Misophonia: what’s behind the phenomenon that makes certain sounds unbearable?

Stress and anxiety triggered by sounds from clocks to pigeons to popcorn affects one in five people in the UK. A new book from Dr Jane Gregory, who experiences misophonia, asks why

For some it is the sound of a bouncing basketball. For others it is the clearing of a throat. For Dr Jane Gregory the list includes pigeons, ticking clocks and the sound of popcorn being eaten.

I cried on the plane the other day because I couldn't figure out the volume on my new headphones and so I couldn't block out the sound of a guy sniffing," she says.