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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

Thanks for Giving Your Compassion

11/26/2016

2 Comments

 
Thanksgiving came and went in a blur. I am very thankful for the support of my friends and family through the years of my many moves cross-country and especially through my struggles with misophonia. I am so very grateful for everyone's support - especially with respect to a condition that not many people know about or understand. It is your compassion that makes this daily struggle in a sensory intense world more bearable to me and for that, I am eternally grateful.

It may seem like I'm making a big deal out of something that is akin to the "golden rule" of treating others as you'd want be treated yourself but you'd be surprised how many people would sooner be a bully and use knowledge of a person's sensitivities as a means to torment that person rather than offer sympathy.

It's why stories like what I'm about to share really hit home to me. A friend who also has misophonia recently posted an article in the New York Post about a woman with misophonia who committed suicide because she was overwhelmed by a world full of triggers. (http://nypost.com/2016/11/16/every-day-noises-drove-this-historian-to-suicide/).  It may be a difficult article to read, but if you really want to understand how traumatic this condition is, I recommend that you try. Here was a successful, well-educated woman whose misophonia affected her marriage, her health, and her life.

For those who know me and know my mother committed suicide, I don't want you to worry. The worst misophonia attack I've ever had happened at the beginning of this month, and it mainly manifested as my tearing up during a workshop as I was overwhelmed with triggers in a situation where I did not want to remove myself; but I've never gotten to the point of ever considering taking my life. For me, misophonia triggers started to make me become a recluse in my own home, which was not entirely trigger-free - especially when you consider my "baby," a bird who whines for attention when he's not on my shoulder. (The one trigger at home that will push me to the point of leaving the house). Lately, I've been working very hard to force myself out of my "comfort zone" at home or the office to be more social and meet new people.

I sympathize with the woman in the article though. It's hard to live in a world that seems to attack any semblance of comfort. It's forced me to be proactive about avoiding triggers however I can - whether by using earplugs, earbuds, or avoiding situations altogether. I may not always be successful, but this goes back to my original comment about being thankful for my friends and family who look out for my comfort. It may not seem like a big deal when we go to a restuarant and you wait to see where I want to sit, but believe me... That little gesture means more to me than you'll ever know.   :-)
2 Comments
Jung
12/21/2016 11:24:26 am

Emlyn,

I'm 25 years old and have been dealing with misophonia for about 12 years but have only known it was an actual condition for a few weeks.

Just wanted to thank you for making this blog and sharing your experiences. Please keep it up! It is absolutely amazing and surreal to read another person's struggles that are all too familiar.

Reply
Emlyn
12/21/2016 08:52:06 pm

Hi, Jung. Thank for your kind comments.I know what it feels like when just having learned about the term "misophonia." Hopefully this website will help you with your journey about understanding this condition. Feel free to email me directly through the "Contact" page, should you have any questions or need an ear to help you along.

Hang in there!

Emlyn

Reply



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    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.


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