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Starting this year on July 9, the world will come together for something that, until recently, remained painfully hidden: the everyday struggle of living with misophonia.

World Misophonia Awareness Day is more than a date – it’s a milestone. It's the first globally recognized effort to bring visibility, validation, and voice to the millions of people living with this misunderstood disorder.

What Is Misophonia?

Misophonia is a disorder of decreased tolerance to specific sounds, characterized by strong emotional reactions, such as anger, distress, or panic, in response to specific sounds. These aren’t loud or dangerous noises. They’re often ordinary, everyday sounds: chewing, sniffing, keyboard tapping, or even breathing. For people with misophonia, these triggers can make it difficult to focus, socialize, work, or feel safe in their own environment.

And yet, until recently, misophonia was widely dismissed or not acknowledged. Many people suffered silently, without language to describe their experience – or support to navigate it.

Why This Day Is So Important

This is the first global observance of World Misophonia Awareness Day, made possible by the advocacy of individuals, families, researchers, and organizations who have pushed for recognition, funding, and solutions. It’s a moment to:

• Raise awareness about what misophonia truly is – and isn’t.
• Correct misconceptions that it’s a quirk, pet peeve, or just a strong dislike.
• Amplify the voices of people with lived experience.
• Support ongoing research into its neurological basis, diagnosis, and treatment.
• Create community for people who often feel isolated and misunderstood.

Why We’re Participating

We are proud to stand with the global community in recognizing July 9 as World Misophonia Awareness Day. Whether through our research, advocacy, clinical work, or lived experience, we’ve seen the real-world impact misophonia can have—not just on individuals, but on families, schools, and workplaces.

This day was created to remember Michelle Del Valle, who passed away by suicide at the age of 17 from suffering with misophonia.  We honor her memory by marking World Misophonia Awareness Day on her birthday, July 9th.

How You Can Help

Whether misophonia affects you, someone you love, or you're just learning about it, you can make a difference.

• Learn more: Visit MisophoniaDay.com to understand the disorder and hear personal stories.
• Share on social media: Use the hashtag #MisophoniaDay to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and join the Misophonia Challenge.‍
• Start a conversation: Talk to your friends, family, or colleagues about misophonia. Visibility starts with dialogue.‍
• Learn more about our research: Funding and advocacy are key to finding better treatments and resources. Visit our Funded Research page for more information.‍
• Join us: Participate in events, webinars, or online campaigns – on July 9 and beyond.

Together, we can turn awareness into action and silence the stigma around sound.