Is misophonia a phobia?
Misophonia is not considered to be a phobia. Phobias are irrational fears of specific things or situations, while misophonia is a sensory disorder that causes a strong negative emotional reaction to specific, common sounds, such as the noises of someone eating or clicking a pen.
People with misophonia aren’t typically afraid of the activating sounds. Misophonia is a disorder of sensory processing in the brain, not a phobia.
People with misophonia also often experience misokinesia, which is a similar disorder but activated by visual stimuli instead of sounds. These visual activators are often associated with the auditory “triggers” but can include repetitive motions and many other observed visual sights.
Misophonia is often described as a disorder that is a multi-sensory sensitivity and can be difficult to cope with in some cases.