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People who are more sensitive to noise are not necessarily misophones

Do you work in an office but really can't stand the noise of your colleagues? You may have misophonia, a very common disorder! However, it could also be another reason:introversion.

Unbearable little noises

In an article published in November 2019, the BBC told a startling story about the Francis Crick Institute. This biomedical research center located in London is undoubtedly a true architectural work. However, having opened its doors in 2016, this institute is the subject of many complaints. Indeed, it is a huge open space where working in complete calm is a real challenge!

It is quite natural that calm and concentration go perfectly together. However, some people have a hard time dealing with noise from other people in the same room as them. This is about misophonia, a neuropsychic disorder rarely diagnosed but ultimately very common. Moreover, several studies have already looked at the question.

For misophones, the slightest noise from others very quickly becomes a source of auditory frustration . This ranges from chewing food (or chewing gum) to ringing the telephone, to typing keys on a computer keyboard. Obviously, this is a non-exhaustive list since the nature of these disturbing noises can take many forms.

People who are more sensitive to noise are not necessarily misophones

Not necessarily misophone

The BBC explains that the annoyance and frustration caused by this kind of seemingly innocuous noise is not necessarily related to misophonia. The British daily cited a study conducted by University College London in 2010. According to researchers, it may also be about differences between introverted and extroverted people . To reach such a conclusion, more than a hundred high school girls were tested in silent work situations or in a noisy environment.

According to the results, silence was beneficial to everyone in completing tasks. Nevertheless, when it came to performing in a noise-exposed environment, extroverted young girls have largely stood out! In other words, if you can't stand the noises of your office colleagues on a daily basis, you may be introverted and not a misophone.

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