This aversion to noisy eaters has been the case as long as I remember. I couldn’t stand sitting next to my own dad at the dinner table growing up (loud methodical forceful eater, like attacking each bite). I had a best friend in high school who would finish off each mouthful with the loud smacking noises.

During times of stress it drives me even more crazy. For instance, I have a co-worker who sits four cubicles away (not that close), and I can clearly hear eating, every single bit of food. Mouth wide open from the first to last bite, licking fingers (quite disgusting knowing of all the germs in this place). This chewing and other related mouth noises is so loud it echos off the walls, quite seriously, and it continues for nearly 3 hours every day. This co-worker is a slow and noisy eater — and it drives me nuts. I have another co-worker who sits across the row who licks fingers and eats with her mouth wide open (and when eating lunch with her I can see every piece of food actively being chewed and bits flying out). Oddly enough she is a highly social person who goes out to fancy restaurants with large groups of friends all the time — I can barely imagine what some of them must think. And there are several others in my office – this problem is far and wide if my co-workers are a realistic cross-section of society.  I seriously want to jump out a window when I hear these noises. Such as right now. From probably 30 feet away all I hear is “smack, smack, smack” and its echo off the office wall. And I cannot escape from it since I hate headphones at work and I have constant coworker interruptions anyway. WHY DO THEY EAT WITH SUCH DISGUSTING DISREGARD FOR THE REST OF SOCIETY?

I realize this is probably OCD or something, and I also realize it will sound crazy in itself to most, but I also wonder if anyone out there shares this problem and has solutions. I’m losing it (hence actually blogging about this). I’ve ordered a pair of earplugs that “dim” noise (I still need to hear at work, which is why music headphones aren’t an answer either), and will report back on how these work in the small chance someone else finds this post. Any natural solutions (supplements to calm nerves, etc?)  Vitamin D is helping, but not enough it seems. Ideally I’d like to improve this without the need for prescriptions or therapy – but this is getting so bad I think I may even consider that too. Trying to ignore it just doesn’t seem to work at all.

UPDATE: The earplugs help a little, but I can actually hear my co-workers eating (the one 40 feet away) even with the earplugs in. That’s how loud it is! And it has gotten so bad that I actually feel physically sick to my stomach. I hate listening to music while working, but it might be the last resort…

UPDATE 2: Some links to others with this problem. Some of these people feel exactly the same way, it seems.

http://www.flowingpens.com/blog/?p=56 [This is so bizarre - the post is so similar. And it's a small bit of relief to see there are others out there (comments) who feel the same way, to know I'm not a lonesome crazy person.]

http://www.shaolintiger.com/2004/11/25/pet-peeveschompingstfu-noisy-eaters/

http://www.stevepavlina.com/forums/social-relationships/3368-pet-peeve.html

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080129054457AAbdLwe

http://www.facebook.com/pages/i-cant-stand-noisy-eaters-argghhhh/128426002735

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=53988474450

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/aug/06/table-manners-chewing-noise

Is it “selective sound sensitivity syndrome” aka 4S or misophonia?

http://www.chat-hyperacusis.net/post?id=580711

http://www.chat-hyperacusis.net/post?id=1691348

http://www.hyperacusis.org/page9.html

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45861

http://www.aitinstitute.org/sound_sensitivity_types.htm (near bottom)