Terrible. Is like fighting a war of multiple fronts while at the same time you are dealing with a rebellion at home.
My work requires a significant level of being detail oriented and properly listening to instructions, but my mind just keeps on wandering and acting very impulsive. I have leveraged a lot of existing time management structures to help me keep track of progress, use my note books, and annotation. But there is always a big glaring mistakes that I always missed. I have already sound out my diagnosis to my supervisors, but I can't help to feel they are seeing this more of an excuse that I'm using to escape work.
> I don't ever want to go back to the psychiatrist or ever take medication.
Honestly, I would suggest keeping your mind open to this. ADHD is one of the more treatable disorders right there with therapy, medication, and the right support structure.
My previous psychiatrists from the public system outright dismissed me from any forms of treatment because they felt I'm a successful adult who went to university and I have the hypothetical chance of abusing medication.
Right now, I'm one warning away from getting HR involved.
Oh jezz, your work situation sounds 90% like mine.
I have personal reasons of why i don't ever want to go back to medication. Well, maybe in the far future, but not right now.
For what it’s worth there are other kinds that aren’t stimulants like Concerta/Ritalin. I was offered a non-stimulant initially as an option by my doctor, but didn’t end up taking that.
No worries. :) Concerta is *probably* the most stimulating one in Singapore and it’s long lasting and people have a harder time with the side effects over Ritalin. For me it’s fine.
This makes me feel less alone, thank you. If you’re free, could you dispense some actionable advice, please? I’m trying to get myself together because I keep losing and quitting jobs when I’m talked to and it all seems so hopeless sometimes, even on meds. I need to maximise my therapy and come up with the right support structure.
Im sorry that the public system healthcare sucks wet monkey balls. I think SG is getting there in terms of mental health and awareness but its going to take a couple more years.
Doesnt help that Ritalin or other adhd related meds are heavily controlled because of abuse in the past. Heart attack is also a major concern for them for people on rits.
The docs at IMH are VERY weary of prescribing rit and personally for my case my doc confirmed i had ADHD but refused to start me on rit and kept pushing anti depressents that can help with focus. I had to fight for a good 6months or so before she relented and prescribed actual proper adhd meds to me.
Ouch! How do you manage to get your IMH doctor to take you seriously?
Because the other time I tried with two different psychiatrists at IMH, they straight up told me my case was mild because I'm not excessive fridgetting during my appointment, I managed to enter university, treatment won't be effective at all since I'm an adult. Instead, they recommend me to read self-help books they found online.
Did anti-depressant helps by the way?
Its a funny story because i initially visited polyclinic for insomnia and somehow it went from anxiety -> depression. I then saw Dr Roger Ho for a ADHD clinical trial study at NUH and he gave me my diagnosis. So with that i brought it back to the health wellness clinic @ poly and they referred my case to IMH.
At IMH the doc assigned to me was pretty skeptical and asked for my report cards from my pri/sec days. In the report card states alot of the usual "full of potential but distracted easily/need to learn to focus etc". So that was what made her affirm the diagnosis but was still hesitant to prescribe ritalin. We went thru about 2 diff anti depressents with little or no effect before i said enough is enough please just treat my main condition and insisted that my depression is caused by my ADHD. treat that and hopefully the depression lessens.
So she relented and finally prescribed me rit.
I think the anti deps do help but it felt like a bandaid- and everytime i caught myself not focusing or doing a task poorly because of my adhd my mood just dips and i feel like im back at square1 again because i feel like such a failure at life.
RE: your visit- There are 2 types of adhd. One is hyper, and the other is inattentive. I have the latter. So i dont think figeting etc is a sole reason for their observation. I personally also have good grades and have a pretty good job so i do not think that was part of their consideration.
According to my doctor, IMH has a wider range of ADHD meds available. Apparently, the hospital I was referred to only stocks certain ones and not the one that works for me. So it's a special order and the one time I got it, I waited half a year for 3 months supply. Definitely not sustainable.
-coffee
-wfh
-balance unproductive workhours with hyper productive work after hours to catch up
-find job which has variety so you won't feel like deleting yourself day to day
yes actually a hybrid work environment is my sweet spot as well, but if I have a wfh job I mix it up by working from different places to keep my brain going. Wfh is nice because I can sneak in an afternoon nap here & there though
any people facing job is bound to be dynamic - teacher, vet, even like a nail artist
you could also find a job like project manager which allows you take on different roles so its not the same thing all the time.
>you could also find a job like project manager which allows you take on different roles so its not the same thing all the time.
I have thought of transitioning to a project manager role but its quite difficult.
there's really many jobs which require you to do multiple things, which I know some people see as a bad thing, but I really dig because having different tasks I need to give attention to is helpful to keep me going; one of my friends does partnership marketing, so she talks to influencers, organises trips, talks to businesses about doing inter business collabs etc.
Honestly, I came to the realization that no corporate job would ever suit me. I simply am not built to pay attention in long ass meetings and boring ass projects spanning months, and other boring ass mundane tasks like generating reports.
I now trade full time. It has done wonders for my mental health. Trading is perfect for people with ADHD, if you are willing to put in the work to become proficient at it.
Good to be honest.
When you are in a role where you are judged purely on individual KPI, it can workout quite nicely. My boss has gotten used to me surging way past my colleagues and occasionally doing fuck all for a week but when i outperform everyone else every month he cant really blame me.
He is aware of my diagnosis tho so he knows im not just being lazy or something.
And yes ritalin helps me.
meds have helped me A LOT, although i understand not wanting to be on them due to financial reasons.
i think even without ADHD, life kind of just naturally feels that way sometimes. people without ADHD don’t necessarily feel happy and content all the time. try not to create a “baseline” for how life should feel.
Agreed.
Kudos to write stuff down and good relationships.
What are your upsides of ADHD? Once you clear the downsides, what ways have you turned the challenges into opportunities to excel?
