Misophonia: the disorder that makes people rage over hearing annoying sounds

Nails on a chalkboard, the sound of someone speaking the word, "moist", or the squeak of styrofoam are all common sounds that trigger a cringe, but for some people that cringe is magnified into fits of outrageous rage when they hear a repetitive annoying sound.

These tantrums of anger are actually a medical condition known as Misophonia or Sensitive Sound Syndrome and rather than react to the volume of the noise, people who suffer from Misophonia are often severely bothered by the soft repetitive noises such as someone chewing, smacking their lips while speaking, or a faucet dripping. In fact the name translates literally into "hatred of sound".

Most people develop this syndrome around the age of ten, and as far as research goes, there are no known cures, only coping mechanisms. Sufferers of Misophonia can wear ear plugs, learn to avoid the trigger noises (one woman even eats in separate room than her husband to avoiding his chewing noises), or even attend cognitive behavior therapy.