Sounds Really Can Impact Your Mental Health — and ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Child Star Melissa Gilbert is Proof
It’s not uncommon to find certain sounds annoying, but for some people, a noise can elicit a dramatic and angry response due to a disorder known as misophonia. The reaction can not only impact those around you, but your own mental health too if you feel guilty about how those interactions played out. Former child star Melissa Gilbert experienced this full hand throughout most of her life until she realized there was a way to work through it. Keep reading to find out more about how debilitating the condition was for the actress and how she’s been treating it.
When did Melissa Gilbert notice signs of misophonia?
Gilbert, 60, recalled in an exclusive interview with People how everyday noises would make her both angry and uncomfortable from a young age. This was especially noticeable on the set of the beloved TV series Little House on the Prairie, in which Gilbert played “Half Pint” Laura Ingalls.
"If any of the kids chewed gum or ate or tapped their fingernails on the table, I would want to run away so badly," said Gilber, specifically referring to the scenes filmed in the school room set. "I would turn beet red and my eyes would fill up with tears and I'd just sit there feeling absolutely miserable and horribly guilty for feeling so hateful towards all these people — people I loved."
She also shared that her family simply thought the behavior was the result of being a fussy child who would angrily glare at those around her. But Gilbert added that she saw it from a different perspective, and worried she was being rather rude. That perceived flaw began to eat away at her, and the guilt became a lot to bear.
How can misophonia impact mental health?
Though everyone has pet peeves that may include noises, misophonia takes it a step further. “Misophonia is a neurophysiological disorder that induces a strong reaction to specific sounds,” Meghan Marcum, Chief Psychologist at AMFM Healthcare, explained to First for Women. “For example, sounds like water dripping, chewing food, cracking knuckles, or a pen clicking trigger responses that for most people, seems excessive.” (Click through for more information on misophonia).
The Cleveland Clinic estimates that misophonia affects approximately one out of five people, so it may be more common than most realize. For those who do deal with the disorder, the impacts can really take a toll.
One psychiatrist explains more in the video below:
Gilbert, for example, found that the issue persisted beyond childhood and even began to negatively impact her relationship with her own children. She revealed that just the sounds of chewing led to extreme irritation and scolding that she now regrets. In fact, her kids weren’t even allowed to chew gum because of it! (Click through to learn how chewing gum can actually improve health).
Problems began to worsen when the actress reached menopause and her angry reactions intensified. Naturally, her relationships with loved ones were impacted once again.
But discovering the condition had a name really changed her life. "This is an emotional issue. It's about self-regulation and self-control,” Gilbert said, adding that she cried when she realized she wasn’t just a “bad person.”
When did Melissa Gilbert start treatment for misophonia?
Though discovering more about the disorder made a huge impact, things didn’t really start to improve until Gilbert reached out to Duke's Center for Misophonia. Once she received reassurance that she wasn’t alone in her mental health struggles, she was able to begin treatment.
This came in the form of 16 weeks of “intensive” Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is known to be an effective way to treat misophonia. According to the American Psychological Association, CBT involves practices such as facing one’s fears and learning to calm the mind and relax the body.
Continuing to focus on the principles of CBT has made a huge impact for Gilbert, who shared that she learned to recognize physical signs that she’s stressed (like clenching her toes) that makes it easier to calm down.
“Now I have all these tools to enable me to be more comfortable and less triggered,” she explained. “It made me feel in control."
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