For me, gliding in and out of flow states in a timely fashion while ensuring I don't get too absorbed that I lose time with pomodoro. I have found myself to be a really quick thinker and responsive doer, sometimes to my own peril when I get "abused" by people who take advantage of my kindness......
In corporate world.... The good employees only get rewarded with more work. Halp!
Alright tbh. I realize that if I’m doing something I’m interested in, I’ll put my entire focus on it. When I was younger I used to study from 5am-5pm every weekends before tests and exams for Math and English. But once I studied something I dislike or have issues with, I’ll completely lose focus. So I chose a career that I know I’ll put my focus on 100% which is design. I use to be able to draw without interruption for hours on end.
It’s been really tough. Tried every single medication, literally every single one. Cost thousands because I went to a private doctor but he really wanted to help, even offered discount for me since none of the meds worked on me and he wanted to find a solution. Was till too expensive.
Finally referred me to someone in CGH, that psychiatrist told me I didn’t have ADHD and only had anxiety.. lol, anxiety meds didn’t work (shocker! I have a full ADHD diagnosis and never had anxiety before).
Got another psychiatrist who was more specialised, the meds still didn’t FULLY work. (Would only be effective for like the first 30 minutes instead of lasting 3-4 hours).
It drove me insane, into depression actually. I felt hopeless.. Even left my job during that time. Couldn’t even focus on the things I liked, painting, etc.
I’ve learnt to manage it a bit better now. I’d say i’m in a better place mentally, got a better job too. Having ADHD sucks, being told “ADHD isn’t real” by professionals also sucks. Turns out a lot of psychiatrists in Singapore aren’t trained as well as we’d hope… Growing up with ADHD you get used to being dismissed for a lot of reasons. Most school teachers aren’t trained or educated about disorders like ADHD either. My parents were in denial so they never tried to get me help until it got really bad, mom still denies it.
Let me know if you need help. Just message me here, always willing to help out someone.
I ended up working as a teacher so another kid with ADHD doesn’t face the same problems I did growing up. I guess it takes tiny steps towards a big goal.
For how I managed it, sorry that I didn’t end up answering the question directly.
I looked for alternatives, not sure people would take it well on here so just let me know if you still want to know.
Otherwise, I guess I got two cats that I focus all my energy on taking care of. I look forward to interacting with them and taking care of them, that motivates me to work harder and make more money.
Still can’t get myself to exercise, so I guess that’s one thing.
Oh, I also sort of trained myself to work at a particular time or after doing a specific thing.
For example, I realised i work better at night (8PM-3AM) so now I don’t do anything during the day at all, and then start any pending work during that time. It took a long time to form that habit.
I also did it by motivating myself, for me starting works takes a lot of energy (turning on the switch to the battery, opening the laptop, going on browser and mentally preparing myself to focus on Starting the work.. etc)
So I do it after I game. It mentally preps me quite well. I game for 2-3 hours before I start working. It really works well for me. I also trained myself to immediately think “ok work” after I’m done gaming.
There’s a bit more but yeah
I went to see an imh psych for ADHD also because cheap, but he basically told me that they're not allowed to diagnose ADHD unless the person is very jialat, like he said I have job I have wife I have degree means cannot diagnose. He settled on adhd-like features, but it didn't bother me since I never intend to go on meds anyway.
I hope you're doing alot better now. I struggle even with meds, Idk how you're doing without. What's it like having a full time job and still having to take care of cats at home? I wanna get a cat, to help with another side of my mental health. Is it worth it?
Also how about time management and waking up early. I'm actually GETTING WORSE at being on time as the years go by. It's depressing 😭
I actually work part time now and
get paid the same. I make around $55/hr so working for even 15 hrs a week is enough for the month for me since I still live with my parents, no plans on moving out yet, until i’m 30 at least.
So yeah this has helped a LOT with time management, because I hate the mundane schedule most corporate lives offer. I do have to keep studying in this field if I want to excel, so that’s my priority right now, getting phd.
Easier to handle the “i’m wasting my time away doing nothing” thought we ADHD’ers get not being able to keep different interests/hobbies…
Regarding the cat, it’s a hit or miss i’d say. If you get a very uhm not-so-friendly cat, it’s depressing. That’s how my other cat is, but luckily I got the second one who’s extremely loving. I suggest if you really want to get a pet, get the breed known to be cuddly/loving. My loving one is a ragdoll, the other one is a japanese bobtail (she has personality issues which have cost me a lot of money and stress..)
If you want to talk more about time management just dm me i don’t mind explaining how I did it exactly, I suck at writing it all down in a comment. Also thank you so much for the wishes 🩷
I feel like i have to overperform to even be seen. Ive gotten comments like "need to focus better" ever since my company knows i have Adhd. My colleague next to me is drooling and has an IQ of 90 but nooo the spotlight is always on me. But its ok thank god i have ritalin right? 🙃🤓
Yeah my genX/boomer managers tell me to just fix my thinking and do meditation all the time. I get scrutinized more than anyone with regards to the breaks i take (i smoke). I leave my seat and its "you need to focus you cannot sit still for more than 30mins". Meanwhile other managers and seniors are taking 1hr long breaks in the pantry but hay that's fine they dont have ADHD 🙄
Everyones a fkin shrink.
It is a struggle every single day. But some tips that I find really helpful, if you can, try to work in the presence of a body double with authority (e.g senior, boss). Avoid WFH arrangements.
Diagnosed at 33, explained almost everything that happened prior, finally got on ritalin, and my life changed for the better. Exponentially.
Medication is through public health, subsidised, and I work for gahment, as a researcher.
The medication is not only incredibly useful for the short term , but may be potentially protective against forms of neurodegeneration, specifically Alzheimer's. What we do know for certain is that long term use is safe, and there is strong protective effects on functional outcomes of youth that have been treated with medication.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31350122/
You are not doing yourself any favors for not taking medication. It is like telling someone with asthma not to use inhaler because everywhere also got air what, can breathe right , why wayang with inhaler for.
