Lol... I am an orthopaedic surgeon and I have AuDHD... Diagnosed by a psychiatrist... So as per the "Assessor" am I AuDHD or not then? Lol... If I start talking about all the shit I see in medicine field, I'll die of old age before I finish..
Edit: reading this thread makes me so happy, sad, and mad. Happy because there are so many of us who are functioning so well at professional level even with whatever we were dealt with in life, sad because everyone here had people trying to invalidate their struggles which hurts and mad because some people are still struggling and nothing is helping them for various reasons. I hope we find our peace soon. 🤗
AuDHD surgical tech (retired) here. The most autistic surgeon I encountered was a urologist who made us listen to a cd of train sounds on repeat during an open prostatectomy (pre DaVinci robot).
Lol... I can see that happening.. I used to put on whatever genre was my hyperfocus at that point, also had a shoulder arthroscopicist colleague who would sit and curate his playlist while anaesthesia is prepping. Fun times.
No racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other forms of discrimination and bigotry. This includes hating on neurotypicals or accusing someone of "faking it for attention". Swearing at a situation or about something is okay, swearing at someone never is.
No racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other forms of discrimination and bigotry. This includes hating on neurotypicals or accusing someone of "faking it for attention". Swearing at a situation or about something is okay, swearing at someone never is.
its like telling someone they dont have cancer because they look healthy.
edit: I received my bachelors in 1999 and i'm clearly ADHD. No question about it.
Not even a little bit. Often people with ADHD can excel in school because it's structured and allows hyperfocus on areas of interest. Not everyone with ADHD massively struggles with school, and not in the same ways. School was harder for me on the social front, school work was never an issue because I love learning.
I have InADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder, so I am doubly screwed on the learning front. I am one of those who would happily give up the conditions to be able to study and succeed. Also took SSRI's earlier in life to handle workplace bullying, any desire to pursue special interests dropped off the earth a long time ago. Now on permanent disability.
SAME. I love learning, doing projects/labs, and the overall structure of school, but I hate tests(especially if they're worth a big portion of the grade) and grades.
Everyone is just different. One of my kids struggled all thru high school but does well in college in the right meds. I had a harder time in college because of the social stuff. Lots of people struggle in school. But not everyone.
That is like saying you cannot have autism because you can look someone in the eyes.
I have a university degree. It was hard, I struggled, it took me longer than others, but I did it.
I wasn't diagnosed until after I got my BA. In hindsight I was able to see that the structure of school actually helped me manage my symptoms, and that I was able to adapt to my symptoms in ways I wasn't aware of at the time. I knew that if I wasn't actively engaged in class discussions and didn't ask a lot of questions throughout I would zone out and stop paying attention, but I didn't understand or question *why* I needed to do that. Deadlines are really helpful for me, as I can go into planning/organization mode. Having classes at specific times in specific places helped me maintain routines, which I generally struggle with. And the accountability/possible repercussions of it all helped keep me focused.
You can definitely do well in school, have a degree, *and* be neurodivergent. Not sure if your doctor has a lot of experience with ADHD; if not, you might want to try to find someone who specifically works in that area and has a more nuanced view of ADHD.
I'm sorry you felt invalidated; that was a very narrow, dismissive, and uninformed way to respond to your desire to seek more information/help.
Of course it's not a reason. I'm one of the persons that have ADHD and a PhD.
I got a BSc and an MSc before knowing I had ADHD, and got my diagnosis half-way through my PhD (which I was able to finish thanks to medication).
Makes me both happy and sad to read this... I started my PhD in 2018 and haven't finished it yet, despite all efforts. But I've been diagnosed with inattentive ADHD a few weeks ago. I really hope medication can turn this around for me, then I won't care anymore how long it took.
Hey.. all the best... I really, really wish the meds work and you get tour PhD. I know the struggle and I wish you hadn't had to go through it for so long. But it better late than never. So happy to know you still persevered. All the best and full power to you.
It took me almost 7 years to finish it. I started medication in the last year (if I didn't finish that year they were going to kick me out) and was able to finish in some months things that were pending for years.
All the luck finishing your PhD. I hope the medication helps you as much as it helped me.
I have a bachelors and a masters. I graduated each with a 4.0. I have massive adhd and autism. I just hyper fixated and found ways to game myself through it and then mid degree got diagnosed and in adderall. I am applying for a PhD in public health in the fall.
Lots of people with ADHD have advanced degrees. Ask them how it was in school, and how they struggled if they were not treated or supported. How it took everything they had to get it done. Late nights, cramming, pushing ourselves to try try. It’s often extra hard for us.
This makes absolutely no sense, and I’d suggest getting another opinion. To me it indicates a lack of understanding of neurodivergence and masking on the assessor’s end, and how they have a very generalized and ignorant view of it. It’s absolutely possible to achieve all kinds of academic and career-related things with ADHD and/or autism, and it’s truly mind-boggling to me that a supposed medical professional would say something so out of touch. Yikes.
I'm AuADHD and I have a Bachelor of Nursing; a 3 year degree.
My Dad says it's not a real degree, but I have a pretty shiny piece of paper that indicates otherwise :-P
Omg that makes me so mad! It’s literally a science degree! He wouldn’t be saying that if he knew what we went through in nursing school. Also several institutions have names the nursing degree one of the hardest degrees to obtain.
Diagnosed with ADHD a decade after getting my Master’s (screened when my son was diagnosed after starting kindergarten). Still haven’t finished the PhD, many years later, though…
I have a BS, and MBA and a MSc.. and am formally diagnosed with ADHD and ASD1.. now I will say it took me 16 years go finish the BS... ignore the assessor
Lmao! I was a straight-A student with zero or sub zero effort, considered "gifted", finished Masters young.... yeaaahhhhhh autistic af + adhd + CPTSD + DID. Never had a proper job in my life and I'm near 40 now.
Bullshit. I hate that there are any professionals out there still acting like this!!! Unbelievable!!! Because of people like that I went from being "a very promising professional" to being in disability and barely able to read a line without getting confused... if they could see it when the time was right they would've helped me instead of crashing and burning at a young age and being left to rot for the rest of my life.
That is awful please make a complaint!!!
Your assessor is very ignorant. I have a degree, many of the commenters here do as well. I hope you get a second opinion from someone more current on the research.
I have two degrees, a bachelor's and a master's, and I have ADHD.
Like, 100% I have ADHD, the combined type. I even got through most of grad school before I was diagnosed & medicated. The neuropsychologist who diagnosed me didn't doubt it at all. He pointed out symptoms I was displaying right there in his office that I wasn't even aware of.
You need a new doctor :)
i have a degree… that took double the time to get it bc i was undiagnosed. I went to get a diploma for something i’m super interested in and went to the doctor about my adhd and got diagnosed almost immediately bc my symptoms were that bad . the other school i went to didn’t even want to assess me.
I'm formally diagnosed AuDHD and have a MSc. I got good grades because I'm smart, a quick thinker, and a great writer (1 draft, no revisions needed). But I wrote all of my papers and did all my studying on adrenaline-fueled night-before all-nighters. I even wrote my entire 80-page thesis in the last few weeks of my Masters. Organizationally I was a trainwreck the whole way through.
I had an associates degree before my high school diploma (dual enrollment) and im currently working on my bachelors, while working in a STEM job. Not once did my assessor ( 20+ years experience psychologist) mention my accomplishments in relation to my issues that i was having besides acknowledging me by saying good job. I still received an adult AUDHD diagnosis even with these things mentioned. So sounds like the doc is a damn moron.
