There’s a Genetic Reason You Can’t Stand Loud Breathing

When I found out there was a word for it—misophonia—I nearly cried.

For years, I thought I was just irrational, mean, or broken. Certain sounds would flip a switch in my brain: chewing, slurping, heavy breathing, pen clicking, someone’s relentless foot tap. I wouldn’t just get annoyed—I’d feel trapped, enraged, like I needed to scream, escape the room, or crawl out of my skin. Everyone else acted like nothing was happening. What the hell was wrong with me? I felt like a total weirdo.

Turns out I’m not. And according to a new study, my DNA might be part of the reason why.

What Is Misophonia?

In research published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, scientists from the University of Amsterdam found that misophonia has genetic links to anxiety, depression, and even PTSD. Psychiatrist Dirk Smit and his team analyzed data from more than 23,000 individuals across massive databases like UK Biobank and 23andMe.

People who self-identified as having misophonia showed increased genetic overlap with mood disorders and tinnitus—a condition already known for its ties to mental distress.

“There was also an overlap with PTSD genetics,” Smit told PsyPost. “That could point to a shared neurobiological system that affects both…and suggest that treatment techniques used for PTSD could also be used for misophonia.”

That doesn’t mean misophonia is PTSD or depression, but the connection is there. Shared risk factors. Shared emotional circuitry. Which makes a lot of sense when you realize misophonia reactions go way beyond “ugh, that’s annoying.” For many people, including myself, a triggering sound can take over their entire nervous system.

Smit’s team also noted strong links between misophonia and personality traits like guilt, worry, loneliness, and neuroticism—suggesting that the condition might have more to do with internalized distress than external rage. “It has been argued…that misophonia is based on the feelings of guilt about the evoked irritation and anger,” the researchers wrote.

One of the more surprising findings came from the data on autism. Despite being more sensitive to sensory input, people with autism were actually less likely to report misophonia. This suggests that misophonia operates independently—driven less by sound sensitivity alone and more by emotional conditioning and individual personality traits.

Roughly 18.4% of people in the UK experience strong misophonic reactions, yet most have no idea what misophonia even is. Without a name for it, they’re left thinking their responses are strange or personal failings. Finding out it’s real is the first relief. Learning it might be genetic is the second.