Misophonia is a Disability.
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA]:
“The ADA defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.”
Impairments that involve our brains are among the most common and the most misunderstood. These are often referenced as “invisible disabilities” and include mental health disorders as well as neurological and emotional disabilities.
For some people, misophonia is mostly manageable within their lives. For others, misophonia presents a major impact on their ability to enjoy participating in daily life. If misophonia disables a person, then it is a disability for them. There is no “special list” that a condition needs to be on to “qualify” as a disability.
Misophonia, without question, significantly limits some people’s ability to undertake major life activities. It affects all aspects of life in small and large ways, from causing severe anxiety and hopelessness in our home life and socializing to exacerbating frustrating distractions in schooling and employment. Many people with misophonia have quit jobs, moved away from family, lost opportunities to succeed in their education, and found themselves isolated from friends and relationships as a result of their disability.
Considering the above definition, misophonia certainly qualifies as a disability.
What do I do?
Using the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA] for employment in the US
People with misophonia in the United States can make use of this federal legislation to request reasonable accommodations at work and be protected when applying for employment.
Learn more at our Misophonia at Work page.
Download our free Misophonia Letter to an Employer on our resources page.
Also reference these pages from askJan, the US Job Accommodation organization:
Misophonia: Sensitivity to Sounds and Surviving the Workplace
Using a 504 Plan for schools within the US
Children who have misophonia within the United States can request accommodations under a variety of laws that require schools to provide an education for children with disabilities that is equal to that provided to children without disabilities.
Learn more on our School Accommodations for Misophonia page.
Consult with an Attorney and Physician.
This page is not meant to offer any legal or medical advice. Regarding your local laws and specific personal situation, it is best to consult with legal and medical professionals before taking any steps.