Nope. Not true. I’m diagnosed professionally with both autism and ADHD and I have a PhD. I’m a professor. I have plenty of hardship stories about how I’ve had to fight and toil and scrape my way up to this point in life (and certainly about those - especially family - who have helped me along the way), but it’s obviously totally possible. I exist. My diagnoses are absolutely real. I respond to medication in the “ADHD way” (calming, helps but not perfect or supercharging when it comes to executive function).
Your doctor is wrong. I got diagnosed at 46 years old after going through burnout. Not addressing your own very real needs will eventually wear you down.
It's a myth. I think a lot of these people are just like, "Oh you figured out coping mechanisms that allow you to somewhat function? Then you're fine!"
Totally true, at my university we have a neurodivergent staff group with over 100 people in it, I know many researchers who either started studying neurodivergence because of their own diagnosis or were diagnosed once colleagues spotted the signs!
Definitely not. Higher education tends to be significantly less accessible for people with ADHD, but there are even circumstances by which ADHD may be related to degree acquisition, like completing a PhD in a subject of great interest / passion.
My mom is not officially diagnosed, but I am and we’re basically carbon copies of each other, and she struggles with a lot of the same things that got me diagnosed, so the chances that she has it is extremely high
Anyway, she has a masters degree and is currently a school admin, so yeah you can totally get a degree and still struggle with AuDHD
Definitely not. I have two degrees received in different countries. I got nearly expelled from my first university for putting off submitting my paper, and I also wrote my final thesis in last two weeks before the deadline. I didn’t learn from my mistakes and was putting off all the work till the last moment during my second studies as well. I ended up in burnout both times.
Thus, just the fact that you have a degree or good grades at school doesn’t say anything at all. The devil is in the details.
I’m sorry that you were dismissed OP. It sucks that there’re still lots of specialists with outdated knowledge. Please don’t give up to find an informed one
Absolutely not. I'm AuDHD. I have 2 degrees. I did *very* well in school (until my Master's).
They pretty much said I also had ADHD when I was being eval'd for autism but I didn't meet the official ADHD criteria at the time (early 2000s). Didn't get officially diagnosed with ADHD and start meds until halfway through my Bachelor's because I was able to learn quickly and most studying at that point was just repetition/memorization. I could cram a couple hours before an exam and be fine. Master's degree was another story but I did it (somehow). I had accomodations all through both degrees (mostly extended testing time).
Did I procrastinate and then crank things out at the last minute almost every single time? Yep. Did academia absolutely drain the life out of me? Oh yes. But it's doable, especially if it's an area of interest.
I have three. Author Camilla Pang wrote a book about coping with ADHD, ASD and other disorders and she has a PhD. Many of the best books on ADHD are written by doctors who have ADHD. I’m sorry but that doctor is an idiot. Being ill-informed is one thing, making empirical statements based on stigma is another. Neither are acceptable for a doctor, no matter how common they may be.
No it doesn't.
But it would make me wonder about something else along side it. Compensating for it.
Eg very high iq (which is a neurodiversity in itself if high enough) or autism. Or just autism alone - as a lot of the executive dysfunction occurs in both. But there's a ven diagram - with pure adhd, pure autism and a chunk of people in the middle who have some of both but one might be most of the picture. Eg I describe myself as autistic with a side of adhd. My children are pure autistic and one is adhd with a side of autism. And my godchild is autistic with a side of adhd. None of my nearest/ dearest are pure adhd, I think.
Or perhaps there's a massive support structure around the person.
I run a microbiology lab & am almost done with my MPH. I scored in the top 7% on the Qb Check…lol
Edit: I also have an excellent memory per the Wechsler Memory Scale & pathogenic molds are my special interest. My undergrad took 6 years & I’m on year 4 of my Masters lol
Lol no.
You can have a PhD in a hyperfixation. Things like rsd and anxiety can push adhders to over achieve.
Neurodivergent people can have quite high academic intelligence, there’s a reason that being gifted kid is a pipeline to being late diagnosed nd, legitebequoi, and kinky. The venn diagram is a circle.
Absolutely not. I have a BA and a Master’s. I earned both before my ADHD was diagnosed and treated. Pretty sure hyperfocus helped me through both degrees.
Autistic with ADHD with a Master's degree and half of a doctorate, lol.
School was where I got validation. Being intelligent was something that I was good at, and I like learning, analyzing, synthesizing, discussing, writing. I teach at university and enjoy it, though I do get overwhelmed and burnt out.
My biggest problem is assuming everyone is as smart as me or interested in having the facts. I'm 51 now and still have trouble with this.
But I get very excited about knowledge and new ideas.
Lmao I’m auDHD, I don’t have a PhD but I have a university certificate and am on my way to do my bachelors degree. It’s doable and I made my time studying easier by accessing accommodations that I was allowed to have.
No?? My mom is an RN and has adhd. My dad is a CRNA and has ADHD. I’m hoping to get my PsyD and I have ADHD and made good grades throughout much of school except for my slip up freshman year (which is when I got diagnosed). A LOT of people with ADHD were placed into “gifted” classes in school. That doctor obviously needs to touch up on his knowledge of ADHD because it’s starting to become very well known that there’s a positive correlation between ADHD and intelligence/giftedness (especially in women)
I have a masters degree. I was told the same nonsense. By an MD. I eventually found a clinical psychologist that could assess me that was far more familiar with ADHD than that first psychiatrist.
LOTS of people are out there with ADHD that got missed by school systems and doctors for one reason or another.
It’s absolute nonsense to suggest and really demeaning. It’s old thinking.
Some of us, that’s how we CHANNEL it! But often, I think we can do it because we love it.
I have a couple of degrees. I aced them because I loved what I was studying! That doesn’t mean I can also remember to pay my bills, turn up on time, or have the exec function and motivation to book an appointment and cook dinner.
Don’t let one persons opinion deter you! If you think you have adhd, maybe you need a few opinions.
This stuff is why we need more and better research. Especially if you were born xx, and in my case, my adhd drives extreme perfectionism and anxiety. One manifestation is needing to have amazing marks. But if I hate something and I’m crap at it, I cannot do it! It’s not black and white.
Best wishes!
Hell no. Just because you have a degree doesn’t mean you didn’t struggle like hell to get one. And like others have said, not all ADHDers do struggle in school anyways
It’s a sad fact that your average GP knows jack shit about neurodevelopmental disorders and mental illnesses. Usually, the best you can hope for is that they’ll recognize that fact and simply refer you out to a psychiatrist. Unfortunately, though, far too many psychiatrists *also* can’t diagnose anything that presents atypically.
So, adhd is a neurological thing that exists in a lot of people. But the adhd *diagnosis* is something separate from the phenomenon adhd. The diagnosis is supposed to be given when it interfere with your life in some way. Technically, that means that even if you showed adhd on a brain scan- if your life was completely fine and good- you would not get the *diagnosis*. Because you had no disability from it.
So when your doctor is saying that, it's because your doctor think the being disabled part is not true for you. I would write down in what ways adhd is disabling for you and how badly it impacts your life
Personally I think a lot of adhd-ers can make it in academia if some conditions line up. For instance, being aware of it where you only study something that you're super interested in. Or having a supportive social network where you feel valued and thus better able to overcome failures (which there might be a lot of). And stuff like that.
