Misophonia is hard. Living through triggers is hard too. When you’re faced with triggers, you need to Regulate, Reason and Reassure (Dr. Jennifer Jo Brout’s coping method). The following are things that you can remind yourself while in the midst of challenging misophonia triggers. You might want to bookmark this list and read through it whenever necessary. Read each point, and take deeply breaths between.
Here are 10 Things To Remind Yourself When Triggered By Misophonia
1. This isn’t going to last forever.
2. You’re not actually in danger.
3. The person is not trying to hurt you (if they are doing it to hurt you, you should evaluate how to get out of this toxic relationship).
4. You are not crazy. You have a disorder.
5. While there’s no cure yet, researchers are constantly working to find answers. There’s hope.
6. Everything will be okay once you get some time alone.
7. Misophonia is not just hatred of sound – it’s a flight/flight/freeze reaction. You’ll be okay once the panic recedes.
8. You deserve affection. You are not just your disorder.
9. The anger you’re feeling is not at the sound (or visual) itself, it’s a response to the fight/flight/freeze reaction.
10. You need to breathe! 4-7-8 Breathing techniques can help you calm down.
Dr. Andrew Weil explains how to do this exercise on his website:
The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise
– Exhale completely through your mouth.
– Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
– Hold your breath for a count of seven.
– Exhale completely through your mouth to a count of eight.
– This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
I personally use this method to fall asleep at night, and can be helpful in stressful situations. You can also try some coping tips here.
