Hate Hearing People Chew? You May Have This Condition

The reason why I had to dive into this ordeal is because of my friend Madison. There has only been one person in my life who has yelled at me while I'm chewing gum or eating. I'm not a smacker, but if I open my mouth for any reason she shoots that look at me that tells me I am a dead woman chewing.

Turns out my friend Madison comes by it honestly, she can't help it. Scientists are proving that she isn't crazy, she just mentally can't handle it. According to TheGuardian.com brain scans conducted by researchers at Newcastle University validate the crazy feelings some feel when they hear people chew, drink, or in some cases even breathing.

Have you ever heard of misophonia? It's a hate of a certain sound that can cause someone to become anxious, disturbed, and in rare cases even violent. According to WebMd.com "Misophonia is a disorder in which certain sounds trigger emotional or physiological responses that some might perceive as unreasonable given the circumstance. Those who have misophonia might describe it as when a sound “drives you crazy.” Their reactions can range from anger and annoyance to panic and the need to flee."

The brain scans performed by researchers proved that those who suffer from misophonia have a "stronger connectivity between the part of the brain that processes sounds" the sound of someone chewing also makes the premotor cortex light up like a Christmas tree. Basically, the part of the brain that handles mouth and throat muscle movements starts to go crazy.

Simply put a person with misophonia feels panicked and they have the urge to chew or swallow although there is nothing in their mouth. This causes confusion in their brain which can lead to anxiety and violence.

Don't be hard on your friends if they can't handle your chewing, they just can't help it. Maybe practice not eating around them.