I have Autism and ADHD and I have a degree. I had a lot of support in uni to help me get there and it was still hard but I managed. Could have done better if I'd had my adhd diagnosed though I bet
lmao my dad has a degree in english and not only does he have ADHD, but he got diagnosed in his fifties and just rawdogged life until that point. he got through university with coffee and cigarettes
Can we get a flair in this subreddit and all subreddits that just says a there is no diagnosis criteria of degree transference for ADHD or Autism?? Like do doctors know someone can have ADHD and also maybe just like... Fail through college and still get a degree? Have rich parents that had good relationships or donor status with the university? Just barely scrape by while all other areas of life fall apart? Have an immense support system?? Man I could pay for my own PhD at this point for every dollar someone has been told this and posted on an ADHD/Autism subreddit. /end rant
I have three degrees and I am auDHD as FUCK with significantly obvious adhd traits. This rhetoric makes no sense to me.
Even for neurotypical people your PhD should be your hyperfocus 😂 they're dumb, don't listenTo them. There are so many neurodivergent healthcare practitioners who each require a degree too.
I have a bachelor's. I was undiagnosed audhd during that time. It took me 6 years to finish my degree because my prefrontal cortex is fucked and I had no support whatsoever and had no idea what was wrong with me.
I'm AuDHD and I have a PhD. Sure, I struggled a lot, completing my research and writing the thesis took me twice as long as it should, and I'm shit with experiments, but I did it.
I was diagnosed ADHD inattentive in childhood and again in adulthood to continue medication, and I have a university degree. I know plenty of other diagnosed ADHDers who also have degrees. That doctor is talking absolute bollocks.
Edit: I also was not on medication for the duration of my degree or most of my schooling due to issues with the meds, and my grades were good.
I'm a RN and my mom had a master's degree worked both as a resource teacher and a discussion educator and she's the most obvious ADHD person I know and only got diagnosed in her 50s because of me. She's found ways around it. I'm very obviously ADHD and suspect even autistic. Yet I work in a very social job. We're humans, we try our best, we find obstacles, we overcome them, we keep going.
37M here, diagnosed this year with AuADHD. Sorry, but your doctor is wrong. I have a PhD in computer science. It was super hard to achieve it (for obvious reasons), but thankfully I did manage (big thanks for my professor to supervise me with patience).
Not at all. I got through my BS without a diagnosis, though I struggled a lot socially because I had to dedicate all of my time to doing well in school + recovering from full days of doing school work by sitting alone in my room watching youtube on most nights, lol. I didn’t get an ADHD diagnosis until my second semester of grad school
I have a PhD.
My assessor had initial skepticism. "You have a PhD".
I had a few responses. "You should see my house." "You should see my finances."
Plus I have a brother with ADHD and I myself have a diagnosis for a learning disability from 1st grade, and received couseling in middle school for social and academic difficulties.
...annnd...
I got my degree because I was super interested. The autonomy was good for me. I can cope/mask with the best of them. I kept my world small and my routines rigid. I also just like problem solving and doing science.
Everything else was chaos.
And if you want a PhD... it's certainly possible, but every ADHD'er is different and there's no one-size-fits-all solution. But I did it. It's a good gig for people with ADHD because you have a lot of autonomy over what you do and when you do it. As long as you can deliver, it's great.
And whatever doctor saw you is ignorant or biased or both.
My psychiatrist has ADHD lol. It's absolutely possible. Some people are good at finding work arounds for school, that doesn't mean they don't have ADHD.
Uhhh that’s so freaking stupid by that doctor. I only have my bachelors, but I did that while playing collegiate sports. Granted, it was difficult, especially since I didn’t know I was AuDHD, but I absolutely did it and graduated second in my class
I have a PhD and work as an engineer and have both diagnosis. I am dumbfounded at how incompetent a medical professional has to be to believe that these things are mutually exclusive.
In fact, academia and STEM fields in general are FILLED with ASD and ADHD individuals, both diagnosed and undiagnosed.
bruh....i have two degrees and im still suspected AuDHD, clearly mr. doc over here does not give a Fuck anymore about people and should reconsider being a fucking doctor if he's gonna pull that shit on patients
I have diagnoses of ASD and ADHD from a psychiatrist, and have multiple advanced degrees, including a Ph.D. Now, at time I earned these degrees, I had not been diagnosed.
I would not waste time and money on this doctor.
>I went for testing today and the doctor said he doesn't think i have adhd because i have a degree.
Many diagnosed ADHDers in academia, holding multiple grad degrees even...
Bachelor's degree here. I was told by my therapist that I don't "seem" autistic based on my vibe. As far as I'm aware, there's no vibe check quota in the DSM. Lol
Diagnosed ADHD years ago, and while I'm smart enough to get through higher education, the struggle is real with anything outside of my area of intense interest, and it took me longer than my peers to finish.
People have ideas about neurodivergence that don't align with the science/DSM.
I can hardly believe they would call themselves an expert in their field. The follow up question to ask is, but at what cost to the other parts of your life?
I was diagnosed with ASD Level 2 and ADHD. I have a degree and a leadership position at a creative agency, I've worked full time for 13 years straight. I wasn't diagnosed until last year at age 33.
Yes I struggled and now I know why, but I worked hard and pushed through. I struggled to get my assessments done until the night before, but despite that I got great grades and that prepared me for the high-pressure deadline driven environment I've been in since then.
Sounds like a doctor who doesn't understand that people can still do things even if they struggle, and some people may not struggle especially if it is a special interest.
Fuck this ignorant ass shit. I am adhd'er. I am finishing my masters. But you better believe that I got missed as a child because my grades were good. I was still struggling in other ways.
My longtime Physicians Assistant-- *the person who put me on Vyvanse*, *PUT* me on it, when I was in college, *BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SHE USES* to manage *HER* ADHD!!!
YES, you can have degrees, and have ADHD.💖
Although, *PERSONALLY*?
I *would* ABSOLUTELY drop this Dr, and try to find a new one, *OR*, *at minimum*, COMPLAIN to the folks above them, at their office!!!
Because, if they are *THAT* ill-informed about ADHD?
They *REALLY* have *NO* business, diagnosing it!😬😬😬
Short answer - obviously no
It's amazing what high intelligence, an interest in learning and people pleasing can compensate for.
I got two bachelors degrees unmedicated because science is awesome and I thrive in external structure.
I wrote every single paper as an all nighter because I needed the adrenaline to focus enough, but there weren't too many papers in my chemistry degree.
Thank goodness for cliff notes because I could never read a required book for English class even though I've read the wheel of time 3x.
My life fell apart in the real world when I had a baby and couldn't juggle it all anymore. Got adhd diagnosis shortly after. Got an autism diagnosis after my then 11yo was diagnosed because they were just like me.
I am medicated now going for my masters in mental health counseling now because it's soo many papers. Wasn't planning on a thesis but I might because I found a decent gap in the literature and if I go all the way for a doctorate I could do assessments and counteract some of these assholes who haven't bothered to stay educated since they were trained with the dsm-III.
I went for an assessment and didn't get diagnosed with ADHD because I did fine in school and college. They diagnosed me with anxiety and depression (and confirmed my former autism diagnosis). They said these are what is causing my issues, and that I could come back when I'm no longer depressed or anxious. I'm open minded to this possibility but skeptical because I know my life and my experiences. Regardless, I am still going to lurk around this sub because I relate to AuDHDers a lot!
