Chewing

[JKF]

Ok - so the sound of people chewing enrages me. I seriously get angry and want to scream and hurt people!

I looked it up online and there's a name for it. It's called misophonia. This article pretty much sums it up:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/health/06annoy.html?_r=0

Anyway just now - my coworker sat here next to me crunching away on a bag of those air popped veggie stix. It took all of my might not to jump up and hit her. The sound drives me INSANE! Sounded like she was chewing on gravel. Uggggghhhhh!!!

Don't get me wrong - it's not just her. I hate anyone who chews near me but she's a prime example. Am I nuts? Can anyone else here relate???

 

[InsaneCdn]

Ummm...

OK, I can see both sides of this.
But... I've had to learn that there are multiple layers to "rules".
Doing that in a meeting? no doggone way (in my books, and at most companies I've worked for)
At your own workspace? harder to call. Many of us "graze" during the day. If you're pregnant, or have various metabolic issues, it's essential. And most "grazing" foods - even the real foods - are crunchy. Carrot sticks, for example.

I'm assuming you're in a shared workspace. It is of course less invasive if the person is in a separate office.
And, I'm assuming that you are the person who answers the phones etc., so YOU can't use ear plugs?
If her crunching is right beside your desk and you are responsible for the phones, then her crunching can probably be heard on the other end of the phone as well... and therefore her desk should probably be farther away.
Other than that... no idea what to suggest.

 

[Hound dog]

Sensory issue. You're not nuts. Feel better? LOL

Depends on what they're chewing.........but yeah, I've had issues. I worse issues over open mouth chewers and it's not just that I can see what they're chewing but the sounds are omg.

So now we have air popped veggie stix???? I'm not sure I wanna know what that is. lol

 

[everywoman]

My easy child has this issue as well. It drives her up a wall so that while growing up--even as a toddler--- she had to eat separately from the rest of the family. I can still hear at at 2----"'Top Macking!" (Stop smacking!)

 

[dstc_99]

difficult child has that issue! Plus she can't stand the sound of someone breathing either. It finally got so bad I told her we were not going to all stop breathing to make her happy. LOL

One suggestion that we found that worked was white noise. She could wear earphones and play the white noise sofetly enough that it didn't restrict her from hearing people talk or phones ring but it drowned out the mouth noises.

 

[nerfherder]

Hound: The "air popped veggie sticks" are basically the same as the insides of Chee-tos, just flavored to taste kind of "green." Or "orange." Or... something. Personally I'd rather have some chocolate and a carrot chaser.

 

[trinityroyal]

Yay! I'm not a freak, I have misophonia!

I can't STAND the sound of chewing, someone clipping nails with those HORRIBLE clipping devices, clicking pens, the sound that a hair brush makes in dry hair, the rustling sound of polyester fabric...I could go on and on, but even listing them is giving me the willies a bit.

It's gotten much better as I've gotten older. Perhaps a bit of hearing loss has made things easier to cope with, as I don't seem to be as reactive as I was in my teens.

 

[Jody]

Ah yes, I also have this. I can be in a room of 200 people but one lady will mess with her Sun chips bag over and over again. I can hear it all above everything else and it creates a rage in me. I am always looking around to see if anyone else notices, nope just me. Chewing is the worse, absolutely. I have a friend that I go to bingo with, I love her, great person. For some reason, she likes only the crunchy cheetos, oh my goodness, I actually have to put my hand over my ear that is next to her, then I start eating her chips just to get the bag finished so she can't eat any more. Ugh, last time we went I bought her a bag of her favorite chips, and silently cursed myself for 30 minutes while she chewed and crunched on them. Ugh, will never do that again. Thinking about it gave me chills.

 

[witzend]

I only get worked up over certain chewing. The loudest chewing sound that husband makes is when he eats a banana. You can hear that from across the house. What is that all about?

 

[1905]

I thought it was just me....in the movie theater only. If anyone dares to eat that popcorn near me....the constant, gross crunch, crunch.......I take my ticket stub in one hand and constantly crumble it up in my ear while I'm watching the movie. I can hear the movie over the crumbling of my own ticket. I need to do that, it blocks it out. Plus, I give the evil eye to the people behind me eating that! I hate that! The people are probably like....wth is her problem?! husband thinks I am a freak in the movies! I can't stop complaining about the eating noise!!!!! I am happy to hear I'm not the only one. (lol)

 

[hearts and roses]

Yay! I'm not a freak, I have misophonia!

I can't STAND the sound of chewing, someone clipping nails with those HORRIBLE clipping devices, clicking pens, the sound that a hair brush makes in dry hair, the rustling sound of polyester fabric...I could go on and on, but even listing them is giving me the willies a bit.

It's gotten much better as I've gotten older. Perhaps a bit of hearing loss has made things easier to cope with, as I don't seem to be as reactive as I was in my teens.

Yes, this is me...and easy child, hahhaa. I have always hated chewing, clicking pens, etc. I especially hate when I'm in class and some stupid chick is behind me with gum in her mouth...i can hear the saliva in her mouth-GROSSSSSS!

I kind of like that it has a name. You are not weird, erm, I mean, you are not alone....lol.

 

[JKF]

Wow! It's nice to know I'm not the only one!

And yes - other sounds definitely bother me too. Nail clipping, breathing, whistling, clicking, tapping and on and on. Chewing is the worst for me though. Loud, crunchy, cow like chewing. GROSS!!