Wairimu - Navigating Misophonia in East Africa

S6 E30 - 3/30/2023
This episode features an insightful discussion with Wairumu, a university student in Kenya and the first guest from Africa on the podcast. Adeel and Wairumu explore the intersection of misophonia and ADHD, coping strategies, and the unique challenges of navigating misophonia within a large family where several members also experience trigger sounds. Wairumu shares her journey to understanding and managing her condition, including her initial self-discovery of misophonia and educating her siblings about it. They delved into the cultural understanding and acceptance of mental health issues in East Africa and discussed the impact of environmental control and self-awareness on managing trigger sounds. Additionally, Wairimu discusses the broader implications of mental health awareness in African societies and offers advice for living responsibly with misophonia, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and creating a supportive environment.
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Transcript

Adeel [0:01]: Welcome to the Misophonia Podcast. This is Season 6, Episode 30. My name's Adeel Ahmad, and I have Misophonia. This week I'm talking to Wairumu, a college student in Kenya. This was exciting because I think it's my first interview with someone based in Africa. It's great to see there's an audience all over the world because you know we're everywhere. Now, if I could just get some people on here from Asia. We talked today about how she feels actually like she has enough agency on her life to keep her misophonia generally under wraps. We talk about ADHD, being in a large family where many of her siblings also have various triggers, her coping methods, and just what the general take is on misophonia and mental health in her region of Africa. After the show, let me know what you think. You can always reach me by email at hello at misophoniapodcast.com or hit me up on Instagram or Facebook at Misophonia Podcast. By the way, please drop a quick rating or review wherever you listen to this show. It always just helps drive us up in the algorithms and reach more people all over the world. Thanks for the incredible ongoing support of our Patreon supporters. And if you feel like contributing, you can go to patreon.com slash misophonia podcast. And before we get started, one other thing I want to mention, I've decided to start a Misophonia coaching service. So that would mean meetings with me virtually. And it could be whatever duration you like. I'm still trying to figure out details like that and kind of how often to do them. But if you want to... reach me and talk to me about that. You can email me at helloatmissiphoneypodcast.com or you can go to the link in my Instagram and there is a form you can fill out with some more details. But yeah, I'm looking forward to helping more people, coach them through managing misophonia. And that could be, you could be a misophonia yourself or you could be a parent. But seeing as though I've heard quite a bit and I've heard many, many coping methods and strategies, I'd love to help you come up with a plan and help you manage misophonia a little better in your life. All right. Now let's get to my conversation with Wairimu. Wairimu, welcome to the podcast. Good to have you here.

Wairimu [2:23]: Thank you.

Adeel [2:23]: Yeah. So do you want to tell folks kind of whereabouts you are?

Wairimu [2:29]: Currently, I'm in Kenya, but I'm originally from Uganda. And for those who don't know where that is, that's in the East African region. East of Africa.

Adeel [2:40]: Great. Yeah, I'm totally tangent, but I manage a team of engineers. Two of them are in Nigeria. One of them's in Libya. So I'm pretty familiar with that. At least that, you know, I talk to people from Africa all the time.

Wairimu [2:55]: It's like, people like to show, like, most people abroad think, like, Africa is, like, one giant region. But, like, it's so diverse. No, it's big.

Adeel [3:05]: Yeah.

Wairimu [3:05]: Yeah. So, no cheating. So...

Adeel [3:09]: yeah so i think i now i forget i feel like did we connect on twitter or for some somehow i believe maybe um yeah so uh i don't even remember what it was about but uh i guess yeah maybe do you want to start um well just tell me what you do what you do out there in kenya

Wairimu [3:28]: Okay, so I'm a student in my first year, pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce at a university called Strathmore University. And I'm also, well, I'm still finding my specialization, but it's more into digital marketing. So yeah.

Adeel [3:48]: Gotcha.

Wairimu [3:48]: Okay, very cool.

Adeel [3:50]: Yeah. And so, yeah, I guess how's, maybe let's start with the kind of how's misophonia these days for you? You're in school. You know, what are your biggest challenges these days?

