To whom it may concern:

I am writing to you regarding my sensory disability called misophonia, which is gaining recognition but is not yet something that most people are familiar with. This letter is both for your information and to request some accommodations so that I might perform my work with clearer focus, productivity, and serenity.

Misophonia is, at present, considered by medical researchers to be a neurological condition. People with misophonia, such as myself, experience an extreme physical and psychological reaction in response to specific and common sounds and other stimuli. This reaction is similar to a panic state that can also include anger or rage and a need to flee from the vicinity of the sound or other 'trigger'. Certain normal, non-threatening sounds are utterly unbearable to people with misophonia. People with misophonia can’t control their reaction; it is involuntary.

This reaction may be hard to understand for neurotypical people the same way an allergy might seem strange if one were unfamiliar with it, but is still a very real disability. Some sounds are bothersome to almost everyone, but for people with misophonia, certain sounds create a reaction that is way outside of the ordinary and has life-altering consequences. Misophonia sufferers often cope by avoiding healthy activities of all types. This avoidance can even lead to families breaking apart, jobs being lost, social isolation, and severe depression and hopelessness.

Misophonia is currently known as a chronic condition. Presently, there is no proven treatment for misophonia. There is no cure. While research is underway on this disorder, people with misophonia must cope as best as we can. Your help is a major part of my coping and even thriving with misophonia while I am working.  

The types of sounds and other stimuli that trigger people with misophonia vary with each sufferer. They are often not loud noises, and misophonia is not an intolerance to loud sounds. Misophonic trigger sounds are mostly quieter sounds and are usually repetitive and of human origin, though not always.  

Some examples of my specific trigger sounds and stimuli are:

**[List specific triggers for the person with misophonia]

Under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA], a reasonable accommodation is "a modification or adjustment to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done during the hiring process. These modifications enable an individual with a disability to  have an equal opportunity not only to get a job, but successfully perform their job tasks to the same extent as people without disabilities."

"The ADA requires reasonable accommodations as they relate to three aspects of employment: 
1) ensuring equal opportunity in the application process;
2) enabling a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of a job; and
3) making it possible for an employee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment."

Accommodations are sometimes referred to as ‘productivity enhancers.’ in the Americans with Disabilities Act literature.

The ADA covers all disabilities, including anything that impairs one’s ability to perform normal life activities such as working to one’s fullest potential. Misophonia hinders my daily activities and is regarded by medical professionals to be a disability.  

The accommodations I am requesting are:

**[Examples:
A "no food or gum" policy in the office,
permission to leave meetings or other triggering events as needed,
replacing all clicking pens at work with stick pens,  
the ability to work from home,  
the ability to work while wearing headphones,  
the ability to work remotely or in a private space,  
etc.]  

I value my career and want to contribute as completely to my work as possible. These positive accommodations will permit me to concentrate more fully on my role as an employee without distractions.

If you'd like more information about my disability, you are welcome to contact my audiologist/therapist/physician at [phone number]. You can also learn more about this disability online at sites such as soquiet.org and others.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I am happy to provide any additional information that you might require.

Thank you so much.

**[Name and signature]