Why Certain Sounds or Movements Trigger You: Understanding Misophonia and Misokinesia
You’re sitting in a meeting, trying to focus, when the person next to you starts clicking their pen. Or maybe you’re at dinner and someone is chewing a little too loudly. Your chest tightens, your shoulders tense, and suddenly you feel like you can’t think about anything else.
Or perhaps it’s not a sound that gets to you, but a movement - someone bouncing their leg, tapping their fingers, or twirling their hair in your peripheral vision. You can’t explain why, but your irritation spikes, and you wish you could just make it stop.
If you’ve had these experiences, you might be dealing with misophonia or misokinesia, two conditions that can make everyday environments unexpectedly overwhelming. And it’s not about being overly sensitive or dramatic. There’s a real neurological and emotional process happening beneath the surface.
What Is Misophonia?
Misophonia literally means “hatred of sound,” though that name can be misleading. It’s not that people with misophonia dislike sounds in general, it’s that certain specific sounds trigger an intense, involuntary reaction.
Common triggers include:
Chewing, crunching, or slurping
Lip smacking or loud swallowing
Pen clicking or keyboard tapping
Heavy breathing, sniffing, or throat clearing
When a trigger sound happens, the reaction can be immediate and overwhelming - anything from irritation and anxiety to anger or disgust. You might feel your body tense, your heart race, or your focus completely vanish.
What Is Misokinesia?
Misokinesia is a similar experience, but with visual triggers instead of sounds. The term means “hatred of movement.” People with misokinesia experience strong emotional reactions to seeing certain repetitive or restless movements.
Common visual triggers include:
Leg bouncing or jiggling
Finger tapping or drumming
Hair twirling or nail picking
Gum chewing
Fidgeting with objects
Like misophonia, these reactions aren’t simply preferences or pet peeves. They can feel intrusive, impossible to ignore, and emotionally draining.
Why These Reactions Happen
Research on misophonia and misokinesia is still developing, but scientists believe these conditions involve heightened connections between the brain’s sensory systems and its emotional regulation centers. In other words, your nervous system isn’t just “noticing” a sound or movement, it’s reacting to it as if it’s a genuine threat or major disruption. This response happens quickly and outside of conscious control.
For some people, these sensitivities may overlap with:
Sensory processing differences (often seen in highly sensitive people)
Anxiety or hypervigilance
Past trauma, especially experiences that heightened awareness of environmental cues
Chronic stress that keeps the nervous system in a more reactive state
This doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means your brain and body are wired to detect certain cues very quickly, and to respond as though your comfort or safety is at stake.
The Impact on Daily Life
If you live with misophonia or misokinesia, you already know these reactions can affect more than just your mood.
You might:
Avoid restaurants, movie theaters, or open offices.
Feel on edge during family meals or work meetings.
Struggle to focus when a trigger is present.
Experience strain in relationships if loved ones don’t understand your reactions.
Carry guilt or shame for feeling “irrational” or “too sensitive.”
Over time, these challenges can lead to isolation, anxiety about certain situations, and a feeling that the world is “too much.”
Coping Strategies
In the moment:
Create sensory buffers: Earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, or sitting at an angle that blocks a trigger movement can help.
Ground your body: Slow, deep breaths, gentle stretching, or focusing on a neutral sensation (like your feet on the floor) can help your nervous system recalibrate.
Shift your focus: Listen to music, doodle, or engage in a quiet mental activity to redirect attention.
Longer-term:
Practice nervous system regulation: Mindfulness, somatic exercises, and gentle movement can help lower overall reactivity.
Seek therapy: An attachment-based or trauma-informed therapist can help you understand and work with your triggers, reduce shame, and develop communication strategies.
Communicate your needs: Letting trusted friends or colleagues know about your sensitivities can open space for understanding and practical adjustments.
Talking About It Without Shame
One of the hardest parts of misophonia and misokinesia is how misunderstood they are. Many people have never heard of them, and reactions can be brushed off as overreacting or being too picky.
When explaining it to someone, it can help to:
Focus on the nervous system aspect (“My brain reacts automatically to certain sounds or movements, and it can be really overwhelming”).
Give a concrete example and a simple request (“When possible, can we sit further from the kitchen so I can focus on our conversation?”).
Share resources so they can learn more.
The more we normalize talking about sensory sensitivities, the easier it becomes to create environments where everyone feels comfortable.
When to Seek Support
You might benefit from professional help if:
Your triggers are interfering with work, school, or relationships.
You find yourself avoiding more and more situations.
You feel ongoing shame, guilt, or self-criticism about your reactions.
Therapy can offer not only coping strategies, but also space to understand the deeper patterns shaping your nervous system’s responses. For some people, exploring connections to past experiences can lessen the intensity of reactions over time.
Final Thoughts
If you live with misophonia or misokinesia, you are not alone and you are not “too sensitive” or “overreacting.” Your reactions are real, valid, and rooted in how your nervous system processes the world. I know this firsthand because I live with both. Even as a therapist, I’ve had to learn ways to navigate daily life with these sensitivities. Sharing this isn’t to make it about me, but to remind you that many people, even those in helping professions, experience them too.
With understanding, self-compassion, and the right tools, it’s possible to navigate these triggers and create more ease in your daily life. You deserve to live in a way that feels manageable, grounded, and connected, even in a world full of sounds and movements.
If this topic speaks to you and you’d like a supportive space to explore it more deeply, I offer virtual therapy for adults in Texas and Florida, as well as consultation for fellow therapists. You can learn more about my services here.