Tag:

sound

How To Survive Flying on an Airplane with Misophonia

My greatest fear with Misophonia used to be airports and flying. It doesn’t help that my anxiety was trying to get involved too. It was telling me that flying was going to be absolutely horrible. Since my stress levels are already crazy when going through the airport (security terrifies me), I was pretty sure that misophonia-wise I would break!

1. In the airport I realized that I don’t HAVE to stay in one spot

So long as you’re close enough to your gate that you hear boarding announcements you don’t have to stay seated. I can’t stand sitting situations because of leg movements – so I just don’t get into them! You can sit in corners, find a quiet restaurant, or if you’re a member of a certain Credit Card or Club you can sometimes get access to exclusive lounges. I’ve even just hid in a corner before…

2. Be prepared for noises

Headphones should always be charged. If you know you’ll be losing internet (such as on the plane) or insane international roaming fees, make sure you have songs downloaded to your phone or a trust old media player (like an iPod). I suggest having a back-up just in case, and have access to your charging cords. Wireless headphones are great (here are some suggestions). Have extra earplugs too. I like to already be wearing them when I get into a situation.

3. On the airplane, try to control where you sit

Many airlines have “preferred seating” where you can pay to choose a special seat which has extra leg-room, etc. Also, sometimes you can pick your seat on the plane for free. Personally, I always need to be by a window to lean against it and not feel trapped. First Class is a great option if you’re able to afford it because it provides a more comfortable environment (and usually has less seats cramped together). Of course, not everybody can afford this, so consider the preferred seating and free seat choices on booking if available.

4. Prepare to zone out

Headphones. Earplugs. A sleeping mask. A nice travel pillow. Depending on the length of your flight, it’s probably easier to take a nap and avoid the worst part of the stress (being trapped in an environment). As a bonus, falling asleep can reset your sensory system. If you’re worried about valuables, consider checking important items in your luggage (however, I’ve never had something stolen on a plane since it’s pretty obvious to steal from the person next to you).

5. Remember that airports/airplanes are STRESSFUL for EVERYONE

You can do this. You can get through it. It’s so worth it to travel, and remember, you’re not the only one who’s stressed! When in doubt, ask a flight attendant or airport staff for help and suggestions. If you explain your sound sensitivity, chances are the staff will do their best to accommodate.

Best of luck flying!

January 13, 2020 0 comment

Awareness Teen

“Sound”, Young Adult Novel on Misophonia (Chapter 1 Excerpt)

written by Admin

Summer is coming to an end once again. The nights are getting cooler and our front tree’s top is becoming ominously orange. Soon, all around us, will be the colors of poisonous snakes and frogs from afar, hissing down from above. People will come from miles around to observe the sure death of all that’s green and warm. We’re off, heading to the mall for school shopping. I’m stuck in the backseat with Gum Smacker. Why can’t he chew with his mouth shut? My whole body is cringing from his smack, smack, smack. I’d like to just smack, smack, smack his face. I open the window all the way down, turning my face just right so the incoming wind can tornado deep down into my right ear. I stuff my finger as far as imaginable into my left ear, teasing my eardrum with never mending damage. But I don’t care. Maybe my life would be better if I couldn’t hear at all. Every smack of Gum Smacker’s gum jeers a tingling pain up into my head. The tingling is nothing new, though. I first noticed it in the second grade.

I’m stuck next to Emma in class. She’s ok. That is, ok from a distance. All the other girls like her. But me, I have to sit next to her. All day. And all day long her tongue becomes a suction cup, suctioning up onto her mouth rooftop and snapping down. A wet, suctiony snap. I might as well walk up to the chalkboard and—well, you know what—with my fingernails. All day long. Over and over again. It wouldn’t bother me. But then, well, at least maybe then she would know how it feels.

We’re finally at the mall and Mom is telling me I’d better fix my hair. The noise muffling wind has taken its toll. I quickly grab my brush from my purse and swipe my brown frizzy locks down over my ears, my last defense against Gum Smacker. Abby is already here waiting for me. Mom let’s us go on our separate way; we’ll meet at the food court in an hour. She and Dad will help Jeffery with his Kindergarten shopping while Abby and I head out for fashion!

