Hypnotherapy for misophonia: does it work?
I am a qualified hypnotherapist, and I do not think hypnotherapy is the answer to misophonia. Here is why, what the research does and does not show, and what I see working instead.
The short answer
Hypnotherapy can leave you feeling calm and relaxed, and that is worth having. But in my experience it does not change the thing that makes misophonia misophonia: the automatic alarm reaction to a sound.
That is not what most people searching for it hope to hear, so I will explain my reasoning. You can then judge it for yourself.
What hypnosis for misophonia usually is
In my experience, most hypnotherapy offered for misophonia, and most misophonia therapies that use hypnosis, come down to the same two steps. A progressive muscle relaxation, then a script read from a page, which changes your state for the length of the session.
It is pleasant, and it may take the edge off your stress. But it does not alter how your nervous system responds to chewing, tapping or breathing the next day. Feeling lovely in the chair is not the same as feeling different in the kitchen.
Does finding the root cause help?
Some hypnotherapy goes digging for the origin of the reaction: a memory, an event, a first time it happened. Finding one can be interesting, and it can reveal something that your thinking mind did not know. That is genuinely useful.
But in my experience, understanding where it started does not do much to improve the condition itself. It is insight, not change, and it does not alter the neural pathways involved. Knowing why the smoke alarm is so sensitive does not stop it going off.
How I think about misophonia
I see misophonia as something like PTSD of the nervous system, in sensory form. A sound arrives, and the body reacts as if it were a threat before you have had any chance to think. That is a body-level response, so it needs an approach that works at the body level, not one that mainly talks to the conscious mind.
This is my view, formed through years of clinical practice. It is not a settled scientific position, and other practitioners see it differently.
What the research says
I have not found a controlled trial of hypnosis for misophonia. What exists is mostly case reports and personal accounts. Misophonia itself only received a formal consensus definition in 20221, so the research is still young.
Cognitive behavioural therapy is the best-studied approach so far, including an open trial in a clinical sample2. That does not mean it works for everyone, but it does mean there is something to point to.
What I see working instead
The MisoGo Programme works with the nervous system itself. It helps people manage misophonia better, feel less anxious and have more capacity, so that some meals together, and sometimes more, become possible. It does not promise a cure.
For a wider look at the options, see treatment and support and coping strategies.
Work with the nervous system itself.
The MisoGo Programme helps people manage misophonia better, feel less anxious and have more capacity. It is self-paced and online.
Track your triggers, one page at a time.
The Misophonia Workbook helps you find your triggers, test what helps and see what actually changes, so you are working from evidence and not guesswork. Choose the fillable PDF (instant download, fill it in on your phone, tablet or computer, or print it) or the printed paperback.
If you still want to try it
That is your call, and hypnotherapy is generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. If you go ahead:
- Ask exactly what they do for misophonia. “A relaxation script” is an honest answer. “I cure it” is not.
- Check their qualifications and which professional body they belong to in your country.
- Be wary of promises of a cure, and of anyone who says you must pay for a long course upfront.
- Judge it by what changes in daily life, not by how relaxed you feel afterwards.
Common questions
Can hypnosis cure misophonia?
No, and nobody should promise that it will. In my experience hypnotherapy does not change the automatic alarm reaction to a trigger sound, which is the heart of misophonia.
Is hypnotherapy safe?
Generally yes, when it is done by a properly trained practitioner. Hypnosis is not mind control: you stay aware and in control throughout.
Why do some people say hypnosis helped their misophonia?
Deep relaxation and lower stress can make triggers feel easier for a while, and that is a real benefit. But feeling calmer in a session is different from changing how your nervous system reacts to the sound afterwards.
Is there research showing hypnosis works for misophonia?
I have not found a controlled trial of hypnosis for misophonia. What exists is mostly case reports and personal accounts. Cognitive behavioural therapy is the best-studied approach so far.
What should I try instead?
I would look for an approach that works with the body's alarm response, not only the thinking mind. The MisoGo Programme is built around that, and the guides in the Misophonia Hub cover the other options in plain language.
General information, not medical advice
This page shares my professional view and general information. It is not medical advice. If misophonia is affecting your health, work or relationships, speak to a qualified health professional.
Adam Bucklow, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Certified Havening Techniques® Practitioner, with 9+ years' clinical practice.
Further reading
Related articles in the Misophonia Hub:
References
- Swedo SE, Baguley DM, Denys D, et al. Consensus Definition of Misophonia: A Delphi Study. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2022.
- Schröder AE, Vulink NC, van Loon AJ, Denys DA. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Is Effective in Misophonia: An Open Trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2017.