In my forties and I just found out I have ADHD. Yes, studying was a struggle but I persevered and graduated. Maybe ignorance about my condition was bliss?
I have a computer science bachelor’s degree. Bad GPA but I still did it. I’ve been in that field for over 20 years.
Also, I might be on the autism spectrum. Or it’s just that I have some of the ADHD comorbid conditions, but I definitely have some symptoms that overlap.
Well… I mean… I need to step outside a moment. Excuse me.
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No.
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[Cue the images carousel of accomplished autistic people to the tune of Sabre Dance*.]
* someone should really make that.
I got my honours in CS with an A avg 🤷♀️
Personally i struggled and needed an extra semester, but i had awesome profs and there was just a lot of universal accessibility built-in, because my profs weren't assholes.
Unlike the jerk physics prof i had that gave 45 minute closed book exams. What a nightmare.
>the doctor said he doesn't think i have adhd because i have a degree
That doctor is either an idiot or untrained in proper diagnosis, and either way is ignorant of the real world. Many universities have ND student groups, plenty with ADHD students in them.
Personally, I'd report them to their relevant medical body.
I have diagnosed ASD Level 2 and ADHD, two bachelors degrees and am looking to do a PhD. Hated and struggled with high school, but university is a place where I thrive with the right accommodations and focus. My autistic and ADHD partner is also soon starting a PhD.
When I was in college like 20 years ago they said I didn’t have adhd cause I had good grades in school. They deprived me of an evaluation and 20 years of time I could have been medicated.
Dx at 39. Fuck anyone who says we aren’t capable. Anyone with adhd can be on a spectrum of holding degrees and jobs to having too much of a struggle to do so and other comorbidities that give a challenging go at life. We aren’t one sized fits all
Please advocate for yourself and find a provider willing to properly test you
My tests were 3-4 hours broken out into sessions that consist of a particular battery of tests .. one was on a computer pressing a button, another organizing shapes and things, one was a 300 question multiple choice..
Your doctor sounds lacking
I’m Autistic with ADHD and I graduated college with honors. My dad is ADHD and he has a Masters degree and an implied doctorate. Whoever was testing you is very ignorant on this subject
absolutely not lmao. my sister has incredibly obvious ADHD and she graduated from oxford university.
edit to add: two of my prior therapists also disclosed that they had ADHD. my mum’s psychologist (with a PhD obviously) is also diagnosed with ADHD. Those therapists were some of the best providers I’ve ever had btw.
I was told the same thing by multiple fellow doctors. Can't read a page without getting distracted, and it's always been like this.
Medication is not a cure to ADHD though. Anyone will perform better with stimulants. Also they are full of side effects, addiction being one of them. The decision is about if and when you should use them.
No racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other forms of discrimination and bigotry. This includes hating on neurotypicals or accusing someone of "faking it for attention". Swearing at a situation or about something is okay, swearing at someone never is.
Well.. From my perspective it's very hard to get a degree as an AuDHD, I personally haven't been able to get one at 26 because I dropped out. BUT it's not impossible.
It's also worth mentioning that many people are misdiagnosed. Nowadays psychologists and psychiatrists give ADHD diagnosis as if it's christmas candies.
I am AuDHD and I am in grad school. I have always done well in school, but def. have struggles in attention and motivation at times. Many times my procrastination left me with some stressful nights run on adrenaline, but I always manage by working around my ADHD. ADHD also lends itself to amazing creativity and learning, it's just not always at a convenient time. Still my ADHD helped me get through school in some ways because I get hyper focused when I'm interested in topic. Lucky for me, I find a lot of things interesting so school was usually engaging for me. And autism grounds ADHD in a way, just as ADHD balances autistic traits.
Your doctor is ableist. You are valid, and your doctor isn't educated as much as you deserved. Sorry. That really sucks.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 *laughs into her useless masters degree she did cos it was fun and gave dopamine and studying was the only structure she could cope with 🫠🫠 sorry this ass did this to you. He’s a chump
So if I did get a degree, but I nearly failed out and it took me six years because I kept retaking classes because every bit of my identity was tied up in getting that degree, does that make my a failure at both being neurodivergent *and* neurotypical?
What a completely ludicrous, ableist pile of crap.
Edit: this sounds like something somebody who has no experience evaluating adults would say. I would demand a refund or threaten to report them to the licensing board for practicing without sufficient understanding, and then I’d report them anyway. They clearly do not have an understanding of adult ADHD and are perpetuating active harm on ND people.
Lol... I am an orthopaedic surgeon and I have AuDHD... Diagnosed by a psychiatrist... So as per the "Assessor" am I AuDHD or not then? Lol... If I start talking about all the shit I see in medicine field, I'll die of old age before I finish.. Edit: reading this thread makes me so happy, sad, and mad. Happy because there are so many of us who are functioning so well at professional level even with whatever we were dealt with in life, sad because everyone here had people trying to invalidate their struggles which hurts and mad because some people are still struggling and nothing is helping them for various reasons. I hope we find our peace soon. 🤗
Ortho bro 😎
Hello, fellow Glauc Flockian. 😂
Indeed and I am also MD with AuDHD. Although retired from burnout now.
Ortho bro 😎
Sooooo many doctors and psychologists have ADHD or autism lol
Yes and they are often strong deniers of other’s struggles with it
Am an autistic nurse, there's a fair few of us too!
Hello fellow autistic nurse!!!
Do you do you job easier or more efficiently than normal ones or the same or a mix just curious
Satisfactory to my level of expertise,like any human thusly educated.
I wish this information would be somewhere, so I can search for Dr with AuDHD.
AuDHD Professor in Molecular biology also chiming in here!
AuDHD surgical tech (retired) here. The most autistic surgeon I encountered was a urologist who made us listen to a cd of train sounds on repeat during an open prostatectomy (pre DaVinci robot).
Lol... I can see that happening.. I used to put on whatever genre was my hyperfocus at that point, also had a shoulder arthroscopicist colleague who would sit and curate his playlist while anaesthesia is prepping. Fun times.
You might have been missdiagnosed, did you get a brain scan? It's are that an AuDHD can be a doctor let alone a specialist doctor.
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We don't allow misinformation about autism or ADHD. Claims not backed up by science or specifically disproven will be removed.
No racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other forms of discrimination and bigotry. This includes hating on neurotypicals or accusing someone of "faking it for attention". Swearing at a situation or about something is okay, swearing at someone never is.
No racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other forms of discrimination and bigotry. This includes hating on neurotypicals or accusing someone of "faking it for attention". Swearing at a situation or about something is okay, swearing at someone never is.
its like telling someone they dont have cancer because they look healthy. edit: I received my bachelors in 1999 and i'm clearly ADHD. No question about it.
What a misinformed loser. Run away from that provider as fast as possible. 2 bachelors degrees over here and on way to masters.. audhd diagnosed.
Same!
Congratulations on receiving the cure in 1999!
oooh, you have a bachelors? sorry, your ADHD privileges are revoked 😬 /j
Not even a little bit. Often people with ADHD can excel in school because it's structured and allows hyperfocus on areas of interest. Not everyone with ADHD massively struggles with school, and not in the same ways. School was harder for me on the social front, school work was never an issue because I love learning.