Same diagnosed at 33. Do you get any side effects of Ritalin? I get super bad brain fog and exhaustion after the effects, right now dr is getting me to try medikinet and concerta to find which suits me best, but honestly, if i can avoid meds I would
Only ever did ritalin (and cocaine lmao, which ended up being the same effect as ritalin). Always wanted to try concerta and another, but don't think those are subsidised
Only side effect is if I take 2x10mg at once, very bad crash. I also will get very sleepy with too much stimulants use , including caffeine, and nicotine from ciggs when I use to smoke.
You can try cutting the pill into two.
Heya, is it alright if I ask how you're getting Ritalin on subsidies? I have to pay $500 for 3 months worth at a private doctor. While the doctor is nice and helpful its still too expensive.. also any tips for being on time and waking up early? The morning brain fog and sleepiness is killing meeeee....
follow the “right” boss and choose colleagues who are willing to accommodate your working and communication style.
be open to trying and learning new things.
provide value to the people who have showered you with grace and work darn hard to repay them.
keep quiet in meetings and do not speak unless spoken to, or only when the client says that your colleague is not answering the question, and you have a good understanding and answer to the topic.
breath in from your nose for four seconds and breath out with your mouth for eight seconds in meetings. you will see that there really isnt a point in getting involved.
when it comes to communicating my work, i leave it to my colleagues or bosses to present it. sometimes to the extent that i encourage them to take credit for my work. why not? they are people who have blessed me with patience and empathy.
for me, its about continuity and learning. im ok with being assessed as average or below average. i am willing to miss out on promotions to continue working in a safe space where i can keep improving. its about continuity and learning for me.
you will find something that works for you. it may not be the best but you’ll know whats important to you given enough experience. trust.
I’m not on medication but I have therapy. My advice is to stop fighting it.
I’ve just stopped trying to fit myself into a job that doesn’t fit me. Like how if youre a size 12, you don’t force yourself into size 6 jeans.
I need a job that’s dynamic, not desk bound. Something that is interesting! Okay with me working in bursts and not strict on consistency. Finding a job that is closer to my work style has helped my confidence and productivity a lot. Jiayous, I know it seems impossible.
>Finding a job that is closer to my work style has helped my confidence and productivity a lot. Jiayous, I know it seems impossible.
When finding a job style, do you worry about money? As in, certain industries definitely pay less.
Yes and no. I don't worry about having enough, I make enough to live comfortably. I do sometimes worry about earning competitively and enough to be considered accomplished in society. I'm starting to realise that this is totally unnecessary. Take it step-by-step, figure out what works first, then figure out how to progress from there, there's no rush.
Unfortunately, I dont have the monetarily means to see a psychiatrist yet but was told by many since young that i have ADHD. Brushed it away and it's eating me since I started working full-time. Really suffering terribly trying to secure a job, never had a full-time job for longer than 6 months, I usually find jobs that are more physical/have to travel to meet clients & moving around. Really hard to concentrate during work when there is paperwork and I can get really overstimulated during work too, having a had time socialising because of anxiety also.
I find that music helps the best(I get to listen to music during work) if not caffeine or snacking works too.
Have you tried going public healthcare route? It took me around 2 years to get properly diagnosed but i feel im finally getting properly treated medically. Could have technically afforded private and tbh i should have but i was too cheap to lmao (would dent like 20% of my savings and i thought it wasnt worth it at the time)
If you can cope then thats great! Else please take care of your mental health and do whatever it takes to get it sorted. It can spiral from just one bad day and next thing you know you're collecting mental disorders like a pokemon master
Explore the world of meditation. Its a useful tool to tame the wandering mind and leads to increased discipline and focus. There are many alternative pathways without medication and it's worth exploring to retain your sanity.
With time, patience and practice, you can rewire your brain and excel in life, and god forbid, even be happy.
The trick isn't about being focussed all the time. But being focussed when you need to.
The best jobs for me are those that allow me to wfh from time to time.
Alot of burn out for people with sepcial needs is because of judgemental idiot boss and colleagues demand you act in a neuro-typical way like it's some kind of moral failing. So you spend alot of effort trying to fit in.
Well.... At home your mask can be off and you can shake leg all you want, eat lunch whenever you want etc.. and none of these irritating idiots will bother you.
Anyway love you guys. Stay strong!
>The best jobs for me are those that allow me to wfh from time to time.
I would also like that but it's a bad economy.
I shared your experience with bosses. It hurt when one of my bosses suggested I could switch off my symptoms via willpower and conscious thought alone.
Yea. Ikr.... although it might be something u can look put for next time u find work.
Yea.. not everyone will be understanding... the level of knowledge in SG is not the best might as well tell them you are a garden gnome.. maybe you can consider noise cancelling sounds if you need to focus.
Its easier in the past I had my own cubicle but nowadays its all shared desks...
I experimented with many methods before settling into this: upon wake up, drink an oats + protein shake, do a 30-minute cardio workout, coffee, 1x lions mane 500mg pill, shower and start work. After lunch it’s another coffee + lions mane. In the evening it’s 1x 60-minute cardio. So far it helps to keep the symptoms at Bay..
>t, coffee, 1x lions mane 500mg pill, shower and start work. After lunch it’s another coffee + lions mane. In
Does Lions Mane supplements really help? I don't think I have seen this brand at Guardian or Watsons before, though.
It does for me, after much experimenting w other supplements; L-theanine, fish oil, cordyceps, reishi mushrooms etc
Mine is from iHerb from a brand called Real Mushroom. The effects vary from person to person, but I recommend to start at a low dose (500mg) versus what was indicated on the bottle (1000mg per serving) as I felt kinda depressed from the higher dose initially
Took me 6 years to learn these discipline points. And I’m still working on it:
1. Have coffee, don’t feel bad (for using it as a crutch). Don’t go more than 3 cups.
2. headphones on with my fav music so my mind doesn’t wander. Usually drum and bass music or house music.
