Melissa Gilbert's childhood was 'difficult' due to her neurological disorder.

As a child, Melissa Gilbert went through challenging times, and now she reflects on those experiences.

In a recent interview with People magazine, Gilbert described living with her neurological disorder as a challenging aspect of her childhood, particularly while filming "Little House on the Prairie."

"Gilbert confessed to People that if any of the kids chewed gum, ate, or tapped their fingernails on the table in the on-set schoolroom, he would feel so hateful towards them that he would want to run away. He would become beet red and his eyes would fill with tears, making him feel absolutely miserable and horribly guilty for feeling this way towards people he loved."

Gilbert discovered she had a neurological disorder known as misophonia, which triggers emotional and physiological responses to specific sounds and visuals, only after becoming an adult.

Gilbert remembered crying when she discovered the cause of her emotions and realized she wasn't a bad person. Now, she works with the Duke Center for Misophonia and Emotional Regulation at Duke University's School of Medicine to increase awareness about the disease.

"She admitted that she felt guilty for feeling rude and bad, which is a significant aspect of misophonia, the guilt associated with these feelings of fight or flight. This disorder can be isolating."

"I would turn beet red, and my eyes would fill up with tears, and I'd just sit there feeling absolutely miserable and horribly guilty for feeling so hateful towards all these people—people I loved."  — Melissa Gilbert

Her family believed she was someone who would glare at her loved ones with hate-filled eyes.

Although she was aware of her diagnosis, the "Little House on the Prairie" actress struggled to cope with the symptoms, which intensified as she aged. She remembered becoming increasingly irritable during menopause, stating, "As the estrogen dwindled, the anger surged," and significantly impacted her daily routine.

Gilbert sought assistance from Dr. Zach Rosenthal, the head of Duke's Center for Misophonia, after her condition's toll on her family became unbearable. Dr. Rosenthal responded by assuring her that she was not alone, and she subsequently enrolled in 16 weeks of intensive cognitive behavioral therapy to treat her misophonia.

"Gilbert stated that the issue at hand is emotional and centered on self-regulation and self-control. He acknowledged that he could manage the waves but they wouldn't disappear. However, he now possesses tools to cope better and avoid being triggered. This realization made him feel more in control."

Gilbert joyfully informed People that her loved ones no longer need to be cautious around her and that she gifted her children with a pack of gum for Christmas, assuring them that they can chew it in her presence without fear of making her angry.

During therapy, Gilbert discovered how misophonia affects her body and one of the initial indications of her anxiety is when her feet tighten.

"When I sense it approaching, I loosen my feet, and once I regulate my feet, I can handle everything else. It completely transformed my life."