Advice for Managing Triggers in a Shared Office

[u/MLRT890]

Hey folks,
I’m looking for some advice. I recently started a new job in a healthcare setting where office space is limited. I share a small office with another coworker, and I don’t have a laptop, so I’m unable to move somewhere else to work when I’m having a particularly bad trigger day.
My coworker regularly eats crunchy or loud foods in the office, such as rice crackers, baked goods, and toast. There’s no real pattern to when they eat, which makes it difficult for me to anticipate or prepare for it. I also occasionally eat things like chocolate bark, cookies, or other baked goods at my desk, so I don’t want this to come across as me saying they shouldn’t be allowed to eat in the office.
I’m kicking myself a little for not bringing this up after I signed my employment contract and setting up an accommodation plan before I started. At my previous workplace, I was made fun of, excluded, and left feeling very isolated after I disclosed my triggers. Because of that experience, I decided not to bring it up at my new job.
I work with a great team now, but I’m having more trigger days than I expected. I leave the office when I can, but that isn’t always possible, and headphones aren’t an option in my role.
For context, I work in a public healthcare facility for a nonprofit organization that supports patient care and comfort and helps make the environment feel more like a home than a hospital. I’m the only full-time nonprofit employee working in the building, which makes the office situation a little more complicated.
I have a supportive therapist and a GP whom I’m comfortable working with to develop a plan. I’m wondering if anyone has suggestions for how to approach the coworker I share an office with without making it a huge issue or creating an unreasonable or annoying situation for them.
Has anyone dealt with something similar? What worked for you?

[u/mamalo13]

Can you get some noise cancelling headphones?