Melissa Gilbert Opens Up About Her Struggles with Misophonia

Melissa Gilbert, the acclaimed actress known for her role in the iconic television series ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ has recently revealed her long-term struggle with misophonia, a disorder characterized by strong emotional reactions to specific sounds.

In a recent interview, the 60-year-old actress shared her experience of feeling intense anger, anxiety, and disgust in response to everyday noises such as chewing or tapping. She expressed relief upon discovering that her condition had a name, stating, ‘I sobbed when I found out that it had a name and I wasn’t just a bad person.’

Misophonia affects an estimated 15% of adults. While it is not officially recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, experts acknowledge the condition and agree on a formal definition for research purposes.

Individuals with misophonia may react to specific sounds with physiological responses similar to a fight-or-flight reaction. Symptoms can vary in severity, leading to various emotional and bodily reactions ranging from increased heart rate to heightened anxiety. Gilbert noted that women are more likely to be affected, constituting between 55% and 83% of cases.

Gilbert first started experiencing symptoms of misophonia during her childhood as she filmed ‘Little House on the Prairie.’ She recalled feeling frustrated and isolated on set when her fellow actors made noises while eating or tapping their fingernails. ‘If any of the kids chewed gum or ate or tapped their fingernails on the table, I would want to run away so badly,’ she shared.

As an adult, Gilbert struggled to manage her triggers while raising her children and had to implement strategies to cope with her sensitivities. She described using a hand signal to indicate to her kids when they were making sounds that triggered her.

In 2023, after years of dealing with her condition, Gilbert reached out to the Duke’s Center for Misophonia in North Carolina for help. She received cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which has proven effective in managing various mental health conditions, including anxiety.

Through her therapy, Gilbert learned to manage her emotional responses and gained tools to help her respond to her triggers more effectively. She remarked on the transformative impact of her treatment, stating, ‘I realized I could ride out these waves… But now I have all these tools to enable me to be more comfortable and less triggered.’