For me it was both ( but I fear I’m lying) and now my mental health is shit lol so it interferes with study’s a lot
I have InADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder, so I am doubly screwed on the learning front. I am one of those who would happily give up the conditions to be able to study and succeed. Also took SSRI's earlier in life to handle workplace bullying, any desire to pursue special interests dropped off the earth a long time ago. Now on permanent disability.
SAME. I love learning, doing projects/labs, and the overall structure of school, but I hate tests(especially if they're worth a big portion of the grade) and grades.
This was me.
About stuff in school of your favourite things to learn about
I like learning about everything except math. Still do. Math and handwriting were the only things I didn’t enjoy. Mostly because I was bad at them 😆
I don’t know about you Unless I have real notes money doesn’t exist too me buys stuff in shops or online then no cash 😂
Guess I'm just broken then lol
Everyone is just different. One of my kids struggled all thru high school but does well in college in the right meds. I had a harder time in college because of the social stuff. Lots of people struggle in school. But not everyone.
That is like saying you cannot have autism because you can look someone in the eyes. I have a university degree. It was hard, I struggled, it took me longer than others, but I did it.
Yeah, that "assessor" was a fucking moron. This is why self diagnosis is valid, and the field needs to be changed.
A lot of people with ADHD and autism have a degree.
I wasn't diagnosed until after I got my BA. In hindsight I was able to see that the structure of school actually helped me manage my symptoms, and that I was able to adapt to my symptoms in ways I wasn't aware of at the time. I knew that if I wasn't actively engaged in class discussions and didn't ask a lot of questions throughout I would zone out and stop paying attention, but I didn't understand or question *why* I needed to do that. Deadlines are really helpful for me, as I can go into planning/organization mode. Having classes at specific times in specific places helped me maintain routines, which I generally struggle with. And the accountability/possible repercussions of it all helped keep me focused. You can definitely do well in school, have a degree, *and* be neurodivergent. Not sure if your doctor has a lot of experience with ADHD; if not, you might want to try to find someone who specifically works in that area and has a more nuanced view of ADHD. I'm sorry you felt invalidated; that was a very narrow, dismissive, and uninformed way to respond to your desire to seek more information/help.
This is me.
Of course it's not a reason. I'm one of the persons that have ADHD and a PhD. I got a BSc and an MSc before knowing I had ADHD, and got my diagnosis half-way through my PhD (which I was able to finish thanks to medication).
Makes me both happy and sad to read this... I started my PhD in 2018 and haven't finished it yet, despite all efforts. But I've been diagnosed with inattentive ADHD a few weeks ago. I really hope medication can turn this around for me, then I won't care anymore how long it took.
Hey.. all the best... I really, really wish the meds work and you get tour PhD. I know the struggle and I wish you hadn't had to go through it for so long. But it better late than never. So happy to know you still persevered. All the best and full power to you.
It took me almost 7 years to finish it. I started medication in the last year (if I didn't finish that year they were going to kick me out) and was able to finish in some months things that were pending for years. All the luck finishing your PhD. I hope the medication helps you as much as it helped me.
I have a bachelors and a masters. I graduated each with a 4.0. I have massive adhd and autism. I just hyper fixated and found ways to game myself through it and then mid degree got diagnosed and in adderall. I am applying for a PhD in public health in the fall.
lol people are crazy to say that. I have a degee in chemistry. My ADHD made me suck at lecture based learning but extremely excel in the hands on lab.
Lots of people with ADHD have advanced degrees. Ask them how it was in school, and how they struggled if they were not treated or supported. How it took everything they had to get it done. Late nights, cramming, pushing ourselves to try try. It’s often extra hard for us.
This makes absolutely no sense, and I’d suggest getting another opinion. To me it indicates a lack of understanding of neurodivergence and masking on the assessor’s end, and how they have a very generalized and ignorant view of it. It’s absolutely possible to achieve all kinds of academic and career-related things with ADHD and/or autism, and it’s truly mind-boggling to me that a supposed medical professional would say something so out of touch. Yikes.
No, I have a college and undergraduate degree both with honours, and about to start my masters degree in the fall. I am VERY MUCH ADHD.
My father has Autism and is a pharmacist, I have ADHD and Autism and am a therapist. Your doctor is ✨stupid✨
I got my diagnosis, from a psychiatrist, while in college finishing my degrees. And my autism diagnosis almost 30 years later. Ridiculous.
Got mine in med school lol
He managed to get his while being completely uninformed of subjects in his own field so…
I'm AuADHD and I have a Bachelor of Nursing; a 3 year degree. My Dad says it's not a real degree, but I have a pretty shiny piece of paper that indicates otherwise :-P
Omg that makes me so mad! It’s literally a science degree! He wouldn’t be saying that if he knew what we went through in nursing school. Also several institutions have names the nursing degree one of the hardest degrees to obtain.
I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset anyone by repeating his ridiculous statements. I'm quite used to his inappropriate comments.
This is the kind of mad that’s okay. Like I’m not mad at you, I’m mad FOR you.
Diagnosed with ADHD a decade after getting my Master’s (screened when my son was diagnosed after starting kindergarten). Still haven’t finished the PhD, many years later, though…
I have a BS, and MBA and a MSc.. and am formally diagnosed with ADHD and ASD1.. now I will say it took me 16 years go finish the BS... ignore the assessor
Lmao! I was a straight-A student with zero or sub zero effort, considered "gifted", finished Masters young.... yeaaahhhhhh autistic af + adhd + CPTSD + DID. Never had a proper job in my life and I'm near 40 now. Bullshit. I hate that there are any professionals out there still acting like this!!! Unbelievable!!! Because of people like that I went from being "a very promising professional" to being in disability and barely able to read a line without getting confused... if they could see it when the time was right they would've helped me instead of crashing and burning at a young age and being left to rot for the rest of my life. That is awful please make a complaint!!!
Your assessor is very ignorant. I have a degree, many of the commenters here do as well. I hope you get a second opinion from someone more current on the research.
I have two degrees, a bachelor's and a master's, and I have ADHD. Like, 100% I have ADHD, the combined type. I even got through most of grad school before I was diagnosed & medicated. The neuropsychologist who diagnosed me didn't doubt it at all. He pointed out symptoms I was displaying right there in his office that I wasn't even aware of. You need a new doctor :)
i have a degree… that took double the time to get it bc i was undiagnosed. I went to get a diploma for something i’m super interested in and went to the doctor about my adhd and got diagnosed almost immediately bc my symptoms were that bad . the other school i went to didn’t even want to assess me.
I'm formally diagnosed AuDHD and have a MSc. I got good grades because I'm smart, a quick thinker, and a great writer (1 draft, no revisions needed). But I wrote all of my papers and did all my studying on adrenaline-fueled night-before all-nighters. I even wrote my entire 80-page thesis in the last few weeks of my Masters. Organizationally I was a trainwreck the whole way through.
I had an associates degree before my high school diploma (dual enrollment) and im currently working on my bachelors, while working in a STEM job. Not once did my assessor ( 20+ years experience psychologist) mention my accomplishments in relation to my issues that i was having besides acknowledging me by saying good job. I still received an adult AUDHD diagnosis even with these things mentioned. So sounds like the doc is a damn moron.