“What happened to you?” she laughs, obviously observing my whirlwind hairdo.

“Brother love,” is all I have to say. We head into the first store and Abby is already eyeing the jeans rack.

“Too long…too blue…too…” she mumbles under her breath, fingering through the selections. This is why she’s my best friend. No one is more intensely picky than she is, than I am. She doesn’t think so, though. She says I have no fashion sense. I search and search through the same racks as she does. She knows the new season’s style before the runway models can stretch their long legs down the aisle. She’s now holding up a size 1 to her toddler sized waist. I know what’s next as her slanted hazel eyes size me up and down. Her teeth are beaming out her satisfaction as she lifts off the rack an identical jean, just, well, a few sizes bigger. She doesn’t even have to ask my size.

“Come on!” She grabs my wrist and takes the lead to the dressing rooms.

In my dressing room the smile shudders off my lips. I look inside the jeans and meet my dread. It’s all there—the long scratchy seams stemming from the bottom of the ankles all the way up to the waist (Why not just line the jeans with cactus?, I think). And then there’s the tag that will never cut off no matter how close I could ever possibly cut it. Even if I could, it would leave little prickly strings in its place. I would surely cut and pick until there was nothing left but a hole. Would anyone notice the draft in the back of my seat?

I undress and stare into the legs of the jeans once more. Maybe I can wear leggings under them. I wish I had some leggings right now. My head prickles. I scrunch one foot carefully into the opening. The seam is already rubbing the side of my foot; cactus needles spray up my leg and into my spine. I have to move faster. I yank the jeans up my leg, gasping in a breath, but I can’t breathe back out. My body convulses. I force my breath out. Now the other leg. It’s no easier, but I jerk them up quickly. My body has become the body of the cactus. Stiff, prickly, fierce. I’ve gotten the jeans around my waist, but I can’t button them—not yet. My fingers grasp the back of my underpants and yank them up protecting my un-expectant, exposed skin from the shock of the tag. Finally, they’re on. I look in the mirror. My face is pale but the jeans are perfect. Why do they have to be perfect?

Dr. Angle once told Mom that I have tactile dysfunction. Or, in Mom’s words, sensory issues. Me, I just say it how it is: I was the infant who they thought was colicky; I cried for hours, never giving in (not until winter ended and summer began, when it was too hot for my once-too-many-times-washed, scratchy polyester PJs). I was the toddler, bursting through the yard, leaving a trail of clothing behind me, shrieking and laughing, my naked butt shining in broad daylight for all to see. I was the pre-schooler, sprawled across the classroom floor in a full-fledged kicking and thrashing tantrum, refusing to put back on my bunchy, toe seamed socks over my air-gasping feet. And I was, and still am, the girl who will only wear cotton clothing, with minimum seams touching my body, who wears certain clothes inside-out, who cringes at even the thought of the wrong material touching my skin.

Abby peeks in on me now with her glowing cheeks. She whips the curtain open and poses her runway pose in her identical cactus torture.

“Love ‘em!” her voice gleams. “We have to have them!” I manage to smile back. She is my new shopping mom, picking out clothes that I secretly loathe, and then there’s me, faking a smile and pretending to agree.

Mom, Dad, and Jeffery are already waiting at the food court as we arrive. Dad’s checking his watch. I know his irritated frown all too well. And worse, his sickening teeth sucking habit that goes along with it. Ever since I can remember he’s had this habit, a memory I wish I could forget.

The kitchen tiles, new, opal swirled, glazed with wax under bare muddy feet. I leap, intentionally, square to square. My prints, perfect—symmetrically placed. So I think. But not him. A sound is coming out from within his tightly pinched lips. Lips that are thin. Lips that are curling unnaturally down. A noise that offends my ears, even though it is not a word. Air where there is no air. Only teeth. Only tongue. Open your mouth. Let in the air. No. Only the noise. His eyes are burning into my art upon the floor. I want him to yell. I want him to whip his hand across my butt. Breathe! Open your mouth! He does. I do not care what he says. I am better now. The sound is gone.

My feet start to slag in anticipation. A sharp pain is jabbing at my right temple. Abby stops to look back at me.

