There is no current treatment for Misophonia. While this can be hard for sufferers to hear, this doesn’t mean that there’s no hope for Misophonia.
The Misophonia and Emotion Regulation program at Duke University, made the following statement on Misophonia treatment:
There are no single specific behavioral or device-based treatments that have been rigorously tested scientifically across multiple studies and … shown to treat Misophonia. At this point, there only are early small scale uncontrolled and pilot controlled clinical studies. In addition, there are unstudied approaches used by clinicians. Without being subjected to research, it is not possible to know whether unstudied treatments can be expected to help.”
- While there is no treatment for Misophonia, you can still use coping techniques to help cope. Several resources exist to help aid you.
- The number of coping providers for Misophonia is growing. It can be easy to feel like you’re alone, but everyday there are new providers across the US (and the world) that are becoming providers for Misophonia sufferers. You can find providers at misophoniaproviders.com. Professionals such as audiologists, counselors and psychologists, psychiatrists and neurologists and medical doctors can help you to learn to cope with.
- If your doctor or counsellor has not heard of Misophonia, you can bring them resources to help explain the disorder. The IMRN has created a free guide to print and bring to your doctor, which explains the disorder and its research implications. You can find a link to this free download here.
- Anybody saying there is a cure for Misophonia does not have the scientific evidence to back this yet. Without scientific trials, it is impossible to say if something can help Misophonia patients, you should use caution if approached by a provider that says they can get rid of your Misophonia or treat your symptoms in entirety. Furthermore, you should always talk to your doctor before making any health changes.
- Trying experimental treatments could cause more harm than good. Since there isn’t enough research on these treatments, there is a possibility that they could make Misophonia worse instead of better. You should never try a treatment for Misophonia without the advice of your doctor.
- Misophonia research is growing. In the past it was uncommon to find research studies on Misophonia, but now there are a few papers being published each year. Sufferers interested in a future treatment should look into research and can learn about Misophonia research initiatives at misophonia-research.com. The International Misophonia Research Network recently published a Literature Review which discusses the current research on Misophonia, as well as a research agenda. You can find the link to this paper here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2018.00036/full.
While it can be hard to hear that there’s no treatment for Misophonia, you should know that it is possible to live a fulfilling life as you learn to cope with Misophonia. By using coping methods such as wearing headphones and earplugs, avoiding situations that may be too overwhelming, and lowering your overall stress, Misophonia sufferers have learned to adapt to the world around them.
In the meantime – sufferers can look into research and help increase the likelihood by donating to research studies as well as promoting advocacy and research by legitimate researchers. Most importantly, sufferers of Misophonia should not lose hope!