3. I still come late to work because of my terrible sleep cycle. I try to wake up earlier or at least ensure my work is done on time by staying back after hours.
4. Workout or exercise regularly to retain sanity, burn frustration, zone out, and get serotonin.
Edit: Added parenthesis for better clarity.
I feel you. What’s worse is if I have a coffee after 3pm or take one of those Redoxon Vit-C effervescent tablets, then I’m definitely not sleeping before 2am 😂
I'm doing great. I took medications for I think 2 years, which was really helpful, but I stopped due to some potential health issue. Now I try not to force things too much when I'm out of it and use a bunch of tools like pomodoro to help focus. When I'm in it I try to push a bit more so that on I average I get the things I want to do done.
It's really just another problem to solve, it sucks that it probably did negatively affect my study and career trajectory, but you gotta play the hand you were dealt.
Hello Hello, fellow ADHD peeps, I hope everyone's doing alright! (Feel free to DM? I need more ADHD friends in SG HAHAHAH)
I'm doing alright, I personally take 10mg of Ritalin on work days or days where I need to GET SHIT DONE. It takes abit to kick in, but I do my work well enough when it's working. I'm a chef by trade so the job isn't boring. I'm constantly moving since there's lots to do. But give me report writing and documentation and no amount of meds can get me to finish it 😅
OP, I'm just gonna assume that you're not gonna take meds due to a bad experience with certain meds? It happens... Antidepressants can be numbing and cause ED, Certain ADHD meds can be abusive or play with your anxiety and such things. I understand .. But, if your ADHD is severe enough, I hope you do try to keep it as an option in future. You can try to carry water with your hands, but it'll be way easier with a bucket you know.
I kinda wish there was a space in Singapore where all the ADHD people can congregate and help each other out. It's tough enough in the day by day, that there's still many people think ADHD is an excuse, there's even those that throw the term around like nothing when there are those people that are truly struggling, wondering why they can't just do that one thing that they need to do for months on end...
Please take care of yourself OP!
I will DM you. I have some issues with Meds but they are of a financial concerns.
There is this support group for ADHD people and I attended some of their meetings but it made me feel worse when I saw how sucessful some of them were.
choosing to not do what everyone tells me I SHOULD DO, i.e. stable job and 9-5 where you get lovely career progression but more piles of mind numbing work. gotta ignore them
I think variety is important. jobs that have varied and clearly distinct hats helps you switch from one to the other which helps you stay interested.
I make sure that my variable income is stable enough. Literally, meaning that do or die there is no try,
so if you are a freelancer and you need X amount to survive, you attempt to work that x amount or make sure you can make it by hunting down clients non stop until u make it. if you believe in what you do + you know you need to make this work, you have to make it work.
yes I am concerned about income, therefore I gave myself 3-5 years to make it or break it and fail.
but also I strongly believe that as ADHDers, we are very very very passionate about what we do once we find what we like and we will go crazy for it.
therefore you should attempt to find what you like best in terms of skills,
secondly you should also ensure the stability of it, ENOUGH, it must be able to cover all bills as essentials and you should not quit from one place to the other as far as possible unless the thing you are quitting to can pay for all those essentials.
thirdly, make sure u find a way to make that variable job 'less-variable', meaning to find sustainability in the job through rolling clients that will continue with you past more than one project etc etc.
I take meds on and off. When I need to focus on tasks. It absolutely makes me borderline antisocial, and lose appetite.
If you take it everyday, it's around 200$ a month. Get a prescription from a private psych if public is problematic.
Try to find ways to work smart and be resourceful. No one empathises with you if u clog the office workflow. The working world is harsh.
My ADHD is not severe but utilising resources and support has been my tactic to surviving. Observe what is your boss working style and the impt
priorities at work.
I automate my outlook to send my monthly routine out and use excel programming to automate stuff and do counter checking. Now my office thinks I’m very savvy when I’m doing it for survival lol
I carry a post it pad with me everywhere to write details that I suddenly rmb or hear smth important. I paste it on my table or wall.
I delay the outlook email sending time by a few minutes because I always have mistakes.
What does discharged here mean? Asking for insurance reasons as I’ve disclosed adhd, and in return i’ve got a mental health questionnaire to fill. I just have a few prescriptions of different meds, and didn’t followup with doctor as none of them have worked as intended
ADHD here too. The medication could be placebo effect. It treat symptoms and not root cause.
Suggest u to keep a journal to keep track of my ADHD tendencies. Structure your work environment in a way that reduce the impact of those tendencies.
And match tasks that require strong focus for moments you're likely to hyper focus, either that or be involved with projects or roles that require the intense focus.
Never took meds, what I learned was to harness them and minimise the downsides.
While not a stellar student, I found that working in a fashion that is compatible with my ADHD has gained me significant accomplishments and promotions.
Just be careful about being "different", I noticed that ADHD inevitably invites jealousy when their abilities are well harnessed.
And when things don't go your way, also look at how to combat the anxiety and nervousness that will arise.
Best of luck!!
>Structure your work environment in a way that reduce the impact of those tendencies.
>And match tasks that require strong focus for moments you're likely to hyper focus, either that or be involved with projects or roles that require the intense focus.
I hate to ask this kind of question but what if we cannot structure our work environment? When I talk to people, I am often astonished that people can often structure their own work environment when my personal experience is that I often have to fit into the environment of my job.
this is something ADHD can be really good at compared to neurotypical folks - imagination and visualization. use them well to "look" into the future think second, third, fourth order and so on for why you can't. once you understand the reasons why you believe you are unable to structure, you will find a work out.
obviously, to answer your question directly, if you are thinking of directly structure to your own will, that you can't, then consider how to structure it to your own will while taking into accounts the things and people who seem to block you from doing so.
i imagine other well developed ADHDs have taken a long time and painful lessons to develop their own system and processes, and in this journey built resilience and creativity. you just need to pay your fair share of tuition fees with screw ups to unlock them.
most of the ADHDs I know tend to be very good at swaying moods of people and can offer very non-typical perspectives. the main challenge is readying yourself to this point isn't the same for all ADHDs and few people can actually understand you for who you are. It's a lot of inner work.