Wairimu [4:05]: I don't really have, I wasn't really, I'm not really challenged right now as I was before. Before I really understood that there were sounds out there that would trigger me into panic or total shutdown or unreasonable anger. Right now they're still there because sometimes cars get overwhelming, like the noise, the sound of cars. And I live near an airport, so the sound of planes flying above. So I just try to stay as far away as I can from people. Yeah, I keep it as kind as I can, yeah.

Adeel [4:43]: So it sounds like you have more control now. You're in college, so a lot of people have more control over their surroundings.

Wairimu [4:49]: Yeah.

Adeel [4:55]: I'm glad you're taking advantage of that. It sounds like things were more difficult earlier on. Do you want to share how things started for you when you first started noticing problems?

Wairimu [5:05]: Okay. I think my misophonia is heavily linked to my ADHD. So... Okay, it is Ling. And most times I would, like, I have a very big family. So, like, there would be so much going on. And I would literally get so angry. Like, you can't start bursting out in anger. people like there's nothing that has happened and all of a sudden you're angry like there's no way to explain it because I also didn't know what it was I would be so angry and irritated cutlery banging one of my family members is really good at that like they'll bang folks around the area for like a good 10 minutes so I would be tortured yeah it was insane and then We have a thing in Africa called a downtown center where many people go to shop because the prices are friendly. So it's always crowded. And I would always... get panic attacks and shut down because the noise the smells and and everything would be too much for me but especially the noise i would get or shut down but like my family wouldn't understand what's happening so yeah once i understood that that was misophonia i've just avoided crowds and

Adeel [6:32]: all kinds of trigger sounds from then on yeah yeah and did you know like you said you had a big family and i guess you know one question uh comes up is um like did anyone else have issues too you were you were kind of the only one who um like it was very loud but you were you know you were you had this different thing you were the only one uh who had this issue i guess maybe um yeah well first of all did anyone else in your family also show signs they did they just

Wairimu [7:02]: better at hiding it or they're not very vocal um but their trigger sounds are different from mine but like i i would say like 75 percent of my family members or my close family have have misophonia and they hate loud sounds um they hate those banking yeah those banking especially and um

Adeel [7:27]: dogs barking and just unnecessary sound in the background and it really irritates them to the point of anger so yeah yeah were they all these 75 so are you are you talking about uh you're like siblings or like also parents yeah Was it the 25% who were making the sounds?

Wairimu [7:50]: I think it's the 25% that are making the sounds. But also sometimes if your trigger sound isn't... Like, for example, me and my siblings don't share trigger sounds. So sometimes I will be the cause of that trigger sound. But I didn't know it was their trigger sound until they told me. So it's really hard to sometimes create other people's trigger sounds without knowing that they are their trigger sounds. Yeah.

Adeel [8:24]: Yeah. So before you guys knew it had a name, what was the environment like? Was everyone getting mad at each other or was there some support because there was some understanding that there was a shared issue?

Wairimu [8:42]: Before it had a name, before I found out why I was getting angry, you just get irritated and keep quiet because we have a very high power distance in African households. like um the mother and the father have a lot of authority right and the children have to listen to that authority so most trigger songs come from my parents so you can't just say oh stop doing this or stop doing that it's like it's like you have to be so respectful so you just endure it and um you try to reduce the effect as much as you can yeah right okay okay yeah yeah and uh and then at some point you found out it had a name how did that happen it's that i was just i think it's strange um i was doing research about a product that could reduce certain irritating noises that was what i was searching for I was searching for earphones that cancel out irritating noises. Like I can hear someone talk, but if there's someone chewing in the background, that noise is cancelled out. So I was looking if such a product had been made because I wanted to buy it. And then I went down the rabbit hole and then I find out, oh, so there are conditions to this. And then that's how I landed in Misophonia. Then I searched up people who had Misophonia and then I landed on your page on Twitter. So yeah.