“Come on, Jess! Your dad looks pissed!” I try to walk faster.

My feet make it but I can’t make out his words. All I hear is tongue on teeth. Anger. Tongue. Knives piercing my skull. Is the anger his or mine? I can’t comprehend my own mind.

“Sorry Dad. We lost track of time.” My voice doesn’t match my emotion. My eyes drift to the ground, far away from the grimacing sound of his mouth. How can anyone look at him? Now Jeffrey’s at my feet laughing, poking my side with his finger.

“You’re in trouble! You’re in trouble!”
Abby’s slanted eyes are no longer slanted. I never knew they could grow so round.

“Jeffery, that’s enough.” Mom grabs his hand pulling his chanting body away from me. “Do you have another headache, Jess?” My eyes won’t meet hers, only the floor.

“Yeah.” If that’s what you want to call it.

I don’t know if Dad is still sucking his teeth, but the noise is engraved in my brain, grinding my temple, sucking my lifespan out through my ear canals. I need to plug them shut. Now.

“I’ll make you an appointment with Dr. Angle,” Mom decides.

I don’t respond. She doesn’t understand. How could she?

15-year-old Jessica believes that she is going crazy. Small, everyday sounds, like the sound of her brother chewing his food, or of a classmate clicking his pen, have suddenly begun to trigger within her an instant feeling of rage. She is afraid to tell her friends, her parents, or anyone, including the long list of doctors that her mother drags her along to, what is going on inside of her head. She is afraid that if she does, that they too, will then believe that she is, in fact, going crazy. Sound is a year long journey, from doctor to doctor, and of self discovery. While her life suddenly spirals out of control from her unknown disorder, Jessica also finds herself reexamining her relationship with her best friend, allowing into her life the older boy that she had always avoided, trying to cope with her grandmother’s sudden illness, fighting to stay in school, and secretly wishing to recapture her long lost relationship with her dad. But out of all of these things, there is only one thing that she can ever really focus on. The sounds. The rage. Wanting it to stop. Wanting to escape. And that, maybe she’d be better off deaf.

Sound by Kelly Bruno is a Young Adult novel on misophonia. It can be found on Amazon.

[amazon_textlink asin=’B01KWBS6TS|1535320257′ text=’Buy Sound Now ‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’misophoniaint-20|misophoniai0b-20′ marketplace=’CA|US’ link_id=’2ae6cad7-c486-11e8-88f7-5d889391afb8′]

September 30, 2018 0 comment

Product Review

Bluedio T4 (Turbine) Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones

written by Shaylynn H.

It’s been about a week with my new Bluedio T4 noise cancelling headphones. I couldn’t afford Bose (but, god damn’it I considered it), and I really couldn’t afford anything more expensive than $80. The Bluedio headset was not my first by the brand – but my older pair wasn’t noise cancelling. They were still reliable, so I gave these a shot. I’ve got to say, they work great! They’re also a very sleek and nice design (I bought mine in white, but they come in black and red too.

As for the noise cancelling, I couldn’t hear my mother speaking to me, right next to me – so that’s a win in my book!

They pair easily to my iPhone. They’re loud enough that I can’t hear anything other than the music, and the active noise cancelling actually works. All in all, I’m pretty happy. They are relatively heavy, so if you’re super sensitive, this is something to consider. But, they fit pretty well (but do fall when I bend over). They also have a built in mic. I’d definitely recommend them!

July 4, 2018 0 comment

Coping

The Best Headphones For Misophonia

written by Shaylynn H.

This is a list of headphones for misophonia, added to be sufferers of the disorder. This list will be updated regularly. These headphones are in no particular order, and feature the view of the submitter. Please do send in your own headphone review if you have a pair that you believe are amazing. Headphones and earbuds will be included on this page.

Lower End Headphones for Misophonia

Bluedio Wireless Headphones

Price Range: Low-Mid

Where To Buy: Amazon

I mentioned these headphones in my article, “The Tools I Use To Cope With Misophonia“, and while I am still on the market for new headphones, I still maintain that Bluedio are a great value for their lower-end price.

