20% Isn’t Small
This post is a bit shorter and maybe a little more serious than usual, but it’s something that’s been on my mind for a while.
Sometimes, when I’m reflecting on why I started this blog, I realise that raising awareness about misophonia is just one of the many reasons. I’ve also wanted a space to express my thoughts, educate others, advocate for understanding, change, and more research, and connect with people who might be feeling the same way. But with approximately 20% of the global population affected by misophonia, it’s hard to ignore the feeling that it should be getting more attention. Still, in a world full of important causes to support and raise awareness for, sometimes my brain questions if it’s “big enough.”
It wonders if misophonia really deserves the same recognition as other causes, or if I’m just convincing myself it’s worth it—like an imposter. But then I remind myself—people can’t care about something they don’t know about. That’s why raising awareness is so important.
If no one knows the impact of misophonia, how can they understand why it matters?
Let’s put things into perspective with some statistics:
Left-handedness: ~10%
Red hair: ~1-2%
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): ~1%
Dyslexia: ~15-20%
Coeliac disease: ~1%
Generalised anxiety disorder: ~4%
ADHD: ~5% in children, ~3% in adults
OCD: ~2%
Depression: ~5%
Asthma: ~9% in children, ~7% in adults
Type 1 diabetes: ~9.5%
IBS: ~10-15%
Migraine: ~15%
Endometriosis: ~10%
While some of these conditions affect a smaller percentage of the population, they are well-known, extensively researched, and have growing awareness. (Not that we need awareness for things like left-handedness or red hair—they’re fun to pop in there for comparison!) I also want to emphasise that I absolutely don’t believe these conditions don’t deserve the awareness they receive; they absolutely do. Each cause is important, and the more attention, research, and understanding they get, the better. I am just trying to highlight just how much more attention misophonia needs, especially considering its 20% global prevalence.
It’s natural for anyone with a health issue to feel that there isn’t enough research or awareness surrounding it, and to want to advocate for more. After all, when something affects you personally, it often feels as though it deserves more attention because it consumes so much of your life every day. But with 20% of the global population struggling with misophonia, it’s clear to me that so much more is needed in this space.
I feel fortunate that, as I get older and grow as a person, I’ve allowed myself to feel passionate about certain things in my life without worrying about what others may think. Being open about my struggles with misophonia and exposing my vulnerabilities, as I have in previous posts, was daunting at first, but now I just think to myself: What if I had someone like me to relate to all those years ago? Someone who was advocating for change without knowing if it would even help? Someone who could have helped me explain to the people around me what was going on? I’d have been showing everyone I knew what that person was writing!
I am, clearly, very passionate about this subject, and even if my mind occasionally questions whether it’s ‘big enough’, I’ll keep writing because, what if something I’ve written has had even the teeniest tiniest positive impact on someone else’s life? What if one more person learns what misophonia is? Then that’s change and progress, right? Maybe not for the whole world (yet) but for someone in the world, and we all know that sometimes it only takes one person to start change. This invisible devil affects a huge portion of people every day, and most of us suffer in silence. As my loved ones know, I am incredibly stubborn, so I guess for now, I will listen to my heart rather than my head and continue my quest for more awareness, more acceptance, more understanding, more research, more education—just…more.
Disclaimer:
The data and statistics presented in this blog are derived from peer-reviewed, evidence-based research and reliable sources available at the time of publication. However, the accuracy and relevance of the information may change over time as new research emerges.