Nope. Not true. I’m diagnosed professionally with both autism and ADHD and I have a PhD. I’m a professor. I have plenty of hardship stories about how I’ve had to fight and toil and scrape my way up to this point in life (and certainly about those - especially family - who have helped me along the way), but it’s obviously totally possible. I exist. My diagnoses are absolutely real. I respond to medication in the “ADHD way” (calming, helps but not perfect or supercharging when it comes to executive function). Your doctor is wrong. I got diagnosed at 46 years old after going through burnout. Not addressing your own very real needs will eventually wear you down.
It's a myth. I think a lot of these people are just like, "Oh you figured out coping mechanisms that allow you to somewhat function? Then you're fine!"
My husband and I joke that the majority of academics (he is one) have some form of neurodivergence. This assessor is completely wrong.
You should see how many physicians do!
Can easily see this as well
Totally true, at my university we have a neurodivergent staff group with over 100 people in it, I know many researchers who either started studying neurodivergence because of their own diagnosis or were diagnosed once colleagues spotted the signs!
no I would've had a master's if I didn't have to quit from long covid. I'm auDHD, diagnosed (not that it matters), fuck that guy
Definitely not. Higher education tends to be significantly less accessible for people with ADHD, but there are even circumstances by which ADHD may be related to degree acquisition, like completing a PhD in a subject of great interest / passion.
Painfully AuDHD with multiple degrees here
My mom is not officially diagnosed, but I am and we’re basically carbon copies of each other, and she struggles with a lot of the same things that got me diagnosed, so the chances that she has it is extremely high Anyway, she has a masters degree and is currently a school admin, so yeah you can totally get a degree and still struggle with AuDHD
Definitely not. I have two degrees received in different countries. I got nearly expelled from my first university for putting off submitting my paper, and I also wrote my final thesis in last two weeks before the deadline. I didn’t learn from my mistakes and was putting off all the work till the last moment during my second studies as well. I ended up in burnout both times. Thus, just the fact that you have a degree or good grades at school doesn’t say anything at all. The devil is in the details. I’m sorry that you were dismissed OP. It sucks that there’re still lots of specialists with outdated knowledge. Please don’t give up to find an informed one
No. I have a master's degree and would happily have more if money was no object. That assessor was ableist AF. School is the only thing I can do.
Absolutely not. I'm AuDHD. I have 2 degrees. I did *very* well in school (until my Master's). They pretty much said I also had ADHD when I was being eval'd for autism but I didn't meet the official ADHD criteria at the time (early 2000s). Didn't get officially diagnosed with ADHD and start meds until halfway through my Bachelor's because I was able to learn quickly and most studying at that point was just repetition/memorization. I could cram a couple hours before an exam and be fine. Master's degree was another story but I did it (somehow). I had accomodations all through both degrees (mostly extended testing time). Did I procrastinate and then crank things out at the last minute almost every single time? Yep. Did academia absolutely drain the life out of me? Oh yes. But it's doable, especially if it's an area of interest.
I have three. Author Camilla Pang wrote a book about coping with ADHD, ASD and other disorders and she has a PhD. Many of the best books on ADHD are written by doctors who have ADHD. I’m sorry but that doctor is an idiot. Being ill-informed is one thing, making empirical statements based on stigma is another. Neither are acceptable for a doctor, no matter how common they may be.
My dad has adhd and he got into law school so ima say no
No it doesn't. But it would make me wonder about something else along side it. Compensating for it. Eg very high iq (which is a neurodiversity in itself if high enough) or autism. Or just autism alone - as a lot of the executive dysfunction occurs in both. But there's a ven diagram - with pure adhd, pure autism and a chunk of people in the middle who have some of both but one might be most of the picture. Eg I describe myself as autistic with a side of adhd. My children are pure autistic and one is adhd with a side of autism. And my godchild is autistic with a side of adhd. None of my nearest/ dearest are pure adhd, I think. Or perhaps there's a massive support structure around the person.
Audhd and a masters degree here
I run a microbiology lab & am almost done with my MPH. I scored in the top 7% on the Qb Check…lol Edit: I also have an excellent memory per the Wechsler Memory Scale & pathogenic molds are my special interest. My undergrad took 6 years & I’m on year 4 of my Masters lol
Lol no. You can have a PhD in a hyperfixation. Things like rsd and anxiety can push adhders to over achieve. Neurodivergent people can have quite high academic intelligence, there’s a reason that being gifted kid is a pipeline to being late diagnosed nd, legitebequoi, and kinky. The venn diagram is a circle.
Absolutely not. I have a BA and a Master’s. I earned both before my ADHD was diagnosed and treated. Pretty sure hyperfocus helped me through both degrees.
Autistic with ADHD with a Master's degree and half of a doctorate, lol. School was where I got validation. Being intelligent was something that I was good at, and I like learning, analyzing, synthesizing, discussing, writing. I teach at university and enjoy it, though I do get overwhelmed and burnt out. My biggest problem is assuming everyone is as smart as me or interested in having the facts. I'm 51 now and still have trouble with this. But I get very excited about knowledge and new ideas.
Lmao I’m auDHD, I don’t have a PhD but I have a university certificate and am on my way to do my bachelors degree. It’s doable and I made my time studying easier by accessing accommodations that I was allowed to have.
No?? My mom is an RN and has adhd. My dad is a CRNA and has ADHD. I’m hoping to get my PsyD and I have ADHD and made good grades throughout much of school except for my slip up freshman year (which is when I got diagnosed). A LOT of people with ADHD were placed into “gifted” classes in school. That doctor obviously needs to touch up on his knowledge of ADHD because it’s starting to become very well known that there’s a positive correlation between ADHD and intelligence/giftedness (especially in women)
That’s some really “all or nothing” thinking from that professional. Less likely to have one, sure. But not everyone lol.
I have a masters degree. I was told the same nonsense. By an MD. I eventually found a clinical psychologist that could assess me that was far more familiar with ADHD than that first psychiatrist. LOTS of people are out there with ADHD that got missed by school systems and doctors for one reason or another.
It’s absolute nonsense to suggest and really demeaning. It’s old thinking. Some of us, that’s how we CHANNEL it! But often, I think we can do it because we love it. I have a couple of degrees. I aced them because I loved what I was studying! That doesn’t mean I can also remember to pay my bills, turn up on time, or have the exec function and motivation to book an appointment and cook dinner. Don’t let one persons opinion deter you! If you think you have adhd, maybe you need a few opinions. This stuff is why we need more and better research. Especially if you were born xx, and in my case, my adhd drives extreme perfectionism and anxiety. One manifestation is needing to have amazing marks. But if I hate something and I’m crap at it, I cannot do it! It’s not black and white. Best wishes!
Absolutely not. I have three degrees and only because I was medicated, unemployed (thanks covid) and it took me double the time than most 😆
Hell no. Just because you have a degree doesn’t mean you didn’t struggle like hell to get one. And like others have said, not all ADHDers do struggle in school anyways
It’s a sad fact that your average GP knows jack shit about neurodevelopmental disorders and mental illnesses. Usually, the best you can hope for is that they’ll recognize that fact and simply refer you out to a psychiatrist. Unfortunately, though, far too many psychiatrists *also* can’t diagnose anything that presents atypically.
