Phonophobia (fear Of Some Sounds): Symptoms, Causes And Treatment
When it comes to phobias, we must keep in mind that all of them represent an irrational fear of certain stimuli. Phonophobia is the irrational fear of some specific sounds
In this article we will see what the symptoms, causes and treatments are in cases of phonophobia, as well as other related pathologies.
As we have seen, phonophobia is the type of phobia based on certain sounds These sounds do not necessarily have to be loud. It is enough for the person to hear them for a disproportionate reaction of displeasure to occur in the subject with this mental disorder.
The sound of cutlery, the sipping of coffee or soup, the dripping of some liquid, are noises that for the patient with this disorder can be particularly unpleasant and even intolerable.
Symptoms
The symptoms of phonophobia are subjective, that is, they depend only on the sensations of each patient. During the subject’s story, at the time of the interview, the therapist will realize to what extent is its alteration intense Then, by applying the necessary tests, a diagnostic impression is obtained.
Some of the most common symptoms of phonophobia are the following:
It usually happens that these symptoms persist even after the person has moved away from the sound that causes discomfort, because The memory of said noise remains in the subject’s memory for a few minutes
To this day, there is still no certain explanation as to why some subjects present this disorder. It is related to hypersensitivity in the auditory pathways but the complexity of the matter lies in the fact that the sounds that cause discomfort are associated with negative emotions.
A negative experience that the person has had in the past (trauma) could generate phonophobia; to the associate a specific sound with the traumatic event from the past, discomfort occurs In this case, the primary pathology would be Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which would be causing the symptoms of phonophobia as an underlying disease (comorbidity). However, this is not always the case. There are cases where phonophobia is not associated with any known trauma and the relationship between sound and negative emotions is irrational.
Differential diagnosis
There are more disorders that are associated with this pathology, of which it is important to be aware in order to correctly distinguish when it is each one of them. Hypercusis and misophonia They are two disorders that are very similar to phonophobia. Let’s see their differences.
In cases of hypercusis, a pattern of fear of loud noises occurs. People who have it live with a high level of anxiety because They are constantly avoiding situations where sounds may be loud and sudden
For example, a patient with hypercusis would make sure to lower the volume to minimum before turning on the radio and then gradually increase it to avoid sudden exposure to noise.
This mental alteration may have organic causes, such as, for example, some alteration in ear structures that affects the way the person perceives sounds. It is important to rule out this possibility by referring the patient to an otorhinolaryngologist
In the case of misophonia, what happens is that the subject experiences discomfort with noises that are not necessarily loud. As with phonophobia, anxiety can come from a trivial sound, regardless of its volume.
The difference between misophonia and phonophobia is the intensity at which the sound irritates the person. In cases of phonophobia the patient is almost unable to tolerate the annoying sound while misophonia is milder and the individual has greater control over himself.
Phonophobia and misophonia disorders do not present organic alterations in patients; they are of purely psychological origin.
Treatment: effective therapies
Sometimes, phonophobia as a mental disorder is not taken seriously; They tend to downplay its importance given that it is not part of the common diseases with well-known causes. But the reality is that significantly affects the quality of life of those who suffer from them
Now we will see which are the most used therapies that have been shown to be significantly effective in the case of this type of phobias.
1. Cognitive-behavioral therapy
This method consists of conversational therapy sessions, where the therapist confronts the patient’s irrational thoughts through a process of maieutics, causing negative feelings to no longer be associated with the sound that generates discomfort. It is also complemented by behavioral foundation techniques such as systematic desensitization.
2. Group exposure therapy
In this therapy the patient is gradually subjected to sound exposure, accompanied by other subjects who present the same situation. This method seeks to make the discomfort response disappear.
Once the subjects understand that the sound does not represent a real danger to their person. the stress level should decrease.
Relationship techniques are diverse and include breathing exercises, guided visualization, and progressive muscle relaxation. These techniques help patients control their emotions, especially those that are negative and related to sounds.
Relaxation techniques can be implemented in conjunction with any of the previous therapies.
