I’m going to go off topic here a little today to let you into a part of my life that sometimes brings me and those around me into a little bit of turmoil.

(I reckon) I suffer from a mild case of Misophonia – literally meaning, according to Wikipedia – “the hatred of sound”.  It is also called “soft sound sensitivity syndrome”, “select sound sensitivity syndrome” (“4S”), “decreased sound tolerance”, and “sound-rage”.

It is a real neurological disorder, that I am not certainly not making fun of.

I don’t ‘hate’ sound – but if it’s unnecessary, then I don’t want to hear it.

I haven’t had it medically  diagnosed by a medial doctor you understand, but I have Dr Googled why the sound of a muffled radio in a camp site two caravans away in what is otherwise a silent caravan park distracts me from what I’m doing and causes me untold annoyance.

It’s unnecessary noise, when it isn’t the sole focus of my attention.  The people with loud radio aren’t even listening to what’s being said on the talkback program.  It’s on for the sake of being on.  Why not just enjoy the sounds of nature around you?  Why not just enjoy the silence?  Why not think about the people around you?  Perhaps they’re not interested in hearing it?

According to Wikipedia, Misophonia is not recognized as a disorder by standard diagnostic criteria and there is no evidence-based research on its prevalence or treatment – but this doesn’t mean that it’s not a real thing.

I might have to start a Go-Fund me page to finance my need for ear plugs.

I do understand that there are people out there who prefer to have background sound on in their lives for a variety of reasons.  In fact, my beloved friend, MLD is the opposite to me and prefers to have the telly on – and that’s fine, it’s totally fine……. no really, I’m ok with that.

The person in this picture is not my beloved friend, MLD.  MLD looks like a young Meryl Streep….

attends the Oscars held at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 2, 2014 in Hollywood, California.

It’s not just the muffled, untuned, staticy radio that drills into my brain.  It’s ads during TV shows (Colin is slowly getting better at hitting the mute button), somebody talking loudly on their phone in an enclosed space where you can’t move away i.e: plane, train, shop – well maybe you can move away in a shop, but I was here first!, having loud music on when you’re having a conversation about anything other than the song that is playing.

“Sorry, what?”

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not a complete dullard.  I play music when I’m cleaning (so seldom), or when I’m in the car (only when I’m on my own, in case I want to speak to the person next to me and I have to turn it off when I hit traffic or I want to park), but when the white noise interferes with my concentration, it physically muddles my brain and I can’t focus on anything else but the noise.

White Noise!

When I was at uni, during exams I had to ask the exam supervisor to ask another girl to please take her bangles off as they were clunking on the desk every time she wrote anything….

I also had to ask the same supervisor to ask a bloke about 4 desks away from me if he could please stop clicking his pen and shuffling his papers.

This is one of the reasons that I had to retire myself from teaching – too much unnecessary noise.

Anyway…. in the time that it has taken me to write this post, the offending people have packed up their tent, turned their radio off and they’ve gone!

Phew!

I think you’ve learned a lot about me today… perhaps more than you needed or wanted to.

Either way, you’re welcome.