News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make people angry.

Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by wrp on Friday February 03, 2017 @08:38PM (#13565065)
I suggest we take the discussion of misphonia with a grain of salt.

It seems to be ignoring the very large cultural factor. As an American who has lived around Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, I've observed a great variation in what counts as acceptable table manners. East Asian culture in particular seems to accept a lot more chomping and smacking at the table, and this seems to be a general complaint among Westerners, not just a few individuals.

Secondly, as with anything else psychological, there will be individual variation. I feel there is too much eagerness to isolate some end of a continuum and label it as a syndrome. For example, I've always found notable the fact that some people can't comprehend why neighbors would be bothered by a loud stereo and others can't comprehend how anyone could not be bothered. Though there is a significant psychological variation there, I would not label either group as suffering from a syndrome.

As for dealing with irritating background sounds, in addition to white noise, I've found earplugs very helpful in some situations. The best ones I know of are Hearos Xtreme Protection.

https://www.amazon.com/Hearos-Plugs-Xtreme-Protection-pairs/...

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by Lukman on Friday February 03, 2017 @09:02PM (#13565199)
The attitude you express towards Misophonia is one of the reasons why having this disorder is such a burden. It has nothing to do with table manners. There is nothing rational, or for that matter culturally relevant, about the emotional reaction I have to someone eating an apple next to me. The visceral, angry emotional response I feel to that sound has nothing to do with culture.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by jklinger410 on Friday February 03, 2017 @09:19PM (#13565256)
>The visceral, angry emotional response I feel to that sound has nothing to do with culture.

So, you can't be wrong about this?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by Lukman on Friday February 03, 2017 @09:35PM (#13565309)
That sound is not the only one that triggers my response, but I chose it because of this argument: I don't think anyone would argue that there is something culturally wrong (at least in western culture) with eating apples around other people. And there isn't really a way to eat a whole apple without making a sound that makes me irrationally furious.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by sunnyP on Friday February 03, 2017 @09:54PM (#13565361)
I can't stand others eating an apple, but I can eat one without and issues. The same behavior holds true for playing with loose coins or cellophane wrappers.

How do you react to eating an apple yourself?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by i2shar on Friday February 03, 2017 @11:06PM (#13565588)
That's right - I don't feel anything when I am eating myself, or even when I am at a lunch table with others munching with me. It's only when I am not the one eating. I also get irritated when I am on the phone and the person at the other end is chewing or lapping.

Also, I don't think it's cultural and I suspect it might be hereditary.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by Belphemur on Saturday February 04, 2017 @08:56AM (#13566976)
I think I suffer from the same symptoms, but weirdly enough, if I'm at table and I got food, there is no problem.

Even if I finish first and the other are still eating, it's really only when I didn't eat / not eating that it infuriate me.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by E6300 on Friday February 03, 2017 @11:43PM (#13565673)
Interesting. What if you listen to a recording of yourself eating? While you're at if see how much you can distort it before it stops or starts to bother you. E.g. Played backwards, at double speed, half speed, etc.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by Lukman on Friday February 03, 2017 @10:02PM (#13565385)
Yeah, doesn't bother me. Never bothered by the sound of my own eating.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by BurningFrog on Friday February 03, 2017 @09:44PM (#13565338)
> The visceral, angry emotional response I feel to that sound has nothing to do with culture.

How do you know this?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by Mithaldu on Friday February 03, 2017 @09:21PM (#13565262)
Your comment is wildly inappropiate and non-contributing for the discussion of this article.

Not only are you passing judgement on something you have zero personal experience with, you even managed to completely miss the fact that the article did not discuss "being bothered", but "fight or flight response".

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by wrp on Friday February 03, 2017 @11:05PM (#13565587)
> you passing judgement on something you have zero personal experience with

How do you know that? In fact, the opposite is the case. And having given this issue considerable thought over the years, I'm pointing out where I see this discussion as a bit misguided. Most importantly, psychological differences are largely a matter of degree, not either-or.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by Mithaldu on Saturday February 04, 2017 @06:09AM (#13566579)
You couldn't possibly go into extremely nerdvoice "Actually, ..." mode if you were affected by something like this to the degree described in the article. (Ok, technically you could, and just be a horrible person in other ways, but i suspect that's not it.)
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make p... by waqf on Friday February 03, 2017 @08:42PM (#13565093)
sampo posted an article about misophonia in China: http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1030060.shtml
[ Parent | on HN ]