Vicious Cycle of Misokinesia: Why Does It Keep Getting Worse?
Misokinesia means a “hatred of movements” and is a pervasive and often debilitating condition — what’s worse is that few people have even heard of the term, much less know how to treat it (or even pronounce it…).
When searching for solutions, most strategies people come across revolve around escaping or avoiding triggers. However, if you’re reading this article, you’ve likely realized that avoidance isn’t a viable long-term strategy. Misokinesia has already taken too much from your life, and you need a different approach.
My name is Eliyahu Serkez. At the Anxiety & OCD Therapy Practice, we offer a unique treatment called EASE — Experiential Acceptance and Stimulus Engagement — the only published effective therapy for misokinesia and misophonia.
The Vicious Cycle of Misokinesia
We refer to the “vicious cycle of misokinesia” as the typical pattern in which misokinesia develops and persists. The key question is: Why does the emotion linked to misokinesia keep returning, no matter how much one avoids or escapes their triggers? In fact, why do the reactions often seem to become even more intense over time?
To understand this, let’s examine how people typically cope with misokinesia.
The Natural Response to Pain
We are all naturally averse to pain. Imagine touching something hot — what do you do? Most people would instinctively pull their hand away. We handle misokinesia-related emotions in a very similar way.
Misokinesia triggers — such as various movements like tapping, leg shaking, hair twirling — are so uncomfortable and aversive that they feel “painfully hot” to those affected. They cause an immediate and intense reaction. Since we are wired to avoid things that cause us distress, individuals with misokinesia instinctively try to escape these triggers and make their lives more manageable. Some cope by looking away, asking others to stop or simply leaving the room.
However, these solutions provide only temporary relief. The same distress returns the next time the trigger appears. Why does this cycle continue?
The Brain’s Role in Reinforcing Misokinesia
The answer lies in how the brain processes avoidance. Two key mechanisms are at play:
- Avoidance reinforces the perception of danger — When we repeatedly avoid something, our brain interprets it as a threat. After all, we only avoid things that are truly dangerous.
- Increased sensitivity to triggers — Once our brain categorizes something as a threat, we become hyper-aware of it, making us even more sensitive to the trigger.
While avoidance provides short-term relief, it has significant long-term consequences. The more we avoid or escape misokinesia triggers, the more we reinforce our brain’s belief that we cannot face them. This heightened sensitivity makes us even more reactive to the very movements we are trying to avoid.
The Trap of Avoidance and Compulsions
Over time, individuals become increasingly dependent on avoidance strategies, making it even harder to break the cycle. Each time an avoidance behavior (or compulsion) is performed, the brain experiences temporary reassurance. However, this only strengthens the reliance on these behaviors, making the reaction to triggers even stronger.
Breaking Free with EASE Therapy
Fortunately, therapies like EASE (Experiential Acceptance and Stimulus Engagement) can help disrupt this cycle by encouraging individuals to face, allow and accept their emotions and discomfort without resorting to avoidance behaviors. This effectively helps weaken the conditioned response and reduce their sensitivity over time. Read the full published study here →
This protocol has helped many individuals regain control of their symptoms, allowing them to live more relaxed, socially connected, and fulfilling lives. If misokinesia has taken too much from you, know that there is hope — and a way forward.
Ready to break the vicious cycle of visual triggers?
Call or text (845) 288-3139 or send a confidential message here →