Adeel [10:19]: Yeah, and did you run and tell your siblings?

Wairimu [10:23]: Oh, I told them. Oh, I told them because I told, especially my, one of my siblings is really sensitive to like a lot of sounds. I was like, so I think you have a misophonia. She's like, what? I'm like, you're very sensitive to sounds. I was like, oh, I am actually. I'm like, yeah. So she tells me, okay, so do not bang the doors. I hate it. I want to kill you for doing it. I'm like, okay. No more banging doors.

Adeel [10:48]: Yeah.

Wairimu [10:49]: Yeah.

Adeel [10:50]: Oh, and so it wasn't until after you told her it had a name that she was like, oh, yeah, by the way, it drives me crazy when you bang doors?

Wairimu [10:59]: No, she said it before, but, like, I didn't know it was a condition. But when I actually came and told her, okay, this is a condition, we had a calm talk about it. It's like, okay, so just bang doors. Don't do this. Don't scratch your nails and things. Yeah, and I told her my name. Yeah. Yeah.

Adeel [11:18]: Has it helped a lot since at least, you know, you guys being able to work together or help each other about it with, you know, each of your independent triggers?

Wairimu [11:29]: Yeah, it helped me. I tried to reduce how many trigger songs I make by studying each of them. So I think it also helped. But I couldn't really live together anymore. So I don't know about it now. Yeah.

Adeel [11:42]: Yeah. And you said that it's definitely linked to your ADHD. Did you get a diagnosis for any of these things?

Wairimu [11:52]: Yeah, I got a diagnosis for ADHD.

Adeel [11:54]: Okay, okay. And did you mention to doctors about misophonia at all? no no no really but that's why i said i think it's linked because i did some reading and most people with adhd have misophonia so or some a good number there's definitely an overlap yeah yeah no i'm just curious yeah if uh if doctors are even aware in in kenya about misophonia because they're you know they're not all aware here or any country i don't know any country where they're um it's it's very well known yeah right well yeah everybody's gonna have to define the right one um how did your um and then you know you told you told your siblings um you must have told your parents maybe about misophonia or like how did they how are they acting about it now

Wairimu [12:54]: I haven't told my parents. They don't really believe in that.

Adeel [13:00]: They don't believe in... You're like, they're not going to believe in that. Or mental health stuff in general.

Wairimu [13:12]: I think one of them is more liberal. And the other one is like, okay, mental health is real. I said something like, it's like a daily thing. Like, come on. It's stronger than that. So that's how. She's like, okay, you have a jigger sound? You'll be fine. Something like that.

Adeel [13:29]: Yeah. Yeah. Stop out of it. Yeah. Yeah. That's kind of a similar reaction everywhere.

Wairimu [13:40]: parents from a certain generation have a certain level of perceiving things. You know, it's fine. It's like they went through their own fair share of trouble, so it's who they are.

Unknown Speaker [13:53]: Yeah.

Adeel [13:56]: What about your friends at school and whatnot? Did school trigger you? How did your friends deal with it?

Wairimu [14:06]: I went to school with a lot of people. I came to learn that you can't control everyone. You can't control... someone out there is going to make a trigger sound or the teacher is choke or scrape against the blackboard someone will drag a chair someone will bang Kat Lowry and you can't control all that so I just had to learn how to like reduce um contact or places where the trigger sounds are highest so for example and also my reaction like I don't fly out in rage. Not only that I'm angry, but I don't fly out in rage about it irritating me. Because quite frankly, it's like we're many, so what if I am creating someone's trigger sound? I just have to learn how to process it in a large crowd and avoid places of with many stimulating things. Yeah, like I really avoid crowds these days. I can't emphasize that enough. Yeah.

Adeel [15:17]: Yeah, so your coping mechanism is largely to just avoid situations where you think you'll be triggered most likely.

Wairimu [15:26]: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, there's a reason to put myself through that. If I'm to do that, it has to be for something really, really urgent.

Adeel [15:35]: A really good reason, yeah.

