By Shaun Shuler

If you are like me and certain sounds draw out an outwardly emotional response, it does have a name.

Phonophobia is the fear of loud sounds, but what I’m talking about is called Misophonia or Selective Sound Sensitivity Disorder. It is a lifelong condition with no cure, and the effects can be from mild frustration to panic and rage.

Note: this is still a struggle I deal with but the few times I have been able to tolerate these sounds has been when I could really focus my thoughts on something else.

These sounds primarily come from other people, but can also come from pets, home appliances, or even your own body. Most people may find these sounds annoying, but for myself and others like me, these sounds make our skin crawl and we either want to lash out or run away.

Ironically, those of us who suffer with this condition also do many of the same sounds, but it doesn’t seem to trigger the same emotional response.

Here is my list of 10 Everyday Sounds That Drive Me Crazy:

#1-Smacking

This you usually hear if you are sitting too close to someone eating or are in a quiet eating environment. It doesn’t matter what the food is, anyone eating can smack and most times the smacker is unaware. It is by far the sound that elicits the biggest negative response in me.

#2-Crunching

Similar to smacking, this is very close to being #1. Ice, nuts, popcorn, crunchy cereals and especially chips are the usual suspects, even to the point that I can’t watch chip commercials due to their desire to market people crunching their chips. My black Schnauzer, Fritzi, is not exempt from this either as she crunches down on her dog food as if she is eating rocks.

#3-Flip-Flops

Unlike my phobia of feet, podophobia, where I can look the other way, the floppy sound flip-flops make when people walk is very displeasurable for me. Certain sandals and slippers are also prone to making the flopping sound as people walk. When the sound of the flop, flop, flop comes into my hearing radius, my desire is to run in the opposite direction.

#4-Snoring

This one has plagued me as far as I can remember. It could be at home, in a hotel room, or the car, but I can never relax when family members, friends, or roommates are snoring. The only way to combat this (without waking up the person) is listening to something with earbuds or leaving the room you are in, if possible. Listening to music or watching videos loudly can usually drown out most snorers.

#5-Typing REPETITIVELY

This can be from a keyboard, a smart phone, depending on the settings, or a flip phone, a relic that is still around and my wife still loves using. It’s not just simply typing; it’s typing fast and continuously. This usually affected me most often when working in the office and my co-workers were on the computer.

#6-Dripping

I’m not a handyman but when I hear water dripping out of a faucet in my home, I become one. If it can’t be fixed immediately it can be drowned out by having a louder but soothing, steady sound like a fan on.

#7-Whispering

It’s one thing if someone is whispering in someone’s ear while using their hand, but some people will be carrying on conversations loudly whispering. This usually happens mostly in churches, classrooms, and especially movie theaters before a movie starts. In fact, if I did a top 10 list of places where sounds drive me crazy, movie theaters would be #1, whispering, rustling of candy wrappers, crunching of popcorn or nachos, the sound shoes make when somebody steps in a sticky substance, etc.

#8-Whistling

I have no idea why this irks me so much. Whistling is a normal thing humans are able to do, but for some reason when I hear someone whistle, I get extremely annoyed. Although not done intentionally, but nose-whistling also gets me to come unglued.

#9-Clattering

This is when silverware is hitting a plate when someone is eating. It’s irritating inside the comforts of home but it’s much worse at restaurants when several people are doing it all around you.

#10-Ticking

Loud ticking clocks or watches is yet another sound that causes me stress. Similar to the dripping of a leaky faucet, if I have a fan on or something to drown out the ticking, then it’s manageable.

Although when my wife went back home to the Philippines in December 2019, I stayed home with our youngest baby. I couldn’t sleep well those 2 weeks and at one point I had to remove 2 of the clocks in our bedroom because I heard the ticking over the fan. In fact, the more I think about it, I may have uncovered something sinister. 

We have 11 clocks that tick all around our house, which should be evidence enough that my wife is out to destroy me. We also have a clock on the microwave and on the stove and with our phones and devices we have about 18 ways to tell time.

Yet despite all of this time telling technology, she still manages to find a way to be late for most things. 🤣

Thank you for visiting and please leave any comments, questions, prayer requests, or ideas for new topics you’d like for me to discuss in the comment box below.