Here’s a confession. I’ve never found the perfect pair of headphones for my misophonia.

Actually, I’m not really sure one exists but I am always willing to find solutions. I’ve bought, sold, and gave away so many pairs. These ones are pretty good, though. They’re bluetooth compatible with most devices, wireless, and very easy to switch the song and volume by clicking buttons on the right earpiece.

By Post Author

Samsung Phone Earbuds

Price Range: Low

Where To Buy: Amazon

This suggestion comes from Rachel’s article, “Earplug & Headphone Suggestions by Rachel“. So far, the most comfortable, and noise canceling headphones I have come across, are ones that have the plastic cup buds. They are lightweight, and can even be slept in, if small enough. They can come with a mic, so if you are on your phone, you can still answer calls. They are usually sold at dollar stores, and I would recommend getting the cheaper ones. No matter how expensive it is, with the amount of times a Misophone has to use it, and the frustration that usually comes with having to, they are bound to break often.

By Rachel

Avantree 40 hr Wireless / Wired Bluetooth 4.0 Over-the-Ear Headphones

headphones for misophonia

Price Range: Low-Mid

Where To Buy: Amazon

For the lower to middle end of the price-range, I am rather impressed by these Avantree headphones. Firstly, they hold their charge quite well, despite only being charged now and then. Most importantly, they are comfortable, and the sound is not abrasive. While they do not have the same blocking coverage as the higher end Bose, they are certainly more reliable than the other cheap options on the list. An added bonus is that they are capable of both Bluetooth and Aux. Therefore, if you’re trapped without a bluetooth device, you can still quickly plug your headphones in. I’ve used these grocery shopping, and the range was so great that when I accidentally walked away from my mother who had the cart, I got coverage through half a store.

By Post Author

Sol-Republic Relays Sport Ear-buds

Price Range: Low

Where To Buy: Amazon

Great product. It works really well to block out sounds. They are frequently on sale, too. The sound quality is pretty good too. I give it 4/5 stars.

Submitted by Hayden

Sony NC-7 Noise Cancelling Headphones

Price Range: Low

*Where To Buy: Ebay (United States, Canada)
*These headphones may be hard to find, but they’re being added in the off-chance people can find second-hand or in-store.

It says on the package that these are “ideal for travel” and offer an “87.4% Ambient Noise Reduction.” It’s not perfect but it is better than a lot of so-called noise canceling headphones out there. These come with a sliding on/off button for times when you want or don’t want noise canceling. When I have the button on I cannot hear anything except what is playing through the headphones. What I like about the headphones besides the fact that they’re great on buses, trains and planes is that they are collapsible and not bulky like other headsets. They take one AAA battery and come with a plug adaptor to plug into a dual jack or stereo jack. Mine also came with a soft black carrying pouch for storage. You can also buy a hard case for these separately. The ear pads can make your ears sweaty in the summer, but can be replaced, and the headphones may stop working after continuous usage, but it usually takes years for that to happen unless you don’t take care of them. The headband may pinch your neck so take precautions. Sony discontinued this model several years ago but you can still get them on eBay or Amazon. I like sales so I try to get two pairs at once. These come in black but I believe I have seen then in white. They are pretty good at blocking out sounds like tapping and clicking and mute sharper sounds like gum popping provided you have white or pink noise playing.

Submitted by Shaye

AblePlanet Wired Headphones

able planet misophonia headphones

Price Range: Low

*Where To Buy: Ebay (United States, Canada)
*These headphones may be hard to find, but they’re being added in the off-chance people can find second-hand or in-store.

When I was Princess Auto (a Canadian retail chain specializing in farm, industrial, garage, hydraulics and surplus items), I found these headphones. On an impulse, I bought them. I had no headphones with me, and I wanted the car ride to be more favourable. I didn’t have high hopes for them, but they’re surprisingly sound resistant. Like the Sony headphones above, these are no longer stocked in stores, but you can find them on Ebay. I find these headphones rather comfortable (almost all headphones hurt my ears) and have lasted me a few years of regular use. They also have a dial on them where I can easily adjust the volume.