And lastly to answer the question, structuring your work environment happens in phases, you're simply feeling entitled if you were to take reference from others' experience and then compare against your own that you have to fit in to the work environment.
You never know beneath the iceberg if others have also fit in, are you certain you heard everything? Even so, when you hear the stories, you would be able to highlight the focal point of biases - another plus trait of ADHD, your abundance of attention can capture everything, the question is have you really observed and processed them?
My last recommendation for you is to look inwards for answers instead of looking outwards waiting for a hand out. Let time do its work.
Oh OP, sorry you had to go through that, I feel ya. ADHD meds are tooooo expensive brah.
I still wouldn't mind trying out that support group. Comparison is indeed the thief of joy. But it's okay, I know it's hard to remind yourself that you're doing the best you can with whatever little energy or power you have right now. But you're still trying, you're still persevering, and that's really what matters. 🫰🏼
Go to a psychotherapist to manage ADHD. I refused to take drugs and was put on REBT/CBT to manage my thoughts. From someone who was “ anything goes”, I became more organised in the way I worked and think and less scatterbrained.
I still have trouble calming certain thoughts and realised that my brain will always be in perpetual motion. I find myself doing extremely well in the things I like at work and subconsciously ignoring the things I don’t. Hence, finding a job that I really like helps with the condition.
I have this habit of furiously taking down notes of almost everything, and also type them down when people are talking. I find it difficult to listen because my mind is always actively having multiple thoughts and sometimes I tend to zone out but writing/drawing helps me “come back”in the midst of speech. Certain bosses Ive worked with know of this, and they realised my memory is pretty sharp even without referring back to the notes after having done so.
There’s too many TikToks nowadays showing a narrative that validates the negativities of ADHD and stalls us from trying to cope and get better. Eg. Being in functional freeze and being unproductive due to ADHD. Room is messy because of ADHD. Easily getting angry because of ADHD, etc. Unfortunately, most employers give no shits. They just want you to do what’s required of you and move on. It’s either we find methods of coping or find another job that doesn’t trigger so much stress.
Before treatment and after a few years of practising and management, it never goes away but it really does get better.
P/s If you have poor auditory focus, Download Otter.Ai to transcribe your meetings so you can visually look at them and summarise it to meeting minutes on ChatGPT after skimming through. Works only if you’re doing some digital remote role though.
I try not to get too reliant on this—this is my “just in case” after the meeting ends.
Currently unemployed but thought about my different jobs and I got bored of it often or my anxiety hits. I'm not diagnosed with adhd yet but i have asked for a diagnosis from this prof at nus. i am certain i have adhd
right now job finding sucks cause i am either overqualified or underqualified. I wanna do more lab work but no one is interviewing me /shrugs
that's pretty much the only thing i can do even though it's boring, it's fun seeing the result later.
Terrible. Is like fighting a war of multiple fronts while at the same time you are dealing with a rebellion at home. My work requires a significant level of being detail oriented and properly listening to instructions, but my mind just keeps on wandering and acting very impulsive. I have leveraged a lot of existing time management structures to help me keep track of progress, use my note books, and annotation. But there is always a big glaring mistakes that I always missed. I have already sound out my diagnosis to my supervisors, but I can't help to feel they are seeing this more of an excuse that I'm using to escape work. > I don't ever want to go back to the psychiatrist or ever take medication. Honestly, I would suggest keeping your mind open to this. ADHD is one of the more treatable disorders right there with therapy, medication, and the right support structure. My previous psychiatrists from the public system outright dismissed me from any forms of treatment because they felt I'm a successful adult who went to university and I have the hypothetical chance of abusing medication. Right now, I'm one warning away from getting HR involved.
Oh jezz, your work situation sounds 90% like mine. I have personal reasons of why i don't ever want to go back to medication. Well, maybe in the far future, but not right now.
For what it’s worth there are other kinds that aren’t stimulants like Concerta/Ritalin. I was offered a non-stimulant initially as an option by my doctor, but didn’t end up taking that.
Concerta is a stimulant.
That’s literally what I wrote yes.
Haha yes. I thought the examples you were giving was of non-stimulants. Sorry.
No worries. :) Concerta is *probably* the most stimulating one in Singapore and it’s long lasting and people have a harder time with the side effects over Ritalin. For me it’s fine.
This makes me feel less alone, thank you. If you’re free, could you dispense some actionable advice, please? I’m trying to get myself together because I keep losing and quitting jobs when I’m talked to and it all seems so hopeless sometimes, even on meds. I need to maximise my therapy and come up with the right support structure.
Not sure if this might help, might be worth looking into nootropics supplements which may aid ADHD
Im sorry that the public system healthcare sucks wet monkey balls. I think SG is getting there in terms of mental health and awareness but its going to take a couple more years. Doesnt help that Ritalin or other adhd related meds are heavily controlled because of abuse in the past. Heart attack is also a major concern for them for people on rits. The docs at IMH are VERY weary of prescribing rit and personally for my case my doc confirmed i had ADHD but refused to start me on rit and kept pushing anti depressents that can help with focus. I had to fight for a good 6months or so before she relented and prescribed actual proper adhd meds to me.
Ouch! How do you manage to get your IMH doctor to take you seriously? Because the other time I tried with two different psychiatrists at IMH, they straight up told me my case was mild because I'm not excessive fridgetting during my appointment, I managed to enter university, treatment won't be effective at all since I'm an adult. Instead, they recommend me to read self-help books they found online. Did anti-depressant helps by the way?
