People with misophonia, how do you cope?

[Minimili]

I had to request moving desks from someone in a very small space who only ate crisps during the working day and crunched them loudly next to me. I was told I was being ridiculous but the sound literally makes me want to cry, hit them and run away.

I’m led to believe it’s not that common but my partner and best friend suffer too. They are both autistic and it’s gotten to a point we can’t eat together in a restaurant.

I was recently in a Chinese restaurant for a friend’s birthday and everyone ordered prawn crackers. I was surrounded by crunching, chomping and finger licking.
I tried to put up with it and cope but in the end finished my food quickly and made excuses to leave the table.

I think people who suffer get it, people who don’t think it’s bad manners and unreasonable.

my question is if it genuinely distresses me to the point I’m not enjoying myself and counting the seconds to escape AIBU for leaving the table?

I do have other issues, some of my main triggers are people chewing, breathing heavily in my ear, sniffing - anyone slurping tea makes me want to pour it over them.
i’m lucky my partner doesn’t snore but I once had to leave a hen night early due to snoring.

As well as asking if I’m being unreasonable I’m wondering how others cope? I’m thinking of getting some of the loop earphones but I’ve heard mixed reviews.
If i’m with people I trust I try to be honest but if it’s a situation with people I don’t know well and they are constantly clearing their throat or sniffing it’s not something I can bring up easily.

Cannot cope with noisy eating. MiL speaks with mouth full - her throat is thick with food when shes speaking at any mealtime. One evening on their last visit, I just pretended I had a work issue and drove car a few streets over and sat there for a couple hours to avoid it.
Otherwise, digging nails into palm and drinking too much is how I deal with meals with her.
A freinds dh is a slurpy drinker and scrapes his plate whilst gulping food down as if Im about to steal it away. I try and avoid eating out with them.
I know its me, not them. But its just unbearable and fills me with disgusted rage.

I've just moved on the train because two blokes sat down with those big bags of walkers cheese and onion crisps. A bag each, can you imagine the noise! I've got my noise cancelling headphones on with music now because I could still hear crunching. Crisps should be banned on trains. Along with people in general 😁 we've been to London and Ken snd this weekend and are totally overwhelmed now. Ds was crying from the noise in a restaurant last night and has remained sensitive today. We are on the train home and I've sat in first class to get away from the crowds and the noise. Hoping we don't chucked out but the train is packed and I can't tolerate being squashed in with anyone now and ds is trying to nap. I'll pay of course if the guard comes round. Long journeys are going to have to factor in the écornée if upgrading now because we can't cope.

Totally get this and sympathise 100%. False/long nails tapping on a phone screen drive me demented
Also people coughing and chewing gum
I know I sound awful saying this but cannot help it

My 16 year old daughter suffers from this and either uses Loop or airpods while we eat dinner. We always have music playing as well. It does mean she doesn't tend to follow conversations but she is at least able to be with us - she wouldn't be able to otherwise.
We have also stopped having snacks when we have family film nights as she just couldn't handle it and would rather be alone in her room. The whole family does try to be mindful about when and where we eat - often we have to wait with food in our hands until she can put some music on or something.
School on the whole is fine due to background noise but she used to have a music teacher who would hand out biscuits and it made it very difficult for her to get through those lessons and she would come home very angry and stressed.
She does get extremely frustrated and upset about it, and it would be great to be able to find an actual solution for her. I was interested to read about hypnotherapy helping someone, so might look into that.

@TheMarlows - please do, it's something that hypnotherapy can help with; she really doesn't have to live with it.

People eating on tv/movies - is it really necessary? I've missed entire scenes because of it. I've sometimes scrapped the whole thing because so many scenes have people crunch crunch, slurp slurp. ARGH!!!

Medication does help and I always wear nc headphones.
If the noise breaks through those, I wear earplugs.

All of the above. The distress, the fury, the noise cancelling headphones.
A neurologist told me the cure is to record the horrific noise and play it back to yourself until it doesn't annoy you. I believe him to be a psychopath and a damned fool. I'll not be doing that thank you very much.

I totally get where you're coming from.

I have moved tables in restaurants previously because of the noise of someone eating at the next table.

I REALLY hate the noise of sniffing and nose blowing too!

I also sympathise. I have to put music on or put earplugs in when people eat with their mouths open. Sometimes I wonder if this affliction has been caused by my mother who used to tell us off for chewing loudly or whether it's an inherited trait we both have.
It is absolutely unbearable

Loops or AirPod pros with decent ANC.

My autistic dd has a very severe form of this. She won't sit with us for meals as it's visual as well as the sound. The thing is she is the noisiest cruncher of us all!! It makes me sad because she has to wear noise cancelling ear buds so if we do manage to get her out for a meal there is no conversation at all. It is a horrible condition.