SHOOTING DAGGERS!
What was supposed to be a relaxing lunch at a new café in Fitzroy ended in tears when lawyer Melanie Wimbone was tipped over the edge by the sound of partner Natasha’s chewing.
Melanie spent the first half of the meal trying to communicate her discomfort at the sound of Natasha eating a spicy Southern fried chicken burger, by sending her unsuspecting girlfriend death stares.
Melanie told Babbler, “The way Natasha eats kills me. The only time I can drown her out is if I chew myself. But today, our chewing got out of sync. Once I locked in on the sound of deep-fried crumbed chicken being crunched by molars, I couldn’t focus on anything else.”
Melanie suffers from a condition called ‘Misophonia’ where certain sounds, typically mouth sounds, cause a person to go into flight or fight mode.
Natasha remained unaware that her lunch was causing such distress, even when Melanie started to sigh loudly and roll her eyes. It wasn’t until Melanie blurted, “Are you right?!” that Natasha realised something may be up with her girlfriend.
Psychologist Dr Lydia McFarlane said, “As soon as a Misophonia sufferer hears another person eating, they are overcome with an intense urge to punch them in the face. Our research estimates that the eating habits of one’s partner are responsible for over 70% of relationship breakdowns.”
Melanie knows her condition can make her act unreasonably and implements workarounds so it doesn’t impact her relationship.
“If I am cooking, I only serve soft foods. If we eat out, I always select a noisy restaurant and suggest Natasha order soup. I also order extra crunchy food, so my chewing is louder. Today, I made the mistake of letting her choose the venue and her meal.”
Dr McFarlane said, “For the partners of Misophonia sufferers, they often feel they cannot win. No matter how quietly they chew, they enrage their partner. For others, the way they eat really is gross.”
The couple were later seen arguing on Brunswick St. Natasha was seen crying and saying, “I can’t believe you would ruin my birthday like that!”
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