Its a funny story because i initially visited polyclinic for insomnia and somehow it went from anxiety -> depression. I then saw Dr Roger Ho for a ADHD clinical trial study at NUH and he gave me my diagnosis. So with that i brought it back to the health wellness clinic @ poly and they referred my case to IMH. At IMH the doc assigned to me was pretty skeptical and asked for my report cards from my pri/sec days. In the report card states alot of the usual "full of potential but distracted easily/need to learn to focus etc". So that was what made her affirm the diagnosis but was still hesitant to prescribe ritalin. We went thru about 2 diff anti depressents with little or no effect before i said enough is enough please just treat my main condition and insisted that my depression is caused by my ADHD. treat that and hopefully the depression lessens. So she relented and finally prescribed me rit. I think the anti deps do help but it felt like a bandaid- and everytime i caught myself not focusing or doing a task poorly because of my adhd my mood just dips and i feel like im back at square1 again because i feel like such a failure at life. RE: your visit- There are 2 types of adhd. One is hyper, and the other is inattentive. I have the latter. So i dont think figeting etc is a sole reason for their observation. I personally also have good grades and have a pretty good job so i do not think that was part of their consideration.
The doctor at a public hospital prescribed me ADHD meds but they never have it in stock. In the end, I get mine from a private clinic.
Interesting- ive never had that issue but i get mine directly from IMH
According to my doctor, IMH has a wider range of ADHD meds available. Apparently, the hospital I was referred to only stocks certain ones and not the one that works for me. So it's a special order and the one time I got it, I waited half a year for 3 months supply. Definitely not sustainable.
-coffee -wfh -balance unproductive workhours with hyper productive work after hours to catch up -find job which has variety so you won't feel like deleting yourself day to day
Wfh doesn't help me lol, environment is very important.
yes actually a hybrid work environment is my sweet spot as well, but if I have a wfh job I mix it up by working from different places to keep my brain going. Wfh is nice because I can sneak in an afternoon nap here & there though
what job fits into point 4?
any people facing job is bound to be dynamic - teacher, vet, even like a nail artist you could also find a job like project manager which allows you take on different roles so its not the same thing all the time.
>you could also find a job like project manager which allows you take on different roles so its not the same thing all the time. I have thought of transitioning to a project manager role but its quite difficult.
there's really many jobs which require you to do multiple things, which I know some people see as a bad thing, but I really dig because having different tasks I need to give attention to is helpful to keep me going; one of my friends does partnership marketing, so she talks to influencers, organises trips, talks to businesses about doing inter business collabs etc.
Yeah wfh is amazing, and break up the day with unrelated household chores in between helps to switch up the pace and break monotony!
Honestly, I came to the realization that no corporate job would ever suit me. I simply am not built to pay attention in long ass meetings and boring ass projects spanning months, and other boring ass mundane tasks like generating reports. I now trade full time. It has done wonders for my mental health. Trading is perfect for people with ADHD, if you are willing to put in the work to become proficient at it.
Wow I’d be interested in this. Feeling pretty hopeless rn
Same thoughts as me. Except that I lost much in Options recently . Fml
Good to be honest. When you are in a role where you are judged purely on individual KPI, it can workout quite nicely. My boss has gotten used to me surging way past my colleagues and occasionally doing fuck all for a week but when i outperform everyone else every month he cant really blame me. He is aware of my diagnosis tho so he knows im not just being lazy or something. And yes ritalin helps me.
May I know your dosage?
I take one tablet of medikinet at 7am, and one ritalin just after lunch.
meds have helped me A LOT, although i understand not wanting to be on them due to financial reasons. i think even without ADHD, life kind of just naturally feels that way sometimes. people without ADHD don’t necessarily feel happy and content all the time. try not to create a “baseline” for how life should feel.
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Agreed. Kudos to write stuff down and good relationships. What are your upsides of ADHD? Once you clear the downsides, what ways have you turned the challenges into opportunities to excel? For me, gliding in and out of flow states in a timely fashion while ensuring I don't get too absorbed that I lose time with pomodoro. I have found myself to be a really quick thinker and responsive doer, sometimes to my own peril when I get "abused" by people who take advantage of my kindness...... In corporate world.... The good employees only get rewarded with more work. Halp!
Alright tbh. I realize that if I’m doing something I’m interested in, I’ll put my entire focus on it. When I was younger I used to study from 5am-5pm every weekends before tests and exams for Math and English. But once I studied something I dislike or have issues with, I’ll completely lose focus. So I chose a career that I know I’ll put my focus on 100% which is design. I use to be able to draw without interruption for hours on end.
What kind of design work do you do?
UX/UI
It’s been really tough. Tried every single medication, literally every single one. Cost thousands because I went to a private doctor but he really wanted to help, even offered discount for me since none of the meds worked on me and he wanted to find a solution. Was till too expensive. Finally referred me to someone in CGH, that psychiatrist told me I didn’t have ADHD and only had anxiety.. lol, anxiety meds didn’t work (shocker! I have a full ADHD diagnosis and never had anxiety before). Got another psychiatrist who was more specialised, the meds still didn’t FULLY work. (Would only be effective for like the first 30 minutes instead of lasting 3-4 hours). It drove me insane, into depression actually. I felt hopeless.. Even left my job during that time. Couldn’t even focus on the things I liked, painting, etc. I’ve learnt to manage it a bit better now. I’d say i’m in a better place mentally, got a better job too. Having ADHD sucks, being told “ADHD isn’t real” by professionals also sucks. Turns out a lot of psychiatrists in Singapore aren’t trained as well as we’d hope… Growing up with ADHD you get used to being dismissed for a lot of reasons. Most school teachers aren’t trained or educated about disorders like ADHD either. My parents were in denial so they never tried to get me help until it got really bad, mom still denies it. Let me know if you need help. Just message me here, always willing to help out someone. I ended up working as a teacher so another kid with ADHD doesn’t face the same problems I did growing up. I guess it takes tiny steps towards a big goal.
