Misophonia: how ‘sound rage’ destroys relationships and forces people to move home

Sent into apoplexy by whistling noses? Can't bear the sound of people eating? You could be one of the many people affected by this potentially debilitating condition

As a teenager, I remember being moved almost to tears by the sound of a family member chewing muesli. A friend eating dumplings once forced me to flee the room. The noises one former housemate makes when chomping popcorn mean I have declined their invitations to the cinema for nearly 20 years.

I am not proud of myself for reacting like this - in fact, I am pretty embarrassed - but my responses feel unavoidable. It is probable that I have misophonia. According to a forthcoming scientific paper from King's College London, so do 18% of people in the UK.