Adult ADHD Community Group

ADHD adult challenges and the conditions that occur with ADHD. A place for hope, education, inspiration, success and our support of one another as we move through life with Adult ADHD.

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ADHD and Jobs

Christine2015
Christine2015

My name is Christine and I'm 28 years old. In 2006/2007 I was diagnosed with ADHD and was put on adderall, but had severe side effects so then I was on vyvanse for a few years and exacerbated my depression. So I was put on antidepressants; but I've had severe anxiety over the years and my counselor suggested maybe it was autism. So I'm looking into see if it is autism or really bad adhd; because my counselor said if she were to rate people with ADHD on a scale of 0 - 100, she would rate me a 100 with how little I can sit still. And I used to be an aide at an elementary school but it didn't work because of the focus I needed. Now, I'm wondering what type of jobs would be the best for my ADHD and that wouldnt cause me a lot of anxiety as well as allowing me to use my extra energy.

PNWnewcomer
PNWnewcomer
Christine,

Sorry that you didn't get a reply. I have found that it was my ADHD that caused my anxiety. Once I was put on Vyvanse, my anxiety disappeared, for the most part. I think that the Vyvanse cleared up my head enough that it allowed me to think more clearly without all the "fog" or "noise" that I experience when I am not on the medicine. I don't have the trouble of being restless, my issue with ADHD is more the distractions than anything, so it doesn't surprise me that my reaction to Vyvanse was different than yours. I would imagine that a job that involves a lot of variety and physical activity would be good, as it would keep your mind busy. I once worked in a shipping department at a manufacturing plant and it was rather physical and we were always shipping something different, so it had quite a bit of variety as well.
I hope you find more information that helps you figure out what works best for you.
Lee
Gigi1976
Gigi1976
I am a high school teacher and I feel like my adult ADHD gives me an advantage in my career! My energy keeps me going, my creativity lets me create cool lessons. It really “fills up my tank” to interact with students, parents, and other teachers. Challenges are: lots of deadlines, paperwork, details to remember, etc. I’m 44, been teaching since 1998, but really just accepted my ADHD diagnosis this past May. Now I’m on Vyvanse and I found an awesome therapist. I also battle depression and anxiety, and a mild form of bipolar disorder. On meds for all that, plus Ambien to get to sleep. So this school year will be my first year to ACTIVELY be learning to manage my ADHD while teaching. There are many, many jobs that can be done by people with ADHD! Follow your dreams and do something you enjoy! (Stay away from “cubical” or “work from home” type jobs). Yes, lots of jobs are being done online for COVID, but once this epidemic is under control, you need to look for a job with lots of human interaction and opportunity to move around a lot. Once you find that, don’t worry about the details. There are ways to learn coping strategies and build up supports to get control of the hard stuff! Best of luck to you!