Do you have a hard time thinking straight when someone close by is chewing with their mouth open? Do you lose the thread of a conversation as soon as someone opens a bag of chips?
Then congratulations! You might be a genius, according to a report from the Daily Mail.
A study discovered that around 20% of the earth’s population might suffer from Misophonia, a disorder related to noises and sounds. Misophonia means “hatred of sound,” and people affected by it experience extreme discomfort from particular sounds. Even the expectation that these sounds will occur can trigger emotional or physiological responses.
It can be human-made sounds like heavy breathing, chewing, snoring, and so on. These sounds can cause anxiety, irritation, and panic in someone suffering from misophonia.
But it could also mean that they are a genius.
Creative problem solvers
Researchers found a link between misophonia and high creativity in a study at Northwestern University in Illinois.
The study surveyed 100 participants and tested their ability to find creative and original solutions to various problems. All while hearing unusual noises being played in the background.
The results, published on Science Direct, showed that those who had the most difficulty shutting out the noises also came up with the most creative and unusual solutions to the problems.
Free from noises
To get an outlet for their creativity, however, the environment must be free from noise.
“If funneled in the right direction, these sensitivities can make life more rich and meaningful, giving experiences more subtlety,” Darya Zabelina, a Ph.D. psychology student who took part in the study, told the Daily Mail.
Do you know someone who gets irritated easily by noises? Then press that SHARE button below so that they can read this article – they might be a genius!
