What is phonophobia?

People with phonophobia fear loud sounds.It’s an anxiety disorder rather than a hearing disorder.

In the article about sensitivity to sound, we distinguished between 3 specific ailments. Today we are going to talk in depth about phonophobia.

Phonophobia, also called ligiophobia, is the fear of loud sounds. The name "Phonophobia" comes from the Greek words for sound and fear. 

Causes of phonophobia

A loud, unexpected sound can cause anxiety attacks in a person suffering from phonophobia. People with phonophobia may be afraid of devices that can suddenly make loud sounds, such as alarms.
 
For example, just listening to loud music can be really uncomfortable when there are ups and downs in the sound, they can become anxious. Being scared is itself a normal reaction, but the key difference is that people with phonophobia actively fear that this will happen. In this article we've already told you how to listen to music safely for your ears, because even if you don't suffer from phonophobia, listening to music at high volume damages your hearing health.
 

Symptoms of phonophobia

There isn’t a treatment that can cure phonophobia. However, popular types of therapy have been shown to be helpful in helping people deal with symptoms associated with phonophobia. 

Exposure therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy are among the most popular. They can be used in combination with prescription medications to help reduce anxiety and relieve stress.

Phonophobia should not be confused with hyperacusis (hypersensitivity to certain sounds) or misophonia (loud reaction to specific sounds). But phonophobia can sometimes refer to an extreme form of misophony.