‘Little House on the Prairie’ Star Struggles with Noise Sensitivity
Melissa Gilbert, famous for her role as Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie, has dealt with noise sensitivity since childhood, often reacting with anger to everyday sounds.
In an interview with People on August 20, Gilbert revealed that her Misophonia—a condition that triggers strong negative reactions to certain sounds—made her childhood challenging. During the filming of Little House on the Prairie, she often felt an overwhelming urge to escape whenever she heard her co-stars chewing gum or tapping their fingers on the table.
“When I heard those sounds, my face would turn red, and tears would well up in my eyes. I’d just sit there, feeling immense pain and guilt for hating the people who made the noise, even though they were people I loved. It was truly a dark time,” she recalled.
As a child, Gilbert’s family misunderstood her condition, assuming she was just difficult and temperamental. They often described her as glaring at her parents, grandparents, and siblings with “eyes full of hatred.” Gilbert herself thought she was rude and felt terrible for her unkind reactions to those around her. It wasn’t until years later that she discovered her behavior was due to a neurological disorder. People with Misophonia often feel physical discomfort and emotional instability when they hear certain everyday sounds, leading to negative reactions. “I cried when I learned about the condition and realized I wasn’t a bad person,” she said.
The condition persisted into adulthood, affecting her family life. Gilbert banned her children from chewing gum and used signals to get them to stop making noise when it bothered her. Her sensitivity worsened during menopause, with her irritability and difficulty managing anger straining relationships with loved ones.
Although Gilbert became aware of Misophonia, she didn’t know how to treat it until last year when she discovered the Misophonia Research Center at Duke University’s School of Medicine. She reached out for help through their website and received a response from Dr. Zach Rosenthal, the center’s director, who assured her she wasn’t alone.
Gilbert underwent 16 weeks of intensive treatment using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She explained that the disorder is emotional in nature, tied to self-regulation and self-control. “I’ve realized I can ride the waves of this condition, but they’ll never completely disappear. Now, I have all the tools I need to feel more comfortable and less reactive,” she added.
Gilbert also shared that CBT has been life-changing. People around her no longer feel pressured or anxious in her presence. Last Christmas, she gave her children a special gift: packs of chewing gum, symbolizing her newfound ability to cope. Now, they can chew gum freely without fearing their mother’s anger.
Melissa Gilbert, now 60, is an American actress best known for her role as Laura in the television series Little House on the Prairie. She began the series in 1974, before turning 10. Her character was a kind-hearted girl from a large, impoverished family. Gilbert also served as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001 to 2005.
She has been married three times and has two children with her first two husbands. She currently lives with her third husband, actor Timothy Busfield, in the suburbs of New York. In May 2022, Gilbert released her memoir, Back to the Prairie, detailing her decision to leave city life for a quieter existence in the countryside.
