You may have a friend or an ex who liked to chew their food rather obnoxiously. And every time you would tell them how much it bothered you, they couldn’t understand why. And sometimes, even if for most people, the sounds they made while enjoying their food were hardly audible, you could still not stand it.
And it’s not just chewing. Whether you’re annoying by cracking knuckles, babies crying or slurping, we have good news for you. Scientific studies tell us that individuals who are generally more disturbed by the sounds around them are smarter.
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So don’t worry if you are more irritable than your peers when hearing strange noises. Not being able to concentrate on what you are doing means you are also more creative.
Apparently, there is also a name for this: being bothered by sounds such as chewing is called misophonia. Not many people have heard of it, but many of us may know the feeling of annoyance. Research tells us about 20% of the population has this condition.
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They hear sounds that 80% of people won’t even notice.
But there’s no reason to be ashamed if you have misophonia (literally meaning “hating sounds); on the contrary. New research claims you are more intelligent than average and highly creative.
The downside is they have to struggle when it comes to working in loud environments. So this is a serious medical condition, not just a pet peeve, as we once thought.
So next time you draw the attention to your slurping boyfriend or girlfriend, do it proudly. And tell them this is what it means.
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