What is the best job for someone with ADD ADHD?
I recently worked in a state hospital. It was great.
The staff was excellent, the building was good, the work was rewarding.
But none of that has to do with ADD ADHD. It was a just right job for me, because:
It had structure: I was supposed to be there at 8:00 AM and leave at 5:00 PM (although it never happened). Had a meeting every morning at 9:00 AM, and an every Tuesday meeting at 10:00 AM.
It was variable: Different things were happening every day, plus sometimes I was getting new patients. The patients were each unique.
It was personally interesting: I enjoyed helping the patients, working with the staff, and learning new things.
It was novel: I hadn’t worked in a state hospital before, the patients were new to me, and I was learning new medicines.
It was challenging: Oh, boy, was it challenging.
There was an immediate heavy deadline: The only drawback was the paper work. Ugh! But I had to get it done on time and the deadlines were never far away. And the paperwork was novel and challenging, if not personally interesting. I became much more efficient with time and it wasn’t a burden anymore.
And I had to get to know the patients right away in order to do my job.
And The Point Is:
- With ADD ADHD, we need structure, and we also need variation.
- Our focus centers do not turn on just because something is important. They turn on if something is of personal interest, novel, challenging, or has an immediate heavy deadline.
What is the best kind of job for someone with ADD ADHD?
That question is asked often. I just answered it. If you are considering a job, these are the points you need to look at.
PS It also helped that I was part of a team and people were suggesting to me what needed to be done next and reminding me of the meetings I needed to go to. It also helped that I didn’t really have a “boss”. I don’t do well with close supervision.
doug
Bonus Link O the Day
Forty neat little tips ( I would call most of them strategies).
PS PS Happy Thanksgiving to each of you.
I do better without a “boss.”
@dougmkpdp @addstrategies @adhdstrategies #add #adhd #adultADHD
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Good post! I especially like knowing you don’t do well with close supervision: I have this problem too, I though I was the only one. I recently figured out that I most likely have ODD too, which I allways thought to mean you had a problem with real authority (as I checked in your blog and ADDitudeMag, it’s not, and the description of symptoms and environmental background fits me like a glove), but the new structured workplace helps a lot. And the meds. I think it’s just too bad that we can’t allways figure out which position is best for us beforehand. I kinda fell into this one through dumb luck!
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ram – well, maybe luck and not dumb luck? congratulations anyway.
ODD? oppositional defiant disorder? what makes you think so??
as always, thank you for your comments
doug
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Yes, oppositional defiant disorder. I Kind of constantly get in trouble from talking back to people. I have huge trouble shutting up for the sake of peace if I feel someone is wrong vor trying to belittle me in any way. I’ve been called disrespectful more than once although I always feel like I was disrespected first and just had an appropriate response. The background of agressiveness in the family and having been bullied as a child is there. Anyway, I’ve been getting better over the years but the urge to poke the bear is always there. Dealing with people has long been my achiles’ heel, but I’m working on it and I feel like I’m making progress. And before I forget: happy thanksgiving to you!
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ram – and happy thanksgiving to you. May i respectfully suggest that this does not sound like ODD – http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/oppositional-defiant-disorder/basics/symptoms/con-20024559. see what you think. sounds like you have trouble with anyone if you feel like they’re wrong or belittling you, even if they’re authority, but you don’t have a drive to just defy any or all authority?
anyway, it’s caused you problems and you are making progress.
one of my rules is not to get into a battle unless I’m pretty sure i’ll win and that winning will be worth the trouble. I dont always follow this rule and sometimes i think its not a good rule for a specific situation, but in general it helps.
anyway, if you wanted you could develop more strategies, especially since you’re identified the two red flags. but you’ve already made a lot of progress, you probably have strategies that are working.
than you for commenting
doug
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It sounds like a good rule, doug. And sure, you can tell me anything, I’m not going to lash out at you 😉 Well, I still think it’s at least partially like ODD, but doesn’t have to be and you’re the expert. Whatever it is, it’s very annoying. No one likes to run around flushed and jittery. Though you might be happy to know, as I am, that I’m much better at figuring out when I’m about to have an outburst and controlling it. 🙂
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Ram – yes, I’m very happy to know that. you have the key- knowing the red flag and then having a strategy to use as an alternative to the outburst.
so the red flags here are feeling belittled or that someone is wrong. I’m curious – is it anyone wrong about anything, or just a supervisor wrong about you, or what?
best wishes
doug
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Hard to explain in short sentencrs. If I could sum it up, I’d say with total strangers, a tone of voice is enough. With co-workers, I take it very personal if they point out the obvious or call me on a mistake that was obviously just an accident. I think it’s funny you should mention that you do well surrounded with people who don’t let you forget stuff: I do well with some people who do that, but only some. Usually I get upset. Goes to show how different people are and helps put things in prespective. SS allways, tbsnk
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ram – i think i get it. i’m that way with my wife a lot. have to remind myself that its not nagging or criticizing, she’s trying to help. It can be annoying those times I don’t need the help but she has no way of telling which time is which and sometimes it’s very helpful. Plus, I give her credit that for sticking with me all these years, she has learned the many ways I am likely to screw up and so is trying to head off ‘disasters’.
it’s a hard problem, but I think there are two separate issues. 1. How do I not get annoyed. And 2. How do I not respond in a harmful way even if I am annoyed.
still working on both.
Best wishes
Doug
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thanks for this post. i frequently question my lack of focus for specific tasks, and wonder what about those tasks/jobs make it hard for me to focus. this was quite enlightening. a quick comment — i never seem to be able to access your Bonus Link o the Day. It always takes me to an error page. is there something I should be doing to avoid this, or are the hyperlinks not working for some reason?
thanks!
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sb -glad this was useful. thank you for alerting, me. the last two bonus tips didnt work, i fixed the latest one. the ones just before those did seem to work. from now on I need to check them before i post them.
thank you for commenting
doug
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