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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

People with sniffing tics

42 replies

HakunaFritatta · 04/12/2015 09:35

The people who sniff every 10-20 seconds, all day, every day, of their whole lives. I've already encountered six this morning and didn't even get public transport to work (the worst danger zone).

Whenever I'm within 20 metres of a sniffer, every sniff makes my whole body tense up, I get a rush of adrenaline and can't focus on anything but anticipating the next sniff. It's aural torture.

I have misophonia so realise I'm completely unreasonable about many sounds. But this phenomenon just baffles me - so many questions:

Do you notice the sniffers? Does it bother you? If it doesn't, why? Do you hear every sniff or can you block it out?

Are you a sniffer? Has anyone ever pointed it out to you? If so, how did they bring it up and did it upset you? Did you change your behaviour? Do you notice other sniffers and do they bother you?

I think that a lot of the problem stems from sniffers being blissfully aware of their tic. Do you think making them aware of the problem will do them (and everyone in their vicinity) a huge favour, a bit like with the office smelly person thread?

How do you bring it up diplomatically?

OP posts:

mygrandchildrenrock · 04/12/2015 13:35

My teenage DD has a friend who is a sniffer, when she is here I often ask her if she needs a tissue. She always politely says 'no thanks' and carries on sniffing. I realise I may need to be more direct, just blow your nose.

myusernamewastaken · 04/12/2015 13:37

I have mentioned it to my son....i think its a habit more than anything else, as when he is busy during the day he doesn't do it....only at night when we are all sleeping...
it drove me wild and i would scream out in the middle of the night for him to blow his nose....i feel sorry for his uni housemates but am glad i do not have to suffer it anymore x

ThisWillSoOutMe · 04/12/2015 13:38

No I don't think the judge was unprofessional at all. He was a judge at the end of his tether with an arrogant twat who was acting as if he knew the law and court procedures better than him (the judge). I don't think pulling someone up on socially unacceptable behaviour in a courtroom is unprofessional. You probably kind of had to be there to understand.

Toomuch2young · 04/12/2015 13:40

Do you know what a tic is??
It is involuntary.
Please don't use tic if you mean irritating habit or lack of a tissue.

Fink · 04/12/2015 13:59

I'm not sure all the cases stem from people being 'blissfully unaware' of the problem.

Like a pp, I have allergic rhinitis. Yes, I have seen various doctors and tried drugs, lifestyle changes, those nose-opening strips etc. I still have it. I do blow my nose, A LOT (it is often red raw)! But I still need to sniff fairly frequently. It's a lot worse in the mornings and tends to get slightly better throughout the day.

Yes, I am aware I am doing it but I really don't know what else I can be expected to do! I wasn't aware so many people would be so extremely annoyed about it.

On a similar note, dd has a chronic cough (no other symtoms and no bother except it can affect her sleep) which goes on from about September-April every year. Ditto, seen numerous doctors and reached the conclusion that it's a case of have her permanently on some pretty strong steroids without any guarantee that it will help, or just give her over the counter cough medicine before bed and wait for it to pass as it does every year. But the amount of people who give her dirty looks for daring to cough!

PinkSquash · 04/12/2015 14:03

I've sworn countless times at my husband in the previous 24 hours, he has a cold flu and is constantly sniffing. I've asked him if he is allergic to tissues but will just not stop. I want to kill him.

josephwrightofderby · 04/12/2015 14:07

MIL constantly sniffs. I have learned to be calm with it. But she also makes this dismissive noise with her nose and mouth - it sounds like static on an old-fashioned TV - about once every two minutes and this drives me crazy.

Original poster

HakunaFritatta · 04/12/2015 14:16

Sorry Toomuch2young - totally get what you're saying about the misuse of the word tic. Used it as a sweeping statement when I actually meant people with a sniffing tic or a habit of sniffing.

Myusername - if you don't do this already, get some earplugs for when your son comes home at Christmas. (Dread to think if you already do use them and you can still hear it). I buy them in batches of 50 from Ebay and they are god-send.

OP posts:

Babyroobs · 04/12/2015 14:41

I have a friend who does this and yes it drives me crazy too although I know she can't help it. I have a colleague who also snorts a lot and we find it hilarious ( although obviously we don't show it !)

ouryve · 04/12/2015 14:44

DH is a sniffer.

Unfortunately, a tic is about as controllable as our misophonia. Though I did snap at DH to stop ticcing and stimming (a mix of sniffing, whistling and clapping, while stomping about) while he was making a cuppa, yesterday, because I had a raging headache that made every sound even more painful than usual.

ouryve · 04/12/2015 14:48

2rebecca, i have allergic rhinitis, though thankfully manage to avoid constant sniffing unless I move from warm to cold very suddenly. I would treat it, but the treatments that don't knock me out give me a sore throat. You do not want to be subjected to the throat clearing tic that triggers, believe me.

Happyrouter · 04/12/2015 14:53

My son has been through a variety of tics, one of which has been sniffing, and based solely on experience with him (only 10). I would say if it is genuinely a tic you are better off not to isn't it out as pointing it out only then raises a die around which is then more likely to lead to more of the tic behaviour.

I doubt it's ever a consciiousthing so it's a difficult one to control.

Feel your pain though, sons tics have driven me mad at times, but I go mad quietly to myself.

Happyrouter · 04/12/2015 14:55

not pointing it out
raises anxiety around it

Odin1978 · 21/06/2020 03:29

Okay I've wanted to vent about this for a long time and no offence to anyone but I have misophonia, I have for years, I know some people can't help it but constant sniffing or grunting, arrrrrrgghhhhhh please just blow your nose, take antihistamines, see a doctor, something, I'm sorry but it just makes me so angry.

OwlBeThere · 21/06/2020 03:43

YABU to call it a tic. Tics are completely involuntary things, not just a bad habit.
My daughter has Tourette’s and her tics include sniffing.

Doggybiccys · 21/06/2020 05:49

I can't stand this either. Pre lockdown, there was a boy on my bus who sniffed the whole entire journey every day. I tried "helping" him with a hanky but it made no difference so I had to fork out for iphone earphones and have the radio on in the background to drown it out. I've also shared an office with a persistant throat clearer - that was even worse!

Avelosa · 21/06/2020 05:51

ZOMBIE THREAD

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