Wairimu [15:37]: A really good reason to put me through that, of which I'm going to be wearing headphones or noise-canceling, I don't know, earbuds or something. Something has to be in my ears. I can't just go in there.

Adeel [15:51]: Yeah, go in there blind or go in there without any tools.

Wairimu [15:54]: Yeah.

Adeel [15:57]: And so, yeah, you say you originally had looked for, you're looking for some devices. I guess, what are your go-tos now? Sounds like headphones. Are there particular headphones or earbuds that you use?

Wairimu [16:08]: I found that I really don't like silence, complete silence in my ears. Yeah. I want to have points that cancel out a specific sound. So it's just music. I try to listen to calm music at minimal volume so I can still hear my environment while I'm walking. Yeah. And... Yeah, that's when I'm out. But I'm aware there are places that trigger my misophonia or those trigger sounds. But if I'm in such areas, my headphones are in.

Adeel [16:50]: Yeah. And for your ADHD, what did they end up doing for you, the doctors? What was their advice? Was it therapy? Was it something else?

Wairimu [17:04]: So I think it's just going to have to be therapy. Yeah.

Adeel [17:11]: Like cognitive behavioral therapy.

Wairimu [17:13]: Yeah. Therapy. Learning about... Reading more about it. Because I can't... Because understanding your disease or your mental health situation gives you more power than anything in itself. So it's just... learning how to talking to people who are actually experienced in this so that's therapy and reading more and finding more coping mechanisms uh and how to prevent myself from falling down into a rabbit hole yeah yeah um and what about um have you talked to other friends uh outside of your siblings have you met anyone else who has misophonia

Adeel [18:02]: in person, maybe in Kenya?

Wairimu [18:05]: No, I don't think, not really. I don't think people call it misophonia. They just say, this sound makes me want to end you. Is there a word for that?

Adeel [18:17]: This sound makes me want to end you. Is there a translation?

Wairimu [18:20]: Don't do that. I'm going to throw you out of my room. So they just say that. I just say, okay. We won't take into details. Yeah.

Adeel [18:29]: yeah yeah okay okay um and so when you get together with your family um when you go back home are you like mentally preparing that uh it's gonna be rough or you just throw your headphones on yeah yeah it is but over the years it has come down a lot and i think it's heavily attributed to the fact i will just become more aware of who we are as individuals in the household so yeah we just we're just taking it at that time yeah yeah gotcha and do you and and you say you don't have i forget if i asked have you told any of your friends uh you know that that you have misophonia can you please like be more sensitive maybe around me

Wairimu [19:23]: Supposedly it hasn't come up because the friends I have, again, make the numbers few, don't really earn the kind, they don't make certain sounds. they have never made my trigger sound so I've never really had the chance it has never really come up to tell them like you know what okay so don't make these sounds they trigger me because they're more silent people the more silent the better so yeah I guess I'm lucky in that aspect gotcha have you had friends who were loud and they kind of like gradually left your kind of like circle of friends yeah i had dozens and i just inch farther away from them without really making them the problem so yeah yeah so it has kind of affected maybe your uh your social life a little bit by kind of uh helping you filter i um yeah filtering your friends really leaves you countable friends. The fingers in your hand. One hand.

Adeel [20:37]: What about work? I know you're in university now. Have you had jobs where you've had to deal with misophonia?

Wairimu [20:47]: Currently, I wouldn't say I've had any. Because I'm trying to work online as much as i can yeah so when i'm working online the interaction with human beings is minimal and when we meet physically it's more of it's get business done and it's not loud, it's calm and tranquil. So I've not really had to deal with any of that.

Adeel [21:28]: That's the good thing about... Pardon? No, I was going to say that's the good thing about online work is that you can choose your surroundings.

Wairimu [21:37]: Yeah, heavily choose your surroundings. Yeah, so I think I'm going to continue with the online working thing because it's really... helped me thrive as a person. Yeah.

