There are some sounds most of us acknowledge are irritating – the crunching of crisps, the humming of the air conditioning or a screaming baby. These noises, for many people, act as a mere inconvenience that can distract us from the task at hand. However, there are some amongst us who have a much more severe response to these noises. The question we ask today is: has a noise ever made you feel so angry that you could explode with rage? If the answer is yes, you may be suffering from misophonia.

The word 'misophonia' literally means 'a hatred of sound' and is sometimes called Selective Sound Sensitivity Syndrome. There are some experts who doubt the existence of the condition. However, for those who claim to suffer from it, the experience can be traumatic. Certain sounds trigger intense emotional or psychological responses that may seem over the top compared with a non-sufferer's complaints.

The sound of a loved one chewing their food could trigger a sufferer's anxiety levels, or cause them to panic. It may even activate their fight-or-flight reflexes, making them want to flee. In extreme cases, that feeling of panic may result in intense bouts of fury and end up with sufferers going berserk.

Sadly, there's no known cure. Tinnitus retraining therapy, which helps people tolerate noises, may aid sufferers, while cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling could also help people manage the condition. According to James Cartreine, a clinical psychiatrist, the condition can lead to isolation. Sufferers use coping strategies that include avoiding places with lots of noises, like restaurants, or moving away when they feel like lashing out at someone due to their breathing.

So, the next time you see someone fly into a rage because of a sound that is driving them crazy, it may be due to a difficult condition they are trying to manage, and not just because they loathe a certain sound.