Re: Thank you Ripa!

April 14, 2012

Omg, yes cigarettes make misophonia much worse! Especially when you are triggered and cannot smoke. Ie, restaurants, airplanes, movies, OR when you are trying to hide your smoking from your children. You need to quit smoking. 1. Obviously, for your health. 2. Way bad example for children. 3. You would not believe how much calmer you will become after passing the addicted to nicotine stage. Look- I was you. Unable to quit. Made Every excuse known to man why it was ok. Never pictured myself not being able to smoke. I did it, i quit. For me it took numerous attempts. I mean, like 10 times. Over many years. I tried hypnotherapy, ( did not work at all) I tried patches, which do work, stepping down. Even cold turkey. My last attempt which finally worked was, I set a date, I bought patches and I knew I was done with those things controlling me. I wore a patch on day 1 and that was it. The next day, I forgot to put one on. It was a mildly difficult day, and after that, every time I thought about cigarettes I immediately diverted my mind to something else. You can do it. You know, smoking sucks. It stinks. You have to alter your life to do it. I think the more you try to quit, the easier it becomes. I swear, the cravings go away. You will enjoy smelling fresh. As to the misophonia, I would get so internally mad I would look for an excuse to leave, so I could smoke. Now, yes I still have miso, but I can work through it much easier. Truly I wish the very best of luck to you.Sent from my 's iPad

Just joined this group and greatly appreciate all the information I'm finding here.

I didn't know that the misery I have endured for as long as I can remember, not only has a name, but isn't as uncommon as it seemed at first. When Ripa mentioned Misophonia on her show, I was curious. Not having insurance, I've been left to research on my own without real medical advice and though I don't have an official diagnosis, I am quite certain that I am a sufferer of Miso/4S.

One of my earliest memories is being taken to a therapist because I could not focus during class in first grade. I have to wonder if I wasn't affected by this from that early of an age. I was diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder in my twenties.

Currently 38 years old, mother of two, freelance graphic designer and artist, leader of girl scouts and cub scouts, and feeling like I finally have some answers for so many things. Just KNOWING that my rage isn't a voluntary response has already helped so much in coping with this issue.

My auditory triggers include: chewing, snoring, lip smacking, gum chewing, knee bouncing, tapping, whining, certain voices, loudness in small spaces, video game sounds, nail/cuticle picking, teeth sucking, slurping, cat/dog scratching or licking, metal utensils scraped on dishes or teeth, ticking clocks, music thru walls, and many other sounds that others seem to be triggered by as well.

It surprises me the repetitive sounds that I actually find comforting, like cricket and cicadas. I even have a cricket farm for feeding my chameleon and I sometimes find myself focusing on the sound of their chirping to calm the rage.

I do wonder though, how many other misophonia sufferers are also smokers? I know it's a horrible habit and I do try to lessen the effects on my health by rolling my own cigarettes with organic tobacco. But any time I have tried to quit, I have found that I am FAR more reactive to my triggers. I quit when pregnant, but didn't last long past delivery before I started again.

I also wonder if this condition contributes to my depression and inability to trust others. I mean, if the sound triggers invoke rage and before now, I hadn't made that connection, it seems like so many other things could be directly related.

=

April 14, 2012

I have previously quit for as long as 18 months, well past the nicotine

addiction threshold. At that time, I only lived with one other person, my

youngest son who was about 6. I worked full time and went to college part time.

I was single and able to cope with the stress and triggers, even though I wasn't

really aware what caused my anxiety. Currently, I live with my son, his father

and occasionally, his other two children. During the day, I don't smoke more

than 3-4 cigarettes. But as soon as someone else is home, I feel the urge to

smoke more. I do limit myself to only 10 (half a pack) a day total, but on those

high-stress days, I say " screw it " because the rage combined with withdrawal

would just be too much to endure.

My son's father is also a smoker and it's very difficult to quit when you live

with another smoker. I have tried and tried to get him to quit with me. He

suffers from other anxiety issues and is of course, the main source of my

triggers...LOL

I've not given up on being a non-smoker. And thank you for your encouragement

and support.

>

> Omg, yes cigarettes make misophonia much worse! Especially when you are

triggered and cannot smoke. Ie, restaurants, airplanes, movies, OR when you are

trying to hide your smoking from your children. You need to quit smoking. 1.

Obviously, for your health. 2. Way bad example for children. 3. You would not

believe how much calmer you will become after passing the addicted to nicotine

stage.

> Look- I was you. Unable to quit. Made Every excuse known to man why it was ok.

Never pictured myself not being able to smoke.

> I did it, i quit. For me it took numerous attempts. I mean, like 10 times.

Over many years. I tried hypnotherapy, ( did not work at all) I tried patches,

which do work, stepping down. Even cold turkey. My last attempt which finally

worked was, I set a date, I bought patches and I knew I was done with those

things controlling me. I wore a patch on day 1 and that was it. The next day, I

forgot to put one on. It was a mildly difficult day, and after that, every time

I thought about cigarettes I immediately diverted my mind to something else.

> You can do it. You know, smoking sucks. It stinks. You have to alter your life

to do it. I think the more you try to quit, the easier it becomes. I swear, the

cravings go away. You will enjoy smelling fresh.

> As to the misophonia, I would get so internally mad I would look for an excuse

to leave, so I could smoke. Now, yes I still have miso, but I can work through

it much easier.

> Truly I wish the very best of luck to you.

>

> Sent from my 's iPad

April 14, 2012

Totally agree, some repetitive sounds are comforting. I love falling asleep with tennis on the TV or the sport of cricket. No chance of eating or kissing and drowns out anything else that could be bothersome. I wonder if most of us with misophonia have gravitated to jobs where we have a level of control of our surroundings. I can't imagine being stuck in an office with others eating and be expected to function. Head Squash CoachWesleyan University