CT's waiting room peach disgust post reminded me of the subject of misophonia - a powerful dislike of certain disgusting noises which causes the sufferer to have violent impulses towards the source of the noise.

I myself suffer from misophonia at work, as we have a colleague with an enormously loud, booming voice who conducts conversations in the kitchen with no thought for others. And he has a stupid accent. And a stammer. I literally want to kill him when he breaks my concentration. Luckily I have a laminated printout of my avatar (except with my actual name and picture) which I look at on such occasions to remind me what might happen to me if I acted on my impulse.

I actually have to time my lunch breaks so as to ensure that I have them when he isn't around, because hearing his noise when I'm trying to eat drives me to fresh heights of fury.

When I was little, before Sunday dinner, my dad would always sharpen his carving knife on a metal stick-thing. The sound of it used to go right through me and make my calves itch.

I've definitely got it. The sound of people eating generates an unwanted and therefore unpleasant almost sexual response inside me.

Sniffing also annoys me. I once had to put my hand up in an exam and ask the invigilator to provide the person three rows down and two across with a supply of tissues. It doesn't generate the same internal physical response, but I could still kill.

Irritating very loud laughing when you're part of an audience also test me. I once went on a date with a lovely guy, including an evening at the Comedy Store. I was absolutely enraged with him by the time it finished, and that was that - thank you, goodnight, and a number 14 bus alone. The compere actually said 'there's a girl right there who appears to be sucking on a lemon - dead sorry nothing's been up to standard for you, I get the impression nothing ever is'.

Does anyone else suffer with mechanophobia? A fear of submerged or partially submerged man made objects? I was reminded of mine tonight because Titanic was on the news. I've never been good with boats for that reason. The submerged part absolutely horrifies me.

Quote :

Irritating very loud laughing when you're part of an audience also test me

One of the things that annoys me when listening to my Radio 4 comedy collection is the audience for the Radio Active series 2 eps. There's a bloke with a very loud 'Ah Ha Ha Ha Ha. I got that! Ha Ha!' laugh who gets in almost before the punchlines. Whoever he was, I hope he's dead now.

Fangirl Three wrote:

Quote :

Irritating very loud laughing when you're part of an audience also test me

One of the things that annoys me when listening to my Radio 4 comedy collection is the audience for the Radio Active series 2 eps. There's a bloke with a very loud 'Ah Ha Ha Ha Ha. I got that! Ha Ha!' laugh who gets in almost before the punchlines. Whoever he was, I hope he's dead now.

So do I. These people always seem to visibly and audibly enjoy themselves enormously, with mouths wide open in pleasure, while the rest of us wish we lived in an open carry state over the pond. Like snorers - happily asleep and rubbing you being awake right in.

I once read about a man who murdered his wife, after thirty years of her snoring. He went to bed and had a peaceful night before calling the police. Obviously he went to prison. But he just wanted one quality night of sleep first. I think that's understandable.