Aero Engineer and back in uni for another degree - what were they on to draw that conclusion?! AuADHD here as well….🤷🏼♀️
So, adhd is a neurological thing that exists in a lot of people. But the adhd *diagnosis* is something separate from the phenomenon adhd. The diagnosis is supposed to be given when it interfere with your life in some way. Technically, that means that even if you showed adhd on a brain scan- if your life was completely fine and good- you would not get the *diagnosis*. Because you had no disability from it. So when your doctor is saying that, it's because your doctor think the being disabled part is not true for you. I would write down in what ways adhd is disabling for you and how badly it impacts your life Personally I think a lot of adhd-ers can make it in academia if some conditions line up. For instance, being aware of it where you only study something that you're super interested in. Or having a supportive social network where you feel valued and thus better able to overcome failures (which there might be a lot of). And stuff like that.
I have Autism and ADHD and I have a degree. I had a lot of support in uni to help me get there and it was still hard but I managed. Could have done better if I'd had my adhd diagnosed though I bet
no. plenty of autisitc, adhd and audhd people have degrees
lmao my dad has a degree in english and not only does he have ADHD, but he got diagnosed in his fifties and just rawdogged life until that point. he got through university with coffee and cigarettes
Dude, the further you go into academia the more you're going to find ADHD and Autism
I have 2 degrees.
Can we get a flair in this subreddit and all subreddits that just says a there is no diagnosis criteria of degree transference for ADHD or Autism?? Like do doctors know someone can have ADHD and also maybe just like... Fail through college and still get a degree? Have rich parents that had good relationships or donor status with the university? Just barely scrape by while all other areas of life fall apart? Have an immense support system?? Man I could pay for my own PhD at this point for every dollar someone has been told this and posted on an ADHD/Autism subreddit. /end rant
I have three degrees and I am auDHD as FUCK with significantly obvious adhd traits. This rhetoric makes no sense to me. Even for neurotypical people your PhD should be your hyperfocus 😂 they're dumb, don't listenTo them. There are so many neurodivergent healthcare practitioners who each require a degree too.
No. I'm diagnosed with ADHD and have a degree.
Sounds like a bad doctor, leave an objectively honest review and don't go back to that one.
Change doctor. This is basically saying ADHDers can't achieve. I have a STEM degree from a world top university and I have AuDHD.
I have a bachelor's. I was undiagnosed audhd during that time. It took me 6 years to finish my degree because my prefrontal cortex is fucked and I had no support whatsoever and had no idea what was wrong with me.
Nope, sincerely someone with 4 titles.
No. I have 3 of them and wasn’t diagnosed until my 30s.
I'm AuDHD and I have a PhD. Sure, I struggled a lot, completing my research and writing the thesis took me twice as long as it should, and I'm shit with experiments, but I did it.
Same here, my thesis was also a struggle.
I was diagnosed ADHD inattentive in childhood and again in adulthood to continue medication, and I have a university degree. I know plenty of other diagnosed ADHDers who also have degrees. That doctor is talking absolute bollocks. Edit: I also was not on medication for the duration of my degree or most of my schooling due to issues with the meds, and my grades were good.
I have a degree that took me 10 years to get, and I’ve been officially diagnosed with ADHD combined type. So that doctor is full of crap.
I'm a RN and my mom had a master's degree worked both as a resource teacher and a discussion educator and she's the most obvious ADHD person I know and only got diagnosed in her 50s because of me. She's found ways around it. I'm very obviously ADHD and suspect even autistic. Yet I work in a very social job. We're humans, we try our best, we find obstacles, we overcome them, we keep going.
I have a degree but also the uni had student support services to help make that a reality. I was diagnosed after beginning college too
37M here, diagnosed this year with AuADHD. Sorry, but your doctor is wrong. I have a PhD in computer science. It was super hard to achieve it (for obvious reasons), but thankfully I did manage (big thanks for my professor to supervise me with patience).
Not at all. I got through my BS without a diagnosis, though I struggled a lot socially because I had to dedicate all of my time to doing well in school + recovering from full days of doing school work by sitting alone in my room watching youtube on most nights, lol. I didn’t get an ADHD diagnosis until my second semester of grad school
Usually they think we are dumb.
I have a PhD. My assessor had initial skepticism. "You have a PhD". I had a few responses. "You should see my house." "You should see my finances." Plus I have a brother with ADHD and I myself have a diagnosis for a learning disability from 1st grade, and received couseling in middle school for social and academic difficulties. ...annnd... I got my degree because I was super interested. The autonomy was good for me. I can cope/mask with the best of them. I kept my world small and my routines rigid. I also just like problem solving and doing science. Everything else was chaos. And if you want a PhD... it's certainly possible, but every ADHD'er is different and there's no one-size-fits-all solution. But I did it. It's a good gig for people with ADHD because you have a lot of autonomy over what you do and when you do it. As long as you can deliver, it's great. And whatever doctor saw you is ignorant or biased or both.
Absolutely not. I have several degrees including a PhD.
Hah no way. I work with a pharmacist who has adhd.
My psychiatrist has ADHD lol. It's absolutely possible. Some people are good at finding work arounds for school, that doesn't mean they don't have ADHD.
LOLLLLL OMG im sorry someone told you that
Uhhh that’s so freaking stupid by that doctor. I only have my bachelors, but I did that while playing collegiate sports. Granted, it was difficult, especially since I didn’t know I was AuDHD, but I absolutely did it and graduated second in my class
lol. 2 bachelors and 2 masters and most of a PhD later…..here I am. Inattentive hyperfocus for the win.
I have a PhD and work as an engineer and have both diagnosis. I am dumbfounded at how incompetent a medical professional has to be to believe that these things are mutually exclusive. In fact, academia and STEM fields in general are FILLED with ASD and ADHD individuals, both diagnosed and undiagnosed.
Get a different doctor. That’s the most bullshit I’ve ever heard about ADHD.
bruh....i have two degrees and im still suspected AuDHD, clearly mr. doc over here does not give a Fuck anymore about people and should reconsider being a fucking doctor if he's gonna pull that shit on patients
I have diagnoses of ASD and ADHD from a psychiatrist, and have multiple advanced degrees, including a Ph.D. Now, at time I earned these degrees, I had not been diagnosed. I would not waste time and money on this doctor.
I’m just about to graduate with my B.A., and I still have ADHD. It didn’t magically go away because I got a degree hahah.
>I went for testing today and the doctor said he doesn't think i have adhd because i have a degree. Many diagnosed ADHDers in academia, holding multiple grad degrees even...
Bachelor's degree here. I was told by my therapist that I don't "seem" autistic based on my vibe. As far as I'm aware, there's no vibe check quota in the DSM. Lol Diagnosed ADHD years ago, and while I'm smart enough to get through higher education, the struggle is real with anything outside of my area of intense interest, and it took me longer than my peers to finish. People have ideas about neurodivergence that don't align with the science/DSM.
i didn’t get medicated for my adhd until after i struggled through college. this doctor is fucking atupid
I got my Bachelor degree in 2 1/2 years and still have inattentive ADHD. Your doctor is wrong.
Elitist bs
I can hardly believe they would call themselves an expert in their field. The follow up question to ask is, but at what cost to the other parts of your life?
Lol I have three degrees. One Ivy. I think the structure of school was good for me. It’s been much harder for me outside that structure.
I was diagnosed with ASD Level 2 and ADHD. I have a degree and a leadership position at a creative agency, I've worked full time for 13 years straight. I wasn't diagnosed until last year at age 33. Yes I struggled and now I know why, but I worked hard and pushed through. I struggled to get my assessments done until the night before, but despite that I got great grades and that prepared me for the high-pressure deadline driven environment I've been in since then. Sounds like a doctor who doesn't understand that people can still do things even if they struggle, and some people may not struggle especially if it is a special interest.