By Post Author

Higher End Headphones for Misophonia

Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones

Price Range: High

Where To Buy: Amazon

Beats Studio3 are the closest I get to a safe place. For various issues, TV is the one thing that relaxes me but, unfortunately, we have ridiculously loud neighbors and very thin walls. I found a wireless transmitter that allows me to hear the TV through my headphones, blocking out the world around me. Additionally, if I want to read a book, the headphones connect to my meditation app on my phone that provides the sounds of rain or the ocean to make the distractions disappear. The headphones are very comfortable and hold a good charge for hours. I did have to replace my first pair after about a year, but that could have been a fluke. Overall, pricey but worth it for the sound security.

Submitted by Sara

Skullcandy Crusher Wireless Headphones

Price Range: Mid-High

Where To Buy: Amazon

I have several fancy/expensive sets of headphones, but these are by far my favorite! The Bose 35’s (my 2nd favorite) are too big for my head and flop around if I have to lean forward or bend over, but these Skullcandy Crusher Wireless headphones fit perfectly. They aren’t as noise cancelling as Bose, but that’s better for me in social situations because I can hear normal conversation without hearing background trigger noises. I also like that I don’t have to download an app to make these work, they connect to my phone with Bluetooth automatically. These headphones are durable and fold up small enough to easily fit in my purse. I like that they are wireless because I don’t have to worry about the cord getting tangled or caught. They do have a place for a cord if you prefer having a cord. Sometimes I use the cord to connect to machines at the gym.

Submitted By Amanda

Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Noise Canceling Headphones

Price Range: High

Where To Buy: Amazon

The Bose Quiet Comfort 35 (II) are kind of heavy, especially if you are used to earbuds. The style is around-the-ear. I use them because I think they are very good at noise canceling.

They also reproduce music well, and are not bass-heavy like beats, which I don’t like. I find that I can wear them for hours, while earbuds irritate me in less than an hour. I wear them everywhere, around my neck. I don’t care if I look nerdy. Being able to wear them when someone triggers me makes it worth it. My wireless range is about 20 feet. I recharge every night. The earphones still say 100 percent charged even if not used for a few days.

Submitted by Sondheim

Bose QuietComfort 25 (QC 25)

Price Range: High

Where To Buy: Amazon

I love the Bose QC25s. They are very very similar to the 35’s, the newest model from Bose, however their are slight differences. One being, the 25’s have replaceable batteries, whereas the 35’s have an internal irreplaceable single battery that needs to be charged for the noise cancelling to work. These batteries in the 35’s last slightly more than 10 hours or so which suits most people and is great for the office and travelling to and from work. However, for extended use; i.e. on a plane trip from Sydney to Los Angeles, which is > 20 hours; this simply will not do. And is why for me at least, the QC 25’s reign supreme. Another difference, is the 35’s have built in BlueTooth, where as the 25’s don’t. There are third party bluetooth adapters for the 25’s if you need it that badly, and still require > 10 hours of battery use at a time. Otherwise; this would be the only downside I see to the 25’s. Is having to have the cord in your way, especially when working at a crowded desk.

Submitted by Rowan

Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones misophonia

Price Range: High

Where To Buy: Amazon

The Bose QuietComfort 20 earbuds are sound cancelling and they simply block out almost everything. Especially if you are watching tv or playing music through them. But even just with noise cancelling turned on they are incredible! They are very snug and come with 3 different size buds. I try not to sleep with them in so I don’t break the wires. But the few times I have slept with them in they don’t hurt too much, maybe only a little, but if it assists with aiding misophonia I can deal with a little uncomfortable-ness. They have an expensive price tag, but as a sufferer, truly believe they are worth it

Submitted by Camilla

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro.

Price Range: High

Where To Buy: Amazon

I liked these headphones so much at work, I wound up getting a second pair for home. Insulation is very good even if you’re not playing any sound. If you play music, it sounds great.

Pay attention to the Ohm rating and make sure it’s the right one for how you’re going to use them. I use 32 Ohm for just plugging into my computer.

I would encourage anyone to read about the different types of headphones, especially the difference between “noise-cancelling” and “noise-isolating.” I find the latter to be far better for misophonia mitigation purposes.

