Psychiatrists have only recently become aware of mesophonia. As a result, it doesn't have a clear psychiatric definition. For people like meredith, the sounds that trigger hermesophonia can be much more subtle and they can come from anywhere. My triggers are eating gum, popping, slurping, feet, shuffling, bace coming from cars and apartments, keyboard typing. Newer ones are whistling and humming.
Some sounds bring happy memories flooding back. Other sounds put us on edge; drive us to distraction; or cause us considerable distress. Sound matters... so why don't we pay more attention to our sonic environment?
In a mash-up with our friends at the podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz, Dr. Laurie Santos joins Dallas Taylor to create a Handbook for Sonic Happiness explaining how sound can harm our wellbeing or be a route to greater happiness.
Featuring auditory psychologist David Poeppel, psychology researcher Giulia Poerio, clinical psychologist Ali Mattu, sound scholar Mac Hagood and acoustician Trevor Cox.
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