Misophonia: A psychological model and proposed treatment

Misophonia is a condition characterized by strong reactions to specific sounds which are usually emitted by other people. The condition can be debilitating due to the distress and avoidance that it involves, at times resulting in significant occupational and relational dysfunction. The aim of this paper is to offer a theoretical account that can explain the phenomenology of misophonia that has been reported in the literature. To this end, we argue that misophonia emerges out of a rigid character style in combination with contextual factors and classical and operant conditioning processes. Based on this model, we also offer a treatment approach called experiential acceptance and stimulus engagement (EASE). It consists of three main components: ending toxic hope, reduction of avoidance, and stimulus engagement.