Ben Crofts doesn\u2019t join his family at the table for meal times; instead, he takes his plate to a quiet room and eats alone. The reason? He \u00adsuffers from misophonia \u2013 an intolerance of sounds, where noises such as chewing and crunching trigger emotional or physiological responses.<\/p>\n
The 50-year-old musician from Somerset has lived with it all his life \u2013 it has ruined relationships and caused him immense anxiety.<\/p>\n
And he\u2019s far from alone. Studies suggest 20 per cent of the population report symptoms resembling misophonia.<\/p>\n
\u2018But it\u2019s difficult to draw a line between everyday disliking, and the extreme disliking found in misophonia,\u2019 explains Julia Simner, a professor of neuropsychology at the University of Sussex.<\/p>\n
She estimates that 9 per cent of us, roughly six million Britons, suffer with serious debilitating misophonia.<\/p>\n
\u2018Many people dislike the sound of someone slurping, for instance \u2013 but clinically significant misophonics will feel the extreme rage and disgust that makes living with it almost impossible.\u2019<\/p>\n
Eating sounds are the most common trigger for people with misophonia, adds Professor Simner.<\/p>\n
\u2018Some dislike crunching while others dislike \u201cwet\u201d sounds, such as eating yoghurt. But we know there are other common triggers \u2013 such as ticking clocks or clicking keyboards.\u2019<\/p>\n
![\"Ben](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/03\/30\/22\/107532107-15692173-Ben_Crofts_suffers_from_misophonia_an_intolerance_of_sounds_wher-a-2_1774905611240.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nBen Crofts suffers from misophonia \u2013 an intolerance of sounds, where noises such as chewing and crunching trigger emotional or physiological responses<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A recent study of those with misophonia, led by \u00adProfessor Simner, identified at least 39 \u00addifferent triggers.<\/p>\n
Whatever the trigger it can have serious implications, as Professor Simner explains: \u2018Even as \u00adchildren, people with misophonia had significantly poorer life satisfaction, quality of life, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive traits and emotion dysregulation [ie, feeling negative emotions sooner, deeper and for longer than other people].<\/p>\n
\u2018It can affect everyday life in almost every way: leading to work avoidance, school avoidance, family conflict, loneliness, isolation, frustration.\u2019<\/p>\n
People with misophonia may find the actions of others, even loved ones, intolerable, she says. \u2018This can drive wedges between friends and family members.\u2019<\/p>\n
Zara Kadir, a family psychotherapist at The Therapy Shed in Kingston upon Thames, says it is not uncommon to see misophonia put strain on relationships.<\/p>\n
\u2018Misophonia can turn bonding experiences [such as shared meal times] into moments of stress and disconnect.<\/p>\n
Common misophonia triggers\u00a0<\/h3>\n\nAccording to research by the University of Surrey, these are the most common triggers for people with misophonia:<\/p>\n
Chewing, lip smacking, wet mouth sounds, throat clearing, slurping, sniffing, crunchy or crispy foods, swallowing, foot tapping, pen tapping or clicking, coughing, snoring, breathing, leg rocking, humming, whistling, plastic rustling, dog barking, burping, clock ticking, paper rustling, foot shuffling, typing, certain letter sounds, accents, hiccupping, sneezing, snorting, fridge sounds, car sounds, other background noises.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\u2018The triggered party can feel unsafe, guilty, overwhelmed and misunderstood \u2013 while the trigger [ie, the person making the offensive noise], feels overly criticised, rejected and \u00adcontrolled.\u2019<\/p>\n
She adds: \u2018If it\u2019s approached with understanding, small practical adjustments \u2013 maybe even humour \u2013 it can be overcome.\u2019<\/p>\n
Misophonia had been considered a form of anxiety disorder \u2013 but new research in the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology concluded that the anger, irritation and resentment that it \u00adtriggers suggest otherwise.<\/p>\n
There is research that shows that in people with misophonia, certain parts of the brain become switched on when they hear their \u2018trigger\u2019 sounds.<\/p>\n
A 2017 study published in Current Biology based on scans of people with the condition found that a key \u2018alarm system\u2019 in the brain switched on far more strongly than in other people, explains Professor Simner. The brain areas involved are called the salience network.<\/p>\n
