Re:Me and ADHD
by username90 on Monday February 01, 2021 @07:29PM
(#25996039)
I'd argue that if you can hold an office job for a year without getting fired then you don't have ADHD, or at least it is a very mild version. There are so many small things you need to do in an office hob that are super hard to do with ADHD, there is no way you can do a significant fraction of them with serious ADHD. It isn't about performing your job function which can be fun, but doing all the tiny bits you need to do just to function in an office, like answering emails, updating issue trackers, filling out forms, sitting still and look like you "work" etc. Many jobs will not fire you for being slow, but very few jobs will keep you around if you can't even pretend to do the work.
Most likely you will not even get the job though, since you will get stuck trying to apply for jobs, or maybe even earlier you will get stuck trying to do boring assignments in college and therefore wont even graduate.
Re:Me and ADHD
by throwawaydhd on Monday February 01, 2021 @08:56PM
(#25996641)
Depends on the person. When I was undiagnosed, I got away with it for years because under extreme deadline pressure for my projects I'd sometimes manage to pull it off really, really well. And, to my shame, I got pretty good at bullshitting my way through progress meetings.
The rest of the time, I was a right mess. Changed entire careers twice because I figured what I was doing just wasn't my thing. Turns out it was more fundamental than that, and I'm doing better now medicated.
I know others afflicted with ADHD who had similar experiences of flying just under the radar of being fired, before they found out what was really going on.
Whenever you read someone's personal description of ADHD, it helps to remember that many of the traits they describe are common to everyone, ADHD or not. The distinction lies in the severity of the symptoms, and how resistant those symptoms are to more typical (non-medication) interventions.
The bigger problem is that some of these overly generic descriptions of ADHD are so broad that you'd be hard pressed to find any young person in 2021 who doesn't fit the description.
For example, consider what the inverse of this person's list of bullet points would look like:
- Very, very easy time focusing on things they don't like or don't want to do
- Easy time reading physical books
- Hard to distract with construction noises
- Enjoys sitting still for extended periods of time
- Easily gets back to a flow state after being interrupted
Taken to extremes, overly generic descriptions of ADHD tend to paint unrealistic pictures of what a non-ADHD person looks like. When was the last time you met any young person who is unaffected by distractions, interruptions, sitting still for long periods of time, and has no issues focusing on things they don't like?
The list of recommended techniques provided by the author is excellent. Everyone could benefit from it, frankly. ADHD people especially.
Newly diagnosed (or self-diagnosed) ADHD patients often make the mistake of letting their diagnosis become a convenient excuse. They might start speaking about their ADHD as if it's a separate entity, holding their true self back (For example "It's not my fault I have ADHD" or "If it wasn't for my ADHD, I would be more successful"). While this is short-term satisfying, it can be extremely counterproductive. If anything, an ADHD diagnosis means you need to put more effort into building routines, improving your self-discipline, creating focus-conducive environments, and other healthy habits that everyone benefits from, ADHD or otherwise.
If you find yourself identifying with some of the points in this article, bookmark the article and spend some time implementation the recommended bullet points. If you find the issues are interfering with your life to an unbearable degree, consider engaging with a professional psychiatrist for a conversation on ADHD. You don't want someone who will simply prescribe stimulants and send you on your way. You want someone who will create a long-term plan. Medication can help, but it's not as straightforward as it sounds. Worse yet, some people mistake medication for a free pass around building self-discipline, which fails when tolerance develops (and it will). Healthy habits and self-discipline last a lifetime, so it's worth investing in building those up front.