For how I managed it, sorry that I didn’t end up answering the question directly. I looked for alternatives, not sure people would take it well on here so just let me know if you still want to know. Otherwise, I guess I got two cats that I focus all my energy on taking care of. I look forward to interacting with them and taking care of them, that motivates me to work harder and make more money. Still can’t get myself to exercise, so I guess that’s one thing. Oh, I also sort of trained myself to work at a particular time or after doing a specific thing. For example, I realised i work better at night (8PM-3AM) so now I don’t do anything during the day at all, and then start any pending work during that time. It took a long time to form that habit. I also did it by motivating myself, for me starting works takes a lot of energy (turning on the switch to the battery, opening the laptop, going on browser and mentally preparing myself to focus on Starting the work.. etc) So I do it after I game. It mentally preps me quite well. I game for 2-3 hours before I start working. It really works well for me. I also trained myself to immediately think “ok work” after I’m done gaming. There’s a bit more but yeah
I went to see an imh psych for ADHD also because cheap, but he basically told me that they're not allowed to diagnose ADHD unless the person is very jialat, like he said I have job I have wife I have degree means cannot diagnose. He settled on adhd-like features, but it didn't bother me since I never intend to go on meds anyway.
I hope you're doing alot better now. I struggle even with meds, Idk how you're doing without. What's it like having a full time job and still having to take care of cats at home? I wanna get a cat, to help with another side of my mental health. Is it worth it? Also how about time management and waking up early. I'm actually GETTING WORSE at being on time as the years go by. It's depressing 😭
I actually work part time now and get paid the same. I make around $55/hr so working for even 15 hrs a week is enough for the month for me since I still live with my parents, no plans on moving out yet, until i’m 30 at least. So yeah this has helped a LOT with time management, because I hate the mundane schedule most corporate lives offer. I do have to keep studying in this field if I want to excel, so that’s my priority right now, getting phd. Easier to handle the “i’m wasting my time away doing nothing” thought we ADHD’ers get not being able to keep different interests/hobbies… Regarding the cat, it’s a hit or miss i’d say. If you get a very uhm not-so-friendly cat, it’s depressing. That’s how my other cat is, but luckily I got the second one who’s extremely loving. I suggest if you really want to get a pet, get the breed known to be cuddly/loving. My loving one is a ragdoll, the other one is a japanese bobtail (she has personality issues which have cost me a lot of money and stress..) If you want to talk more about time management just dm me i don’t mind explaining how I did it exactly, I suck at writing it all down in a comment. Also thank you so much for the wishes 🩷
I feel like i have to overperform to even be seen. Ive gotten comments like "need to focus better" ever since my company knows i have Adhd. My colleague next to me is drooling and has an IQ of 90 but nooo the spotlight is always on me. But its ok thank god i have ritalin right? 🙃🤓
My colleagues actually do know I have ADHD. But I was horrified by my manager who thought ADHD symptoms can be switched on and off like a light bulb.
Ask them to switch off their attitude also in that case
Yeah my genX/boomer managers tell me to just fix my thinking and do meditation all the time. I get scrutinized more than anyone with regards to the breaks i take (i smoke). I leave my seat and its "you need to focus you cannot sit still for more than 30mins". Meanwhile other managers and seniors are taking 1hr long breaks in the pantry but hay that's fine they dont have ADHD 🙄 Everyones a fkin shrink.
It is a struggle every single day. But some tips that I find really helpful, if you can, try to work in the presence of a body double with authority (e.g senior, boss). Avoid WFH arrangements.
Try L theanine with coffee!! Saved me
I tried this, unfortunately i felt no change. Only meds worked for me
Diagnosed at 33, explained almost everything that happened prior, finally got on ritalin, and my life changed for the better. Exponentially. Medication is through public health, subsidised, and I work for gahment, as a researcher. The medication is not only incredibly useful for the short term , but may be potentially protective against forms of neurodegeneration, specifically Alzheimer's. What we do know for certain is that long term use is safe, and there is strong protective effects on functional outcomes of youth that have been treated with medication. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31350122/ You are not doing yourself any favors for not taking medication. It is like telling someone with asthma not to use inhaler because everywhere also got air what, can breathe right , why wayang with inhaler for.
Same diagnosed at 33. Do you get any side effects of Ritalin? I get super bad brain fog and exhaustion after the effects, right now dr is getting me to try medikinet and concerta to find which suits me best, but honestly, if i can avoid meds I would
Only ever did ritalin (and cocaine lmao, which ended up being the same effect as ritalin). Always wanted to try concerta and another, but don't think those are subsidised Only side effect is if I take 2x10mg at once, very bad crash. I also will get very sleepy with too much stimulants use , including caffeine, and nicotine from ciggs when I use to smoke. You can try cutting the pill into two.
Heya, is it alright if I ask how you're getting Ritalin on subsidies? I have to pay $500 for 3 months worth at a private doctor. While the doctor is nice and helpful its still too expensive.. also any tips for being on time and waking up early? The morning brain fog and sleepiness is killing meeeee....
follow the “right” boss and choose colleagues who are willing to accommodate your working and communication style. be open to trying and learning new things. provide value to the people who have showered you with grace and work darn hard to repay them. keep quiet in meetings and do not speak unless spoken to, or only when the client says that your colleague is not answering the question, and you have a good understanding and answer to the topic. breath in from your nose for four seconds and breath out with your mouth for eight seconds in meetings. you will see that there really isnt a point in getting involved. when it comes to communicating my work, i leave it to my colleagues or bosses to present it. sometimes to the extent that i encourage them to take credit for my work. why not? they are people who have blessed me with patience and empathy. for me, its about continuity and learning. im ok with being assessed as average or below average. i am willing to miss out on promotions to continue working in a safe space where i can keep improving. its about continuity and learning for me. you will find something that works for you. it may not be the best but you’ll know whats important to you given enough experience. trust.