\u2018This decides what\u2019s important and demands attention,\u2019 she explains. \u2018In ancient times, it would have lit up in a human the moment they spotted a lion on the horizon because it signals \u201cpay attention \u2013 take care\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u2018A crucial region in this network is the anterior insular cortex; it became especially overactive in people with misophonia. In other words, the misophonic brain reacts to these noises as if they\u2019re as impossible to ignore as a lion.\u2019<\/p>\n
It\u2019s unclear why some people develop misophonia, though it is partly genetic. And women seem to have stronger symptoms than men, says Professor Simner.<\/p>\n
Ben was 12 when he first noticed feeling aggravated by the noise others made when eating.<\/p>\n
He recalls: \u2018I remember feeling really annoyed if someone chewed near me. But I had no way of explaining this, so I ignored it.\u2019<\/p>\n
But it got worse. Soon, tapping and clicking \u2013 common sounds in classrooms \u2013 began to aggravate him too. \u2018It became outright rage \u2013 I\u2019d have to remove myself from the room,\u2019 says Ben.<\/p>\n
\u2018Conflict was never far away, often resulting in being removed from a class. In the long run it negatively affected my results.\u2019<\/p>\n
Ben married young and had children in his 20s.<\/p>\n
\u2018Children make noise and so this exacerbated it,\u2019 he recalls. \u2018Screaming could, at times, \u00adtrigger me. High frequency and discordant sounds seem to be more powerful triggers.<\/p>\n
\n\n ![\"Zara](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/03\/30\/17\/107532103-15692173-Zara_Kadir_a_family_psychotherapist_says_it_is_not_uncommon_to_s-a-7_1774889012017.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nZara Kadir, a family psychotherapist, says it is not uncommon to see misophonia put strain on relationships<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u2018By now, it was way past irritation and made me irrationally mad. I\u2019d never get violent, but if I let myself I would turn a place over or tear someone apart \u2013 that\u2019s how angry noises made me.\u2019<\/p>\n
It led to rows with his wife at the time, who he could not stand to be around when she was eating or making certain noises.<\/p>\n
\u2018We divorced after five years,\u2019 says Ben. \u2018The constant fight-or-flight state I would be in made me far from pleasant to be around.\u2019<\/p>\n
It was around the time his marriage ended that Ben came across the term misophonia online.<\/p>\n
\u2018It sounded just like me \u2013 so I went to my GP to get help,\u2019 he says. But over the years he was told variously it was depression and \u2018there was nothing they could do\u2019 \u2013 or he was met with \u2018blank stares or a smirk, no one seemed to know what it was\u2019.<\/p>\n
One GP even referred Ben \u2013 without his knowledge \u2013 to a dementia service. (\u2018They were as confused as I was and told me not to come!\u2019 he recalls.)<\/p>\n
Professor Simner says that treatment and referrals for misophonia can vary depending on whether your GP is sympathetic.<\/p>\n
\u2018You may be referred to an \u00adaudiology clinic,\u2019 she says. \u2018They may run an assessment to provide a diagnosis and rule out hyperacusis.\u2019 (Here, ordinary sounds feel physically too loud or even painful \u2013 whereas misophonia involves how the brain interprets sound.)<\/p>\n
Some experts suggest white noise or background music can \u2018drown out\u2019 triggering sounds.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, Ben finds his work as a musician peaceful.<\/p>\n
\u2018While I\u2019m making music it\u2019s one of the few times I can relax knowing I won\u2019t be triggered,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n
In the studio, he is in control of the noise. Ben says: \u2018In daily life, I can\u2019t control someone crunching or rustling a packet \u2013 but in a studio, I control the sounds.\u2019<\/p>\n
Apart from a brief spell trying antidepressants in his 30s, Ben has had no help from doctors.<\/p>\n
He says: \u2018I\u2019ve tried many times over the years to access help for misophonia \u2013 but there\u2019s been no progress and it\u2019s been a demoralising journey, resulting in a much adjusted way of life for me.\u2019<\/p>\n
