What It’s Like to Detest the Sound of People Eating

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When Emma Taubner hears people eat — the crunching, chewing, and smacking sounds of ingestion — she is filled with intense anxiety and rage.

Taubner has a condition called misophonia, or selective sound sensitivity syndrome, wherein certain sounds can trigger intense disgust and distress. While people with misophonia have been diagnosed as simply being “irritable,” research has suggested that the true cause might be the structure of one’s brain.

While there is no known cure for the condition, Taubner has learned ways to cope — especially in aurally fraught social situations. She shares her experience with the Cut in the video above.

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What It’s Like to Detest the Sound of People Eating