Adeel [21:52]: Yeah, it sounds like what you're studying too is going to lend itself to being online more too. Yeah. Yeah, very, very interesting. Okay. Yeah, and I guess, again, maybe, do you remember kind of like your first triggers? I know it sounds like, you know, it sounds like you had a very loud environment. I'm just curious, like, around what age was it? Was it around the eight to ten?

Wairimu [22:22]: As far back as I can remember.

Adeel [22:24]: Yeah.

Wairimu [22:25]: The one trigger stone the virus had is... No, there are two. You know, teachers choke drug against... Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it makes us... I'm actually... I'm retracting myself because it's so irritating.

Adeel [22:44]: Just thinking about it, yeah, yeah.

Wairimu [22:45]: It just... to the core of your bone and just ratchets from there. And then people jogging their chairs on the floor like that.

Adeel [22:55]: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Wairimu [22:57]: Oh my God. Those are my earliest sugar songs. And then there's something called Sensory Overload.

Adeel [23:07]: Right.

Wairimu [23:08]: yeah so when um then i remember because most times when i was young my mom would handle all my shopping over shopping so just come home and yeah uh but then when i got older she would like Like, okay, now you have to be more responsible. So going in crowds, like show, and like there's so many voices coming at you from every direction, that really would trigger me to shut down. So those are my, those are the trigger sounds I can remember earliest from like crowds and yeah.

Adeel [23:53]: And when you say shut down, what would you do? Would you just kind of like, I don't know, just kind of like dissociate from the people around you and just kind of like slow down?

Wairimu [24:07]: far more like it's so bad. Everyone's like, what's wrong? Why are you so angry? I'm like, I actually don't know why I'm angry, but I am. I stop. All reasoning leaves. I'm no longer a reasonable human being. I'm just emotional. I reach points where I just stand in the middle of the world because I'm so overwhelmed. I just feel... like every the world is crushing on me so i just i basically retract into this little cave of mine in my mind to try and like retain some sort of control over the situation so yeah that's shutting down for me

Adeel [24:54]: Yeah, well, I think that's a feeling that many of us can understand and share. And when you guys were growing up, was there any stress or tense situation around the house? Anything out of the ordinary that you can point to as maybe being slightly, I don't know, traumatizing?

Wairimu [25:18]: I don't think so. Because if it's there, I don't remember it. I actually had a very happy childhood, except for those moments of the teacher drugging his chalk against the keyboard.

Adeel [25:35]: Yeah.

Wairimu [25:36]: Yeah, but my childhood was pretty happier.

Adeel [25:38]: yeah no that's great um and just jumping back to school now like um it sounds like you know you say you have a little bit more control but you know when you're doing exams or when you're in class like are are you um looking for or able to get any kind of accommodations from your school to kind of like help you like you know not do a final exam in the middle of a room of you know trigger sounds

Wairimu [26:04]: If I had, my school would cater for me, but it's like a Catholic school. So silence is everything. Yeah, it's like there's an area for all students and staff and everyone to meet. So that one is always loud and it's understandable because everyone is meeting, they're talking and it's like a social center. But other academic places are quiet. you're not allowed to make a lot of noise because the people are always studying. So you're supposed to keep your voice to the minimum. And so there aren't really a lot of figure sounds. If there are exams in progress, people aren't really allowed in that area. And in the examination room, it's really quiet. So you won't hear anything. So yeah.

Adeel [26:57]: So that quiet culture of your Catholic school kind of works in your favor.

Wairimu [27:02]: Yeah, it does. Yeah.

Adeel [27:05]: Gotcha. And were you, I'm curious, were you going to a church a lot growing up? Because a lot of people have said, you know, the sounds in a church can be triggering because it's, you know, people can be going and coughing, but it's very quiet. Yeah.

Wairimu [27:23]: Okay, I grew up Catholic. We didn't really go to church a lot. But the times we went to church, I found it actually very peaceful because of how, it's like it's so organized and the choirs sing in sync with themselves. I don't know if that makes sense, but they've practiced enough and everything is just perfect.

Adeel [27:49]: It sounds good, yeah.

