July 9 is World Misophonia Awareness Day!

Instructions

The Ribbon, Misophonia, and Resources The Ribbon: You may have noticed that I’ve used the solid blue awareness ribbon in the past. This was (and still is) unofficially associated with misophonia, but due to the fact that all solid color awareness ribbons have multiple meanings by now, a new version has emerged. The pastel blue keeps the association that blue has with misophonia advocacy, but adds the pastel green that represents sensory processing differences from the disability pride flag (https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1352235616). The pastel color palette helps also to distinguish it from the awareness ribbon used for physical brain disorders such as IIH. Misophonia is a very complex multifaceted disorder. It occurs when the brain’s salience network flags a particular sound (called a trigger). This itself causes the brain to involuntarily and uncontrollably hone in on it as the foremost sensory input, above even others speaking or louder sounds. The brain, however, doesn’t just flag it as neutrally important. The amygdala analyses it and determines it to be a threat. This is an unconscious and uncontrollable process that brings harsh effects. The amygdala has control over a number of physiological effects. This can include tachycardia, pilomotor reflex, globus pharyngeus, and more, as well as an overwhelming barrage of emotional states, such as rage, anxiety, despair, etc.. The exact reaction varies between each individual and even each trigger, but it is a reflexive, painful, and isolating one. It is not a personal attack. There are lots of resources to help your journey living with misophonia, living with a loved one with misophonia, or becoming an advocate. Here are some of my favorites; of course, comply with your individual permission guidelines for web usage: soQuiet: https://www.soquiet.org/ — soQuiet contains resources to learn about misophonia, navigate informing others about it, join a supportive community, and even obtain awareness merch! They have a dedicated teen page to compile relevant resources for people like us! Misophonia International: https://misophoniainternational.com/ Shaylynn Hayes-Raymond has been a top misophonia advocate for over 10 years, and this site contains her articles on current research, accessibility milestones, and a lot of resources for coping skills. She’s written multiple books and created multiple courses on the topic. The Misophonia Podcast — A podcast created by a Misophone who interviews other Misophones! This would be a good thing to share with parents to give them access to firsthand accounts and experiences. Quiet Please — Similarly to the last resource, this is a documentary that may be particularly insightful for misophonic or non-misophonic loved ones alike. Again, be sure to follow your guardian’s rules around appropriate media consumption, age ratings, and web use, these are just some resources some may find helpful. Whatever role you play in this community, you’re strong and you got this!!!