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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Nicola DavisScience Correspondent

One in five people in UK suffer from misophonia, researchers find

Noise keeping woman awake
The report said 18.4% of participants experienced misophonia to an extent it was a significant burden on them. Photograph: Science Photo Library/Alamy

If the sound of someone chewing gum or slurping their tea gets on your nerves, you are not alone. Researchers say almost one in five people in the UK has strong negative reactions to such noises.

Misophonia is a disorder in which people feel strong emotional responses to certain sounds, feeling angry, distressed or even unable to function in social or work settings as a result. But just how common the condition is has been a matter of debate.

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