Q: I have friends who are left-brain professionals who recently discovered they have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and are upset about it. I have ADHD, like some who are creative types (artists and poets), but I had discovered it early on in life due to problems in school, so I have tried explaining it to them.
Creative types seem less accepting of establishment companies and more accepting of looser environments than the math and science types, who are naturals for structured thinking. Most math and science disciplines expect employees to master details, but such tasks are difficult, sometimes impossible, for a creative mind that zips through concepts at high speeds. I arrive at creative solutions, but don’t ask me how I got there because my explanation would be tedious in the telling.
A: Since you would like to help your friends understand ADHD, it is best to rely on the professionals rather than on personal experience, as everyone can be different. According to Healthline, an online resource for physical and mental health conditions, ADHD is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder. It is not, as some people mistakenly think, a learning disability, but it can occur in people who also have learning disabilities. Healthline reveals “studies have shown that children who belong to marginalized ethnic groups are less likely to receive the correct diagnosis and treatment they need for their ADHD.”
People with ADHD can also experience anxiety disorders, depression, and conduct and behavior disorders. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older. Though anxiety disorders are treatable, only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.
Other studies report depression as the most common mental-health illness in the U.S. Each of these disorders can overshadow ADHD symptoms, which is why many adults don’t emphasize getting diagnosed for ADHD.
A behavior and conduct disorder can show itself through personality characteristics such as arguing, rule-breaking, behaving aggressively, bullying and fighting. Many people are diagnosed in childhood, but misdiagnoses can occur depending on the symptoms that are most noticeable.
Adults with ADHD can often experience difficulties in school or at work; trouble passing classes or completing work; self-esteem issues and overall problems with mental health; relationship troubles with partners, family or co-workers; substance abuse; and frequent accidents or injuries.
ADHD has common symptoms among those affected, but different cultural backgrounds, genders, knowledge and co-existing conditions in those affected can either emphasize the ADHD, the anxiety or the behavioral problems. If a person feels different from others in performance ability, accomplishments throughout life and/or behavioral and emotional responses, they should consider taking the plunge and getting tested.
Not knowing whether the disorder exists in you will only postpone getting the help you may need. Some may benefit from medication, some from therapy, some from both, but you can’t do anything without the testing. Understand that psychologists and therapists are not the same. Certain personalities connect better with some rather than others, so trust yourself when searching for a therapist. The Ph.D. may have more education than the M.A., but trust and comfort may count over educational degrees.
Email life and career coach [email protected] with all your workplace questions and experiences. For more information, visit www.lindseyparkernovak.com and for past columns, see www.creators.com/read/At-Work-Lindsey-Novak.
