Parents of teenagers with misophonia might be confused by what a reasonable accommodation is and worried that if they over-accommodate their teen will not be prepared for the “real world” outside of the home. These concerns are understandable from a parenting perspective that often considers behavior as the main parenting concern. However, research such as a 2019 study by Porcaro et al. suggests that misophonia accommodations are beneficial in a university setting. In an interview in 2023, Dr. Danesh, who was an author of the study, expressed that he sees no issue and no harm in accommodations for misophonia in his work with the college-age population.
Accommodations for misophonia in the home should be balanced between respect for other family members and helping the teen with misophonia to cope in the environment that should be safest for them. Since sensory information is cumulative, the one place where persons with misophonia can feel safe is often their own bedroom or home.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to help manage the emotional impact of misophonia, but one must remember that this is about after the misophonia moment as there is currently no treatment for the disorder that can alleviate the misophonic fight-flight-freeze response entirely. Coping skills such as CBT, sensory regulation, and mindfulness are an important part of mitigating the distress caused by misophonia. Teenagers with misophonia may need extra time doing homework, fewer extracurriculars so that they have more time to self-regulate, and may need to learn communication skills to manage outbursts at family members during misophonic triggers. It may be helpful to consider online options for university as a way to manage future distress from misophonia, but this depends heavily on the needs of the individual teen.
In a 2018 article, Dr. Jennifer Brout, a psychologist with misophonia, noted that “adolescence is difficult for the individual, and it is equally as daunting for parents. Misophonia can certainly make this already ‘stormy’ time worse for everyone. However, helping your teenager make some adjustments within daily routines and regarding social events can go a long way. Demonstrating understanding and patience when your adolescent is behaving in ways that concern you is not necessarily ‘indulgent.’ Teens with misophonia often need their parents’ guidance and support for a bit longer than others.”
Learn more about classes for teenagers with misophonia here: https://misophoniafoundation.com/teen-class/
While misophonia is hard to live with and can be very overwhelming for both parents and teenagers, the misophonia will likely wax and wane over time, rather than remain at a heightened level. One should remember that teenagers in general experience more stress and hormonal changes even without misophonia present, so having patience with the teen is an important part of managing family challenges.
The International Misophonia Foundation provides a list of resources for teenagers with misophonia as well as helpful advice for parents managing their teen’s misophonia including classes specific to teenagers.
If you’re the parent of a teenager with misophonia, rest assured that while this is not easy, focusing on coping skills can help alleviate much of the distress from misophonia. Coping with misophonia is not linear, and thus it’s important to take perspective when it comes to coping as a whole. Some days will be easier than others.
