ADHD, anxiety, and the workplace
Hi, everyone. I’ve been a listener for about 3 months but wanted to take a step back and just be a member for a while.
I work in the mental health field, professionally, and have been doing it for a long time (11 years, to be exact).
I’ve had ADHD my whole life and then a sudden onset of generalized anxiety in my late twenties.
Long story short, I cannot fathom going into work. My work days go well, but leading up to the point of actually leaving to head to work is AWFUL. Not in the “Ugh, I don’t wanna go in today” kind of way. It’s the “I would rather DIE than go.” I’ve switched jobs three times in the last 2 years because I thought that it was maybe me being burnt out on where I was. But no. It’s been like that at my current job as well.
When I’m home (I’ve always been like this) I sit and ignore the world and am content. Chores get ignored because the thought of doing them is so overwhelming to me.
I feel so guilty for being the way that I am.
I’m not lazy. I thoroughly enjoy doing my responsibilities once I’m already doing them, and working my job once I’m there.
I applied to hybrid remote jobs in my area and I have an interview next week for one of them.
Is there anyone out there who is dealing with the same thing?
(Mind you, I’m not medicated for various reasons).
Hey there! It's so great to hear from you and find out about your journey as a listener-turned-member. With over a decade in the mental health field, you must have gained some amazing insights and valuable expertise. I can totally understand how tough it must be for you to navigate through ADHD symptoms and the sudden onset of anxiety - I have both too.
Hello there! Be at peace, I'm with you. I can totally understand how that feels. I can relate myself with every word you've said. I'm a med student. I had always thought I had ADHD, but never officially got diagnosed until it was almost too late. I only visited the psychiatrist at then end of my first year in college. I somehow on Earth hurdled through my First Year of Medical school accompanied by ADHD meds, lot of anxiety and agony
You are not lazy my friend. People with ADHD can have boundless energy and limitless ideas that make them unstoppable....under few conditions though
1. When it's the pressure of a deadline
2. When they're told they can't do something, or given a challenge
3. When they're rewarded
4. When they're crazily ambitious about something
5. When the have super random out of the box thoughts while just hovering in their own world
6. When something so regular intrigues them
Since you say you can't do meds, we'd have to go with conditioning yourself under these above given points. I do believe people with ADHD can succeed without medication. It's going to be a non shortcut way though....you'd need to discover your own kind of motivation along the way. Find your own intrigue. What gets you going? What fires your fuel? Targets? Tasks? Figure em out
Don't try to suppress or control the anxiety or the overwhelming feeling...it makes you human my friend, you'll be okay. Throw away the guilt, you are a mental health professional for God sakes, how awesome is that? Not everyone can achieve what you have, give yourself a pat on the back for how much you've achieved rather than the things that went a little astray. No one works harder than us mate, we just need to find a personalised way to work smarter
I swear it is like I wrote this myself. Word for word! We really need to chat because I’m going through this too. I need someone to talk this thru with and I think you might help me more than anyone!
Thank you for making an ADHD friendly post. The spacing makes it so much easier to read.
Hey :)
I have had this issue as well. But for me it was all about finding the right job.
But a weird hurdle for me was that I was thinking about a job as something i would only do if i got payed. The suffering was the reason i got payed.
Then one day i tried the right job. I went to the place. I was myself. And for some reason people praised me.
It was a real conflict in me cause i felt lazy. Cause i didnt feel like I was working.
Jobs i tried that didnt work for me:
- restaurant worker
- tecsupport
- sales (the absoulute worst)
- delivery
- factory worker
- coustomer service
I always pushed myself to do things i hate and be someone i am not. Well too far. I had so many crashes.
For me it was being a teacher. I talk about subject i am passionate about. I help people develop. I can even use my experience with adhd to help others.
Hope this helps <3
