Sense Haven: A Site Dedicated to Misophonia
  • Home
  • Triggers
  • Resources
    • General Information
    • Scientific Research
    • Non-Scientific Articles
    • Video and Audio Clips
    • Articles Focused on School-Aged Children
    • Other Misophonia Websites/Blogs
  • Coping Tools
  • Support Venues
  • Blog
  • Past Polls
  • Contact

The "Butterfly's Whisper" Blog

Welcome to my blog. I hope by sharing my own misophonia experiences, others who are frustrated with misophonia sensitivities will discover that they're not alone. I also hope that people who may not have misophonia will gain some insight about what it's like to have this condition.

Please feel free to post any comments or use the "Contact Us" page if you have any questions/comments you don't want to post online.

Contact ME

Further reflections about my Mayo Clinic visit...

2/3/2013

3 Comments

 
So, this weekend has been filled with reflection and revalations. Many of my thoughts have been inspired from attending the writers' conference a couple of weeks ago, so much so that yesterday morning my body woke me up at 3:30 a.m. and wouldn't let me go back to bed until I jotted down my bleary eyed thoughts that could work well with my book. (So many memories of past events that I hadn't thought about in years.) It reminded me of when I had my regular column in a professional magazine and needed to keep a pad of paper and a pen with an illuminated tip on my nightstand for all the ideas that would pop into my head as I was either falling asleep or just waking up. I knew if I didn't write them down the moment I thought of them, I wouldn't remember them later.

One of the things that has been on my mind a lot lately is related to my 12/15/12 post that recounted my experience at the Mayo Clinic. Last week I not only received my bill and a letter requesting my permission to use my records for future studies, I also received a copy of the doctor's report from that visit. What I found very interesting was that even though he told me that the reason he was referring me to see a psychiatrist, instead of viewing misophonia as a neurologic issue, was because he thought my symptoms were situational, he never mentioned that specific reason for the referral in the report. (As per my earlier blog post, the reason why he thought my misophonia was situational was because when he asked me whether I was annoyed by triggers I created, I said I didn't think so.) Upon further reflection on the way home that day, it occured to me that I may be more annoyed by my own trigger actions than I indicated. I may not have realized they bothered me because I may subconsiously stop the triggers as soon as I do them - or prevent myself from doing them at all.

This weekend I realized one perfect example of that "protecting myself" from triggers was something I may have been doing subconciously for nearly two decades. One of my triggers is the sound of silverware clanking on chinaware. Well, even though I've had two very nice sets of china since my grad school years, whenever I make a meal for myself, I *always* gravitate to my tupperware dishes and plastic utentils (that is, unless I have company over). This is not a once in a blue moon thing. If it gives you any idea how often I use my plasticware over my chinaware, my cockatiel even imitates the sound of plastic scraping against plastic. (It's actually kinda cute...) I kind of wonder if I had answered to the doctor's question that my own triggers *DO* bother me, perhaps my Mayo visit might have had a different outcome...
3 Comments
Catherine Barber
3/10/2013 09:35:22 pm

Hello Emlyn

I tried to use the Contact form to send the below, for Suggestions for other types of Trigger, but wasn't sure if it worked as I couldn't find a Submit button.

If the below DID reach you please feel free to delete it from here.


http://www.misophonia.info/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=36&p=50#p50

The above is (what I hope) is a Link to my own particular - and peculier - Trigger sounds.

This is in a really good site: www.misophonia.info. Its founder is Australian and the majority of the members there seem to be American - though I'm English.

If the Link works and actually gets you to my 'list' of Triggers I'm sorry if it seems long. I've tried to lay it out in what I hope is a more readable way.

It might get you to the beginning of the Forum in which this post is - in which case you'd have to scroll down a bit.

If it doesn't work and you wish to look further let me know.

Reply
Emlyn Altman link
3/11/2013 09:32:43 am

Thanks for letting me know, Catherine. I fixed the "submit" button so the "Contact" page should be working again.

No need to apologize about the length of your list. I've been keeping a working list of my triggers too and it's already expanded to over four pages of sound, visual, tactile, and to a lesser extent smell/taste triggers. (Many of which I listed on the "triggers" page.)

I can completely relate to your posting comment about the "first things [you] look out for..." It's amazing how much we have to prepare ourselves when going anywhere. Lately, I've been very conscious about looking for potential triggers in situations like restaurants, conference seminars, office meetings, and even at the gym. Yesterday, I went to a coffee shop at 6:30 a.m. (when it opened) to make sure I could choose the most comfortable place to sit. I still found myself shifting my position around my table or letting my hair down to create faux "blinders" when people at adjacent tables did things that triggered my misophonia. (I've even been known to switch tables multiple times at a cafe to escape from triggers.)

I'm lucky that many of my friends, family, and coworkers are understanding of my misophonia. One of my friends even waits to sit down at a restaurant table until after I've figured out where I think I'd feel most comfortable. I am so touched that she understands how sensitive I am to triggers without my having to ask.

Yes, misophonia.info was the first site I found when I was introduced to the condition, and it's been my favorite one to refer people who want to know more information about misophonia. Last week I contacted the founder before posting links to my website/blog on his forum. (I wanted to make sure he was okay with it before posted my messages.) He seemed very nice.

So, you're in England? It seems like there is so much happening with misophonia support in the UK. Have you had any dealings with the Misophonia Research Foundation? I thought it was great that they established a Misophonia Awareness Day. Would love to do something like that here in the US.

Thanks for your comment to my blog. Hopefully, you won't have problems with the online contact form anymore. :-)

Reply
Catherine Barber
3/11/2013 07:01:37 pm

Sorry if you've got this reply already - there seemed to be a problem with getting this submitted.

Many thanks Emlyn for your lovely reply! And thanks for all the info you gave me re the Jabra headphones - I might well look in to the Amazon link and see how much they cost and find out more, and will put this in my Favourites.

Yes that's definitely on that all this up and down of nervous energy bursts within us - along with constant hypervigilance - is completely draining us so I, for one, feel constantly fatigued and foggy-headed.

If you wished, do feel free to use my Link or anything I say, in any articles you might write up. I'd love to have my seemingly-unique triggers in the open.




Leave a Reply.

    Want to know when a new blog entry is posted, then click the RSS Feed button below to sign up for the "Butterfly's Whisper" update notifications.

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    About the Author

    Emlyn Altman has been suffering with misophonia for over 35 years, even though she only found out about the actual medical condition much more recently. As frustrating as the condition has been over the years, her heightened sensitivities across all the senses considerably influenced her talents within the visual fine arts (particularly sculpture), music (singing, piano, and many other instruments), writing, and culinary backgrounds, as well as professional achievements as an architectural lighting designer. Her goal in developing this website is to promote more awareness about misophonia and help other sufferers as well.


    Archives

    January 2018
    December 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

Copyright © 2017 Emlyn G. Altman