\n\n ![\"Ben,](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/03\/30\/17\/107532115-15692173-image-m-27_1774889452885.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nBen, a 50-year-old musician from Somerset, has lived with misophonia all his life \u2013 it has ruined relationships and caused him immense anxiety<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n ![\"Some](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/03\/30\/22\/107532117-15692173-Some_experts_suggest_white_noise_or_background_music_can_drown_o-a-1_1774905611240.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nSome experts suggest white noise or background music can \u2018drown out\u2019 triggering sounds. Surprisingly, Ben finds his work as a musician peaceful. \u2018While I\u2019m making music it\u2019s one of the few times I can relax knowing I won\u2019t be triggered,\u2019 he says<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
It has made new relationships difficult, for instance.<\/p>\n
\u2018Partners felt unable to make me comfortable, or maybe didn\u2019t feel it was their problem,\u2019 says Ben. \u2018It\u2019s an unreasonable \u00adscenario for most to tolerate.\u2019<\/p>\n
Then, seven years ago, he met Jane, 46, a firefighter.<\/p>\n
\u2018I told her from the offset that I had misophonia as so many relationships had failed before,\u2019 says Ben. \u2018She didn\u2019t baulk and vowed to support me \u2013 and she has.\u2019<\/p>\n
Jane found charities and support groups for Ben to join, and adapted to his needs.<\/p>\n
\u2018We cook together and then eat in separate rooms,\u2019 he says. \u2018It may not be family-friendly, but it works for us and gives me peace.\u2019<\/p>\n
Ben still regularly has to leave meals and social events if his misophonia flares up.<\/p>\n
\u2018I don\u2019t even excuse myself any more,\u2019 he says. \u2018If someone is crunching or rustling, I just get up and leave. The rage I feel \u00adotherwise is overwhelming.\u2019<\/p>\n
He adds: \u2018I hope my story encourages GPs and medical professionals to learn more about misophonia. It wrecks relationships, careers and social lives.\u2019<\/p>\n
According to research by the University of Surrey, these are the most common triggers for people with misophonia:<\/p>\n
Chewing, lip smacking, wet mouth sounds, throat clearing, slurping, sniffing, crunchy or crispy foods, swallowing, foot tapping, pen tapping or clicking, coughing, snoring, breathing, leg rocking, humming, whistling, plastic rustling, dog barking, burping, clock ticking, paper rustling, foot shuffling, typing, certain letter sounds, accents, hiccupping, sneezing, snorting, fridge sounds, car sounds, other background noises.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\u2018The triggered party can feel unsafe, guilty, overwhelmed and misunderstood \u2013 while the trigger [ie, the person making the offensive noise], feels overly criticised, rejected and \u00adcontrolled.\u2019<\/p>\n
She adds: \u2018If it\u2019s approached with understanding, small practical adjustments \u2013 maybe even humour \u2013 it can be overcome.\u2019<\/p>\n
Misophonia had been considered a form of anxiety disorder \u2013 but new research in the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology concluded that the anger, irritation and resentment that it \u00adtriggers suggest otherwise.<\/p>\n
There is research that shows that in people with misophonia, certain parts of the brain become switched on when they hear their \u2018trigger\u2019 sounds.<\/p>\n
A 2017 study published in Current Biology based on scans of people with the condition found that a key \u2018alarm system\u2019 in the brain switched on far more strongly than in other people, explains Professor Simner. The brain areas involved are called the salience network.<\/p>\n
\u2018This decides what\u2019s important and demands attention,\u2019 she explains. \u2018In ancient times, it would have lit up in a human the moment they spotted a lion on the horizon because it signals \u201cpay attention \u2013 take care\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u2018A crucial region in this network is the anterior insular cortex; it became especially overactive in people with misophonia. In other words, the misophonic brain reacts to these noises as if they\u2019re as impossible to ignore as a lion.\u2019<\/p>\n
It\u2019s unclear why some people develop misophonia, though it is partly genetic. And women seem to have stronger symptoms than men, says Professor Simner.<\/p>\n
Ben was 12 when he first noticed feeling aggravated by the noise others made when eating.<\/p>\n
He recalls: \u2018I remember feeling really annoyed if someone chewed near me. But I had no way of explaining this, so I ignored it.\u2019<\/p>\n
But it got worse. Soon, tapping and clicking \u2013 common sounds in classrooms \u2013 began to aggravate him too. \u2018It became outright rage \u2013 I\u2019d have to remove myself from the room,\u2019 says Ben.<\/p>\n
\u2018Conflict was never far away, often resulting in being removed from a class. In the long run it negatively affected my results.\u2019<\/p>\n