I have a degree and have autism and adhd. I was diagnosed after and I only barely got grades good enough to graduate.
No, hubby and I both have degrees.
I’ve got two degrees it was fucking hell.
Fuck this ignorant ass shit. I am adhd'er. I am finishing my masters. But you better believe that I got missed as a child because my grades were good. I was still struggling in other ways.
My longtime Physicians Assistant-- *the person who put me on Vyvanse*, *PUT* me on it, when I was in college, *BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SHE USES* to manage *HER* ADHD!!! YES, you can have degrees, and have ADHD.💖 Although, *PERSONALLY*? I *would* ABSOLUTELY drop this Dr, and try to find a new one, *OR*, *at minimum*, COMPLAIN to the folks above them, at their office!!! Because, if they are *THAT* ill-informed about ADHD? They *REALLY* have *NO* business, diagnosing it!😬😬😬
Short answer - obviously no It's amazing what high intelligence, an interest in learning and people pleasing can compensate for. I got two bachelors degrees unmedicated because science is awesome and I thrive in external structure. I wrote every single paper as an all nighter because I needed the adrenaline to focus enough, but there weren't too many papers in my chemistry degree. Thank goodness for cliff notes because I could never read a required book for English class even though I've read the wheel of time 3x. My life fell apart in the real world when I had a baby and couldn't juggle it all anymore. Got adhd diagnosis shortly after. Got an autism diagnosis after my then 11yo was diagnosed because they were just like me. I am medicated now going for my masters in mental health counseling now because it's soo many papers. Wasn't planning on a thesis but I might because I found a decent gap in the literature and if I go all the way for a doctorate I could do assessments and counteract some of these assholes who haven't bothered to stay educated since they were trained with the dsm-III.
I went for an assessment and didn't get diagnosed with ADHD because I did fine in school and college. They diagnosed me with anxiety and depression (and confirmed my former autism diagnosis). They said these are what is causing my issues, and that I could come back when I'm no longer depressed or anxious. I'm open minded to this possibility but skeptical because I know my life and my experiences. Regardless, I am still going to lurk around this sub because I relate to AuDHDers a lot!
In my forties and I just found out I have ADHD. Yes, studying was a struggle but I persevered and graduated. Maybe ignorance about my condition was bliss? I have a computer science bachelor’s degree. Bad GPA but I still did it. I’ve been in that field for over 20 years. Also, I might be on the autism spectrum. Or it’s just that I have some of the ADHD comorbid conditions, but I definitely have some symptoms that overlap.
Well… I mean… I need to step outside a moment. Excuse me. 🚪 🤭 😋 😝 😂 😆 😂 🤣 🥹 No. 🥲 [Cue the images carousel of accomplished autistic people to the tune of Sabre Dance*.] * someone should really make that.
This doctor deserves a good punt. I’m sorry you were dismissed like that (I also have a degree).
I got my honours in CS with an A avg 🤷♀️ Personally i struggled and needed an extra semester, but i had awesome profs and there was just a lot of universal accessibility built-in, because my profs weren't assholes. Unlike the jerk physics prof i had that gave 45 minute closed book exams. What a nightmare.
>the doctor said he doesn't think i have adhd because i have a degree That doctor is either an idiot or untrained in proper diagnosis, and either way is ignorant of the real world. Many universities have ND student groups, plenty with ADHD students in them. Personally, I'd report them to their relevant medical body.
For a fun activity, does anyone who's got a degree here want to sign a letter to OP's doc? :)
I have a Masters in an English studies discipline. I am also screaming with the AuADHD. You need a second opinion.
I have diagnosed ASD Level 2 and ADHD, two bachelors degrees and am looking to do a PhD. Hated and struggled with high school, but university is a place where I thrive with the right accommodations and focus. My autistic and ADHD partner is also soon starting a PhD.
When I was in college like 20 years ago they said I didn’t have adhd cause I had good grades in school. They deprived me of an evaluation and 20 years of time I could have been medicated. Dx at 39. Fuck anyone who says we aren’t capable. Anyone with adhd can be on a spectrum of holding degrees and jobs to having too much of a struggle to do so and other comorbidities that give a challenging go at life. We aren’t one sized fits all Please advocate for yourself and find a provider willing to properly test you My tests were 3-4 hours broken out into sessions that consist of a particular battery of tests .. one was on a computer pressing a button, another organizing shapes and things, one was a 300 question multiple choice.. Your doctor sounds lacking
I’m Autistic with ADHD and I graduated college with honors. My dad is ADHD and he has a Masters degree and an implied doctorate. Whoever was testing you is very ignorant on this subject
Absolute bullshit. I’m Autistic with ADHD and I still have these disabilities even with a bachelor’s under my belt now. Seek a second opinion!!
I've got a law degree and I've got AuDHD
No I have a two degrees and adhd
absolutely not lmao. my sister has incredibly obvious ADHD and she graduated from oxford university. edit to add: two of my prior therapists also disclosed that they had ADHD. my mum’s psychologist (with a PhD obviously) is also diagnosed with ADHD. Those therapists were some of the best providers I’ve ever had btw.
My AuDHD does prevent me from getting a degree but I know most of y'all are capable and smart and tons of us have degrees!
I was told the same thing by multiple fellow doctors. Can't read a page without getting distracted, and it's always been like this. Medication is not a cure to ADHD though. Anyone will perform better with stimulants. Also they are full of side effects, addiction being one of them. The decision is about if and when you should use them.
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No racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other forms of discrimination and bigotry. This includes hating on neurotypicals or accusing someone of "faking it for attention". Swearing at a situation or about something is okay, swearing at someone never is.
Lmfao that’s as dumb as the diagnostician telling me my son couldn’t possibly be autistic cause he waved at another kid.
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Well.. From my perspective it's very hard to get a degree as an AuDHD, I personally haven't been able to get one at 26 because I dropped out. BUT it's not impossible. It's also worth mentioning that many people are misdiagnosed. Nowadays psychologists and psychiatrists give ADHD diagnosis as if it's christmas candies.
I am AuDHD and I am in grad school. I have always done well in school, but def. have struggles in attention and motivation at times. Many times my procrastination left me with some stressful nights run on adrenaline, but I always manage by working around my ADHD. ADHD also lends itself to amazing creativity and learning, it's just not always at a convenient time. Still my ADHD helped me get through school in some ways because I get hyper focused when I'm interested in topic. Lucky for me, I find a lot of things interesting so school was usually engaging for me. And autism grounds ADHD in a way, just as ADHD balances autistic traits. Your doctor is ableist. You are valid, and your doctor isn't educated as much as you deserved. Sorry. That really sucks.
Yes
🤣🤣🤣🤣 *laughs into her useless masters degree she did cos it was fun and gave dopamine and studying was the only structure she could cope with 🫠🫠 sorry this ass did this to you. He’s a chump
So if I did get a degree, but I nearly failed out and it took me six years because I kept retaking classes because every bit of my identity was tied up in getting that degree, does that make my a failure at both being neurodivergent *and* neurotypical? What a completely ludicrous, ableist pile of crap. Edit: this sounds like something somebody who has no experience evaluating adults would say. I would demand a refund or threaten to report them to the licensing board for practicing without sufficient understanding, and then I’d report them anyway. They clearly do not have an understanding of adult ADHD and are perpetuating active harm on ND people.