When Certain Sounds Really Do Drive You Crazy

“Named in the early 2000s by the neurologists Pawel and Margaret Jastreboff, misophonia – also called selective sound sensitivity syndrome – is one of many symptom clusters that don’t have a clear etiology. Those who suffer from misophonia recoil from human-made noises like chewing and whistling. The risks of being tormented by everyday experiences, like going to the movies only to find themselves sitting near a popcorn-cruncher, can make them too anxious to leave the house.”