Wairimu [27:51]: They all sound at the right time. So there's order and if it's not the priest or the choir, you're supposed to be silent. So yeah. Yeah. Okay.

Adeel [28:06]: So that's, that's kind of a good refuge. Um, and have you, um, I guess it sounds like, um, yeah, I mean, it sounds like in terms of where you are now in school, pretty good situation and then kind of like your career. Um, is kind of a path that should give you some control. What about your living situation right now, I guess? Do you have roommates?

Wairimu [28:36]: I kind of live alone right now. So, yeah, no, no, it's for me. I'm really thriving right now. That's all I can say. Yeah, sounds like it.

Adeel [28:50]: Well, it sounds like you've kind of like, yeah, I mean, but it's like, you know, you've kind of doing this on purpose. Like, are you thinking towards the future? You're still young, but like, do you have any plans for kind of like how you want to maintain that thriving situation?

Wairimu [29:06]: Yeah, because when I texted you around the time, One of my family members had created one of my trigger sounds, and I had this irrational feeling to get a plate and bang it over the head. I don't even know where it came from, but I was like, I just want it to end. So I was like, okay, so this is normal. This is all right. It doesn't say power, knowledge is power. Once I found out what it was, I read more into it. I have worked to create an environment for myself where I'm peaceful and I can thrive. And yeah, the school I'm in, the place I live, the people I interact with, But the places I go to relax are all quiet and have more soothing sounds than annoying sounds. So yeah, I think everyone should just try to create the life you want.

Adeel [30:12]: Yeah, yeah. No, it's not. It is possible. Before you found out, did you have any, like, quite... Did you have any reactions that you'd rather, that you regretted, basically? Or was it kind of, did it all just stay in your head?

Wairimu [30:28]: Do I have any reactions to misappointing?

Adeel [30:31]: In terms of like, you know, lashing out at people or maybe throwing a plate.

Wairimu [30:37]: Like I told you, in an African homestead, the part distance is high. You're not going to throw a plate and survive.

Adeel [30:47]: Are you looking at other, you know, you said you're trying to do therapy for ADHD. Are you still maybe looking at, I don't know, exploring? It looks like you've gone down some rabbit holes in the past. Are you looking at, I don't know, exploring other therapy options for misophonia in the future?

Wairimu [31:05]: I guess I'm looking for any other options in the future because for me, it shuts me down. But also, if I hear a trigger sound, but I'm not really stressed out, I can handle it better, right? But if I'm in the situation that's really stressing me out, and then I hear a trigger sound, then I'm just going to smile and handle it. So, of course, in my mind, because it's a cultural topic. I think right now, if I'm to really control to create an environment where I can work with. Sometimes to get uncomfortable, but I want to make sure that those times of

Adeel [32:00]: Yeah. And, and, you know, you're talking about, yeah, stress is definitely something where if you go into a situation, stress, uh, it's not, not good news if you have, um, cause your nervous system is compromised and all that stuff. Also like, um, you know, sleep, getting enough sleep makes it can make a big difference.

Wairimu [32:21]: Yeah. And I think just making, telling people around me like, okay, be really great if you if we avoided this but yeah like these songs make me really want to um scratch your eyes out so if you could just avoid them that would be great yeah

Adeel [32:51]: Well, it sounds like, yeah, I mean, obviously your siblings would know that. It sounds like the friends you've chosen are pretty good as well.

Wairimu [33:00]: Yeah. Yeah.

Adeel [33:03]: that's great that's great um and and yeah i i'm curious that yeah i guess in uh in in kenya what's the what's the kind of the awareness of mental health in in general i haven't really talked to many people from africa about misophonia i'm curious like what is the is there general awareness of misophonia obviously there is for mental health everywhere i'm just curious uh you know In general, is there any misophonia awareness and how is mental health looked at? I know it's looked at in your family with your parents, but I'm just curious how it is looked at in Kenya, Eastern Africa in general.