Ben married young and had children in his 20s.<\/p>\n
\u2018Children make noise and so this exacerbated it,\u2019 he recalls. \u2018Screaming could, at times, \u00adtrigger me. High frequency and discordant sounds seem to be more powerful triggers.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nZara Kadir, a family psychotherapist, says it is not uncommon to see misophonia put strain on relationships<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u2018By now, it was way past irritation and made me irrationally mad. I\u2019d never get violent, but if I let myself I would turn a place over or tear someone apart \u2013 that\u2019s how angry noises made me.\u2019<\/p>\n
It led to rows with his wife at the time, who he could not stand to be around when she was eating or making certain noises.<\/p>\n
\u2018We divorced after five years,\u2019 says Ben. \u2018The constant fight-or-flight state I would be in made me far from pleasant to be around.\u2019<\/p>\n
It was around the time his marriage ended that Ben came across the term misophonia online.<\/p>\n
\u2018It sounded just like me \u2013 so I went to my GP to get help,\u2019 he says. But over the years he was told variously it was depression and \u2018there was nothing they could do\u2019 \u2013 or he was met with \u2018blank stares or a smirk, no one seemed to know what it was\u2019.<\/p>\n
One GP even referred Ben \u2013 without his knowledge \u2013 to a dementia service. (\u2018They were as confused as I was and told me not to come!\u2019 he recalls.)<\/p>\n
Professor Simner says that treatment and referrals for misophonia can vary depending on whether your GP is sympathetic.<\/p>\n
\u2018You may be referred to an \u00adaudiology clinic,\u2019 she says. \u2018They may run an assessment to provide a diagnosis and rule out hyperacusis.\u2019 (Here, ordinary sounds feel physically too loud or even painful \u2013 whereas misophonia involves how the brain interprets sound.)<\/p>\n
Some experts suggest white noise or background music can \u2018drown out\u2019 triggering sounds.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, Ben finds his work as a musician peaceful.<\/p>\n
\u2018While I\u2019m making music it\u2019s one of the few times I can relax knowing I won\u2019t be triggered,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n
In the studio, he is in control of the noise. Ben says: \u2018In daily life, I can\u2019t control someone crunching or rustling a packet \u2013 but in a studio, I control the sounds.\u2019<\/p>\n
Apart from a brief spell trying antidepressants in his 30s, Ben has had no help from doctors.<\/p>\n
He says: \u2018I\u2019ve tried many times over the years to access help for misophonia \u2013 but there\u2019s been no progress and it\u2019s been a demoralising journey, resulting in a much adjusted way of life for me.\u2019<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nBen, a 50-year-old musician from Somerset, has lived with misophonia all his life \u2013 it has ruined relationships and caused him immense anxiety<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nSome experts suggest white noise or background music can \u2018drown out\u2019 triggering sounds. Surprisingly, Ben finds his work as a musician peaceful. \u2018While I\u2019m making music it\u2019s one of the few times I can relax knowing I won\u2019t be triggered,\u2019 he says<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
It has made new relationships difficult, for instance.<\/p>\n
\u2018Partners felt unable to make me comfortable, or maybe didn\u2019t feel it was their problem,\u2019 says Ben. \u2018It\u2019s an unreasonable \u00adscenario for most to tolerate.\u2019<\/p>\n
Then, seven years ago, he met Jane, 46, a firefighter.<\/p>\n
\u2018I told her from the offset that I had misophonia as so many relationships had failed before,\u2019 says Ben. \u2018She didn\u2019t baulk and vowed to support me \u2013 and she has.\u2019<\/p>\n
Jane found charities and support groups for Ben to join, and adapted to his needs.<\/p>\n
\u2018We cook together and then eat in separate rooms,\u2019 he says. \u2018It may not be family-friendly, but it works for us and gives me peace.\u2019<\/p>\n
Ben still regularly has to leave meals and social events if his misophonia flares up.<\/p>\n
\u2018I don\u2019t even excuse myself any more,\u2019 he says. \u2018If someone is crunching or rustling, I just get up and leave. The rage I feel \u00adotherwise is overwhelming.\u2019<\/p>\n
He adds: \u2018I hope my story encourages GPs and medical professionals to learn more about misophonia. It wrecks relationships, careers and social lives.\u2019<\/p>\n