Submitted by Dean

Rowkin Bit Charge Wireless Earbuds

Price Range: Mid-High

Where To Buy: Amazon

If you need discreet headphones, these tiny wireless headphones are amazing! In situations that require cover up noise, but not socially appropriate to wear headphones, these barely noticeable ear pieces are the next best thing to hearing aid sound generators that cost a lot of money. Unfortunately the battery only lasts about 2 hours, but they recharge quickly and the carry case is the charger. The carry case charger doubles as a backup phone battery, and can recharge the headphones or a phone 2-3 times before needing to be plugged in to fully recharge. I seriously love these tiny in ear headphones for work situations when I can’t use my favorite over the ear headphones. They cover sounds extremely well, so well that I usually only use one ear at a time.

Submitted By Amanda

I’d like to thank all the people willing to share their headphones with us, and generous enough to submit!

Do you have headphones to suggest? Submit your review of headphones for misophonia here, and we’ll add them to the page.

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December 12, 2017 0 comment

Personal Stories

Misophonia And The Longing For A World Without Sound

written by Admin

Growing up, I was always told that if you play music in your headphones too loud, you can damage your hearing. At 33 years old, as I go through my daily routine of putting my $150 earbuds in at work, just so I can get things done without the distraction of the actual adult across from me who inexplicably chews with her mouth open, I find myself sending up a little wish that my hearing will be damaged in the process.
I’ve grown to accept the fact that wishing for some form of deafness, while demented and truly horrific, is really a cry to the universe to please just give me some peace. Instead, I have realized that my hearing actually gets stronger every day. I’ve started picking up on hidden backbeats and instruments in songs I’ve been listening to for 20 years. My boyfriend turned on a pen light the other day and I ran screaming from the room because of a high-pitched sound he could not hear that was deafening to me.

My life completely and intensely revolves around sound. I don’t go to movies because the sound of someone chewing or whispering is enough to make my blood pressure skyrocket and ruin every second of the experience. I dread the days my firefighter boyfriend is off duty, not because I don’t love my time with him, but because his presence in his own home means I cannot wear my noise-canceling headphones that I rigged to connect to the TV, so I can do the one thing I enjoy without having it ruined by the bass of the upstairs neighbors’ CONSTANT music. A few weeks ago, my headphones suddenly broke on a particularly bad noise night and I sat screaming, sobbing and rocking in the living room because I no longer had the one thing that made me safe.

Discovering that Misophonia was an actual thing didn’t make me feel as validated as some. I have been diagnosed with Bipolar II and OCD and neither diagnosis makes me feel any less crazy. They still can’t be proven. People still don’t understand them. They’re mocked in a way cancer never will be. I’m guessing the three diseases run hand in hand; while I have no proof of this, the symptoms all seem to run in the same circle. I’m just lucky enough to have them all in triplicate. I find myself getting angry when people offhandedly remark, “Oh yeah, people chewing annoys me, too.” Oh, does it? Is it literally the only thing you can hear? Does it make you so full of fury you don’t know whether to scream or cry, so you do both? Do you think about noise every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year? Then no, you don’t “have Misophonia, too, haha”, you have something I don’t, which is a life.

In all honesty, I’m terrified. I’m getting worse and nothing other than temporary fixes seem to help. The pills I take for Bipolar don’t do anything to mask this far more life-altering disorder. I started a new job this year and I recently found out I’m going to lose my office to a new, yuppy, open floor plan. I don’t feel comfortable telling an employer who knows nothing about me that a disease they’ve never heard of, that I technically diagnosed myself with over the internet, will make that setup an everyday living hell for me.

Misophonia is very, very lonely. The physical isolation of not going out and doing things “normal” people can do. The auditory isolation of always being under the wall of headphones. The emotional isolation of feeling like you’re one noise reaction away from losing the relationships that truly matter to you.

I would miss music and singing in the car. I would miss the grumble growl of my beautiful Australian Shepherd welcoming me home with a toy. I would miss the laughter I’m actually able to bring to my loved ones’ mouths. But I do believe that deafness would bring me the one thing I’m never able to achieve, and that’s peace.

By Sara Kakuris

August 16, 2017 0 comment

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