Wairimu [33:41]: Yeah. Well, generally, I think all East African regions have this thing of mental health really doesn't impact your life as much as they say it is. And I'm not really from Kenya, I'm from Uganda.

Adeel [33:58]: Uganda, right, yeah.

Wairimu [34:00]: Yeah. So, to me, in Uganda, it's like, okay, it's really minimal. I've not met people who know much about it. If they know about it, they don't really care about it that much. It's very, very few people who really care about mental health. But the good news is, in general, mental health issues are the topic is becoming more and more popular every day and people are asking themselves more questions reading more about mental health trying to incorporate as much as they can like mental health without like compromising the values and beliefs that the culture and the community holds as a whole yeah so it's it's becoming a popular topic and i think there's hope in the future for it so yeah

Adeel [34:56]: Yeah, like everywhere, there's slow progress, but hopefully going in the right direction. Yeah. That's great. Well, I mean, I guess, yeah, I mean, yeah, we covered quite a few things. Actually, I was curious, sorry, if you've heard any episodes, you know, I ask random questions, but do you know about any other family members, like, I don't know, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins that may have misophonia or symptoms like that?

Wairimu [35:28]: I don't really know any. I haven't seen any exhibit. But I think I'm really looking through my memories and I feel like I've had an aunt or an uncle somewhere around grumble or complain about a certain sound in the background. So yeah, they may or may not have misophonia. I can't really give a total conclusion. If they have it, they've been quite about it. Yeah.

Adeel [36:04]: Gotcha.

Wairimu [36:04]: Yeah.

Adeel [36:05]: Okay. Yeah. Everyone's always curious though, how it is in families or whether there's a genetic component or whatnot. Cool. Well, yeah. Well, yeah. You know, you're kind of, I think you're the first person actually from the African continent to come on the show. So hopefully we'll reach, hopefully we'll reach more people. I'm sure, you know, I'm sure lots of people suffering. uh in silence in africa like there are everywhere else um and anything um yeah anything you want to share with anyone else actually around the world who's listening okay so anyone who's listening um your mental disorder is not something you ask for but it's something you have so

Wairimu [36:55]: You should live a life that's responsible. I think that's what changed my life. Be responsible for the people you let in, the boundaries you set, how you perceive yourself, who you are, making steps to get well. Generally, be responsible for your well-being and just love yourself and live every day. I guess that's my advice.

Adeel [37:22]: Yeah, well, self-compassion is an important part, not just something that should happen in general, but it's research is kind of, I think, going in that direction where, you know, self-compassion, taking care of yourself, and for folks who had kind of a rough past, self-compassion is even more important, and some of that, you know, plays into misophonia, so... yeah, those important words to live by. And I think hopefully people will be inspired by the fact that you've just been able to kind of, uh, really control your environment and thrive and, and, uh, and be happy, still have misophonia. Uh, and you know, it's not going to go away permanently for anyone, uh, anytime soon. Um, yeah, hopefully, hopefully it will, but, uh, uh, we'll see. Maybe I think there is a lot of research. So, uh, that some, some stories might be coming out where, where people are, um, curing themselves, but, uh, but if you have it, uh you're you're an example of uh being able to live happy with it so um yeah definitely want to uh congratulate you on on doing that for yourself thank you thank you this will be an interesting one and uh yeah like i said yes great i'm glad you reached out and uh yeah um yeah thanks thanks for coming on why remove thank you for having thank you why remove it's great to hear you're feeling positive and i hope this episode reaches many more ears in africa If you liked this episode, don't forget to leave a quick review or just hit the five stars wherever you listen to this podcast. You can hit me up by email at hello at misophoniapodcast.com or go to the website, misophoniapodcast.com. It's easiest to probably just send a message on Instagram at misophoniapodcast, follow there, or Facebook at misophoniapodcast or Twitter at misophoniashow. Support the show by visiting the Patreon at patreon.com slash musicfootypodcast. Music as always is by Moby and until next week, wishing you peace and quiet.

Unknown Speaker [39:18]: ... ... Thank you.