linked to decreased sound tolerance include: tinnitus, Bell’s palsy, Lyme Disease, Williams Syndrome, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, stapedectomy, perilymphatic fistula, head injury, migraine, depression, withdrawal from benzodiazepines, increased Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) pressure and Addison’s disease.

Most frequently, significantly decreased sound tolerance results from a combination of hyperacusis and misophonia/phonophobia.
While there is no clearly accepted consensus method for the evaluation of decreased sound tolerance, there appears to be general agreement that loudness discomfort levels (LDLs) provide a reasonable estimation of the problem.

http://www.tinnitus.org/home/frame/DST_NL2_PJMJ.pdf

[Chris_com28]

I've heard about it before. I'll try and give it a go. Thanks for the link. I'll write back about how it went.

[You need to have 20 posts to have links in your posts] If anyone wants it they can pm you.-Admin notice

[Chris_com28]

Well form the article you just sublimtted it seems misophonia is more appropriate. Though I'm not sure how well my condition fits in with this description. It's independant of volume level. It can be really quite and still invoke a disturbing reacting in me, though I am believed to have quite sensitive hearing. I can barely hear it sometimes but it still attacks me.
Im sure the tone or frequency of the voice is what carries the strength in it. It's also something I've only had for a few years. I created it myself as I have OCD and was experiencing a lot of stress living at home. I'm sure you get the picture now. This is all starting to get a bit emotional so I'll leave it for now.
Thanks for the links. Can't wait till my 20th post comes along. This probation is getting really annoying.

[CFTraveler]

I'm sorry but if you saw the amount of spam we delete daily you'd be amazed.
I have something similar to the misophonia- in my case a change in noise level is so annoying that it can be distracting to the point of causing rage in me. If I hear Bass music I get the urge to go kill whoever is riding around in the car unmindful of other people's sensibilities. . I don't mind persistent noises, like a fan or a white noise machine, but any sudden noise gets on my last nerve in a second. I now sleep with earplugs because my husband's snoring makes me crazy. I mean crazy. The good news is that getting used to earplugs means that I can sleep in a hotel room while everyone else wakes up from the random noises you hear in a hotel room.

If your OCD is the cause of your misophonia, do you have the ability to manipulate it and channel into something else? Have you thought of the possibility of doing it?

[Chris_com28]

That sort of reminds me of what I read about intermitent noises which seem fairly similar to your problem. They've been shown to be more annyoing than constant noises, possibly due to the fact that constant noises are more predictable so you can block it out.
Though another study has shown that long-term meditation can lower your GSR response to intimitent stimuli.
I've always had a problem with intermitent stimuli. Even wind screen wippers at intermitent setting annoy me. Though I some how manage to block it out and actually forget they're on.

[Chris_com28]

If your OCD is the cause of your misophonia, do you have the ability to manipulate it and channel into something else? Have you thought of the possibility of doing it?

I've thought about it. There is always a good side to something like this. It's always about focusing on the good aspects of a condition. I think with OCD if you channel it into obessive positive thinking it could work well for you. Maybe if I find a mantra that works well. Though it's hard to change your old way of thinking and creating new thoughts.

I've been doing EFT. I haven't noticed much yet I'll keep doing it a few more times. I had an acu pen a while ago. I've lost it now but it wasn't working well anyway, maybe it was low on batteries. I'll buy a new one anyway if I have enough money.

[Mishell]

I like EFT, and use it on myself, but the only thing I would consider a problem with it is trying to find the proper affermation. This takes some trial and error, always "analyzing" the problem to get to the true root.

[Chris_com28]

Could you give us an example about this Mishell? I thought one of my problems could be giving enough focus on my affirmation. Plus I'm wondering if my taps are close enough to the acutal points.