(this article has been adapted from my article on misophonia).

Misokinisia means a "hatred of movements" and is a pervasive and often debilitating condition - what's worse is that few people have even heard of the term, much less know how to treat it (or even pronounce it…).

When searching for solutions, most strategies people come across revolve around escaping or avoiding triggers. However, if you're reading this article, you've likely realized that avoidance isn’t a viable long-term strategy. Misokinisia has already taken too much from your life, and you need a different approach.

At the Anxiety & OCD Therapy Practice, we offer a unique treatment called EASE - Experiential Acceptance and Stimulus Engagement. While this approach can be uncomfortable, it is highly effective for those who are motivated to change.

We refer to the "vicious cycle of Misokinisia " as the typical pattern in which Misokinisia develops and persists. The key question is: Why does the emotion linked to Misokinisia keep returning, no matter how much one avoids or escapes their triggers? In fact, why do the reactions often seem to become even more intense over time?

To understand this, let’s examine how people typically cope with Misokinisia .

We are all naturally averse to pain. Imagine touching something hot—what do you do? Most people would instinctively pull their hand away. We handle Misokinisia -related emotions in a very similar way.

Misokinisia triggers—such as various movements like tapping, leg shaking, hair twirling—are so uncomfortable and aversive that they feel "painfully hot" to those affected. They cause an immediate and intense reaction. Since we are wired to avoid things that cause us distress, individuals with Misokinisia instinctively try to escape these triggers and make their lives more manageable. Some cope by using looking away, asking others to stop or simply leaving the room

However, these solutions provide only temporary relief. The same distress returns the next time the trigger appears. Why does this cycle continue?

The answer lies in how the brain processes avoidance. Two key mechanisms are at play:

 1. Avoidance reinforces the perception of danger – When we repeatedly avoid something, our brain interprets it as a threat. After all, we only avoid things that are truly dangerous.

 2. Increased sensitivity to triggers – Once our brain categorizes something as a threat, we become hyper-aware of it, making us even more sensitive to the trigger.

While avoidance provides short-term relief, it has significant long-term consequences. The more we avoid or escape Misokinisia triggers, the more we reinforce our brain’s belief that we cannot face them. This heightened sensitivity makes us even more reactive to the very noises we are trying to avoid.

This protocol has helped many individuals regain control of their symptoms, allowing them to live more relaxed, socially connected, and fulfilling lives. If Misokinisia has taken too much from you, know that there is hope—and a way forward.