Less triggered by strangers?

I find myself being less triggered by strangers/ people who I do not have a close connection with.

The closer the connection, the more triggering their eating sounds are.

For instance, my girlfriend and immediate family can send my emotions into a spiraling rage when I hear their eating sounds. I don’t react that way of course. But my can blood boil under my skin sometimes. Especially when stressed. Sometimes I can manage my emotional reaction.

But strangers or just minor acquaintances, it barely bothers me. I might not even notice. Children’s sounds don’t really get to me either.

It’s just those I’m closest to. And my girlfriend has this terrible jaw clicking cracking noise that happens when she yawns. I have to restrain myself sometimes. I can catch it when I see she is about to yawn, and I’ll make a distracting noise or be sure to cover my ears somehow.

But when I don’t catch it, it ruins my mood. Which I’m struggling with. It’s literally something I consider ending the relationship over. I feel guilty about it. But the noise is just that bad to me. I don’t know if I can listen to it the rest of my life. I’m even in therapy for that specific sound of her yawns.

But TLDR: Strangers are much less triggering for me than loved ones.