Sensory overload and self-advocacy with ADHD (Margaux Joffe’s story)
Feb 18, 2025
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Margaux Joffe, a board-certified cognitive specialist and advocate for neurodiversity, shares her enlightening journey about living with ADHD. She reveals her eye-opening experience of sensory overload at IKEA that led to her diagnosis at age 29. Margaux discusses the challenges of undiagnosed ADHD, particularly anxiety in women, and emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy in the workplace. Her insightful perspective on justice sensitivity offers a fresh view on the unique strengths of women with ADHD, inspiring others to embrace their differences.
Sensory overload significantly affects individuals with ADHD, leading to emotional fatigue and necessitating strategies for environmental management.
Self-advocacy is essential for navigating workplace accommodations, empowering individuals with ADHD to communicate their needs confidently.
Deep dives
Reframing Perfectionism
Perfectionism is a significant challenge for many individuals, particularly those with ADHD, leading to feelings of inadequacy following even minor mistakes. The discussion highlights the importance of reframing one's perception of personal worth, emphasizing that being a good person includes making mistakes. This insight can serve as a comforting reminder to individuals struggling with self-doubt, reinforcing the idea that perfection is unattainable and that flaws do not define them. Such reframing can empower individuals to embrace their imperfections rather than let them dictate their sense of self-value.
Sensory Overload and Self-Awareness
Sensory overload is a common experience for those with ADHD, leading to a range of emotional reactions and fatigue, particularly in overstimulating environments like busy stores. By recounting a personal experience at IKEA, one guest illustrates how overwhelming sensory information can lead to shutdown moments, where cognitive resources become depleted. This awareness of sensory sensitivities helps individuals develop strategies, such as using earplugs or taking quiet breaks, to manage their environments effectively. Such self-knowledge allows them to better design their daily lives in ways that minimize stress and enhance well-being.
Navigating ADHD and Personal Growth
Receiving a diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood can serve as a turning point, prompting individuals to reflect on past experiences and recognize patterns that previously went unexplained. The narrative reveals how the lack of awareness about ADHD's manifestation in women often leads to missed diagnoses, contributing to years of struggle with mental health issues. This discovery opens pathways to personal growth, enabling individuals to shift from focusing on perceived deficiencies to embracing their unique cognitive wiring. Ultimately, this newfound understanding can lead to a more fulfilling life, marked by acceptance and proactive self-advocacy.
Self-Advocacy in the Workplace
Self-advocacy is crucial for individuals with ADHD, particularly in navigating workplace dynamics where accommodations may be needed. Many individuals face anxiety about disclosing their ADHD status, often fearing negative repercussions such as demotion or job loss after requesting support. It is emphasized that effective self-advocacy involves understanding one's own needs and communicating them confidently, regardless of whether one discloses their diagnosis. Furthermore, acknowledging the various self-support strategies that one can employ can empower individuals to take charge of their work environments, fostering a sense of agency and success.
We’re running a survey to see how podcasts help women with ADHD learn about mental health and health-related topics. Make your voice heard today.
Margaux Joffe’s “aha” moment came during a shopping trip to IKEA with her mom. She had an intense sensory overload experience, which her mom later suggested could be ADHD-related. Margaux, who’d been diagnosed with anxiety and depression as a teenager, had never considered ADHD.
She was diagnosed with ADHD at age 29. In the years since, she’s become a global advocate for neurodiversity and accessibility. Check out her conversation with host Laura Key about justice sensitivity, workplace accommodations, and self-harm in undiagnosed women.
Want to share your “aha” moment? We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at ADHDAha@understood.org.
Understood is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give
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