[Reiss_Pieces11]

Good evening everybody!

I know people online can not give me an official diagnosis, but if any of you could kindly give me some direction, that would be extremely appreciated.

I am a college freshman living on campus, and within the past months, my misophonia has gotten worse (self-diagnosed since it is not a recognized condition). At night, my roommate and her S.O. whisper and kiss and both are trigger sounds for me. I get annoyed and angry, but ball it up and plug in earbuds. During lunch with friends, some of my friends chew with their mouths open or loudly and I ball up this irritated feeling I get. It is tough to describe since it is not only a hatred for the sound, but a feeling like something is wrong. With certain noises (yawning loud) I have to mimic them to "correct them." My dad laughs when this happens and will purposely make sounds that bother me. Lately this has gotten worse, but being the person I am I ball it up inside, with the exception of my S.O. If my S.O. makes the wrong noise when kissing me I get angry and then I feel terrible afterwards for being mad at him. I forgot to mention this is all worse at night...

I also have OCD (it is mild now). I believe I was diagnosed as a child, as I saw a therapist for it, but I was only a toddler then. My parents said the only way to calm me down was by putting my dog, Shakespeare, near me until I stopped having a temper tantrum. It subsided for a few years, only coming out with specific things (volume being on even numbers, etc). Then in middle school it came back. All the drawers and doors in my house needed to be shut completely before I could leave the house or go to sleep. If I heard a door shut too quietly I would march over and shut the door louder, making sure it was closed. That fizzled out eventually too. Now I have mild OCD (I believe) since I still need my door at home to be closed louder so I know it's shut, specific drawers to be closed all the way, and I always re-check to make sure doors are closed/locked. This affects me at work and when I used to do volunteer work around horses. After feeding them I go back multiple times before leaving to make sure all the stalls are closed. I have even began to leave, then stopped my car and ran out to check that a gate was closed. It brings me stress to think that something "isn't right."

I guess there are a few cross overs with OCD and misophonia. But I'm worried about what will happen in time since I'm having a tougher time coping with misophonia. It has already gotten significantly worse. Has anybody heard of an ESA for this unrecognized condition? Could I talk to my doctor about it? Should I just drop it and move on with life since it isn't a "huge deal" and my OCD is mild at the moment? Thank you for all your advice and assistance.

 

[sarajones]

Pets bring so much joy into our lives without us even realizing it. They always accompany us and never make us feel lonely. Studies show us that pets are very good at managing our depression and loneliness. Also, the chances of decreasing our stress levels are very high, when we own a pet. Too many people are wondering whether pet ownership can help them overcome obsessive behaviors. Just because most individuals with OCD also have anxiety and other related symptoms, getting the ESA can be a good way to distract you from bothering symptoms. And the chances are that the signs of OCD will sooner or later go away forever. When I was going through mental health problems I found this article https://esacare.com/adopting-emotional-support-ani... very helpful in adopting my beloved dog as an ESA. It is a complete

guide and can be beneficial for anyone planning to get an ESA. Moreover, when you have a trusted companion by your side, you feel protected and secure so the risk of anxiety attacks is reduced to a minimum. Among many other positive things granted by ESAs to their owners, our beloved pets can give us comfort and peace of mind whenever we need it. And adding all these things into your life is often the only right way to overcome mental problems.