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Comment by kkarakk | Hacker News Reader

>It also appears that a misophonic reaction can occur in the absence of an actual sound

so you'll inconvenience ALL of your colleagues so your unprovable condition can be avoided. i hate open desk plans coz of things like this. hr inevitably comes down on the side opposite to common sense and things get banned with no solution(like having a quick snack when you feel tired is not allowed and you can't afford the time away to visit the cafeteria)

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No, I won’t. I haven’t said a word to anyone at work. I haven’t filed an HR complaint. I put my headphones on and deal with it. I only mentioned it here because it seemed relevant to the discussion.

I’ve got all the proof I need to know I have this, and it’s never happened in the absence of someone eating a crunch snack.

I love how things can be labeled as unprovable in a snap by people who doesn't suffer from such quirks.

Personally I can't stand people who are eating stuff or chewing gum while they are on the phone with me. Same with noisy eating in a silent place. I sometimes silently leave the place if I can, or warn the eater as politely as I can, if he/she's my friend.

Heck, if I'm extremely tired or weary I can not even stand myself sometimes.

if a reaction can occur in the presence or absence of stimulus, how in the heck are you saying you "have" it. it could be a reaction to a caffeine stimulant heavy diet for all anyone knows. this seems to be in the same realm as micro-aggressions for how provable they are to be a real problem

Personally I didn't experience it in the "absence" of the stimulus, so I cannot comment on that part.

I only wanted to point that absence of some irritation or uncomfortable feeling in presence of the stimulus for one person is not enough for one to label such sinister and delicate matters as "not real" or "non-existent".

It's just the concept that unfamiliar ambient noises can become very grating to some people. Someone used to a particular fan might struggle with the sound of a different one. Someone used to the sound of a CRT TV might ignore it, while other people can't. Likewise, someone not used to silence can be uncomfortable with the lack of stimulus. It's a common aspect of sensory processing abnormalities, such as autism. It's well documented and entirely reasonable. Just because it's not a standalone disorder doesn't make it fake.

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