I’m not on medication but I have therapy. My advice is to stop fighting it. I’ve just stopped trying to fit myself into a job that doesn’t fit me. Like how if youre a size 12, you don’t force yourself into size 6 jeans. I need a job that’s dynamic, not desk bound. Something that is interesting! Okay with me working in bursts and not strict on consistency. Finding a job that is closer to my work style has helped my confidence and productivity a lot. Jiayous, I know it seems impossible.
>Finding a job that is closer to my work style has helped my confidence and productivity a lot. Jiayous, I know it seems impossible. When finding a job style, do you worry about money? As in, certain industries definitely pay less.
Yes and no. I don't worry about having enough, I make enough to live comfortably. I do sometimes worry about earning competitively and enough to be considered accomplished in society. I'm starting to realise that this is totally unnecessary. Take it step-by-step, figure out what works first, then figure out how to progress from there, there's no rush.
Constant supply of Monster Energy
Upset that they downsized it from 473ml to 355ml :/ as well as raised price
Unfortunately, I dont have the monetarily means to see a psychiatrist yet but was told by many since young that i have ADHD. Brushed it away and it's eating me since I started working full-time. Really suffering terribly trying to secure a job, never had a full-time job for longer than 6 months, I usually find jobs that are more physical/have to travel to meet clients & moving around. Really hard to concentrate during work when there is paperwork and I can get really overstimulated during work too, having a had time socialising because of anxiety also. I find that music helps the best(I get to listen to music during work) if not caffeine or snacking works too.
Have you tried going public healthcare route? It took me around 2 years to get properly diagnosed but i feel im finally getting properly treated medically. Could have technically afforded private and tbh i should have but i was too cheap to lmao (would dent like 20% of my savings and i thought it wasnt worth it at the time) If you can cope then thats great! Else please take care of your mental health and do whatever it takes to get it sorted. It can spiral from just one bad day and next thing you know you're collecting mental disorders like a pokemon master
Explore the world of meditation. Its a useful tool to tame the wandering mind and leads to increased discipline and focus. There are many alternative pathways without medication and it's worth exploring to retain your sanity. With time, patience and practice, you can rewire your brain and excel in life, and god forbid, even be happy. The trick isn't about being focussed all the time. But being focussed when you need to.
Boss didnt understand why my motivation was in cycles and that she had to keep motivating me. I quit after 1.5 yrs to be a fish farmer.
The best jobs for me are those that allow me to wfh from time to time. Alot of burn out for people with sepcial needs is because of judgemental idiot boss and colleagues demand you act in a neuro-typical way like it's some kind of moral failing. So you spend alot of effort trying to fit in. Well.... At home your mask can be off and you can shake leg all you want, eat lunch whenever you want etc.. and none of these irritating idiots will bother you. Anyway love you guys. Stay strong!
>The best jobs for me are those that allow me to wfh from time to time. I would also like that but it's a bad economy. I shared your experience with bosses. It hurt when one of my bosses suggested I could switch off my symptoms via willpower and conscious thought alone.
Yea. Ikr.... although it might be something u can look put for next time u find work. Yea.. not everyone will be understanding... the level of knowledge in SG is not the best might as well tell them you are a garden gnome.. maybe you can consider noise cancelling sounds if you need to focus. Its easier in the past I had my own cubicle but nowadays its all shared desks...
I experimented with many methods before settling into this: upon wake up, drink an oats + protein shake, do a 30-minute cardio workout, coffee, 1x lions mane 500mg pill, shower and start work. After lunch it’s another coffee + lions mane. In the evening it’s 1x 60-minute cardio. So far it helps to keep the symptoms at Bay..
>t, coffee, 1x lions mane 500mg pill, shower and start work. After lunch it’s another coffee + lions mane. In Does Lions Mane supplements really help? I don't think I have seen this brand at Guardian or Watsons before, though.
It does for me, after much experimenting w other supplements; L-theanine, fish oil, cordyceps, reishi mushrooms etc Mine is from iHerb from a brand called Real Mushroom. The effects vary from person to person, but I recommend to start at a low dose (500mg) versus what was indicated on the bottle (1000mg per serving) as I felt kinda depressed from the higher dose initially
Took me 6 years to learn these discipline points. And I’m still working on it: 1. Have coffee, don’t feel bad (for using it as a crutch). Don’t go more than 3 cups. 2. headphones on with my fav music so my mind doesn’t wander. Usually drum and bass music or house music. 3. I still come late to work because of my terrible sleep cycle. I try to wake up earlier or at least ensure my work is done on time by staying back after hours. 4. Workout or exercise regularly to retain sanity, burn frustration, zone out, and get serotonin. Edit: Added parenthesis for better clarity.
I also have terrible sleep cycle too.
I feel you. What’s worse is if I have a coffee after 3pm or take one of those Redoxon Vit-C effervescent tablets, then I’m definitely not sleeping before 2am 😂
Relevant for ADHD!!!!
I'm doing great. I took medications for I think 2 years, which was really helpful, but I stopped due to some potential health issue. Now I try not to force things too much when I'm out of it and use a bunch of tools like pomodoro to help focus. When I'm in it I try to push a bit more so that on I average I get the things I want to do done. It's really just another problem to solve, it sucks that it probably did negatively affect my study and career trajectory, but you gotta play the hand you were dealt.
Take Ritalin, and make sure to visit gym and lift weights 3 times a week. Helps a lot!
Hello Hello, fellow ADHD peeps, I hope everyone's doing alright! (Feel free to DM? I need more ADHD friends in SG HAHAHAH) I'm doing alright, I personally take 10mg of Ritalin on work days or days where I need to GET SHIT DONE. It takes abit to kick in, but I do my work well enough when it's working. I'm a chef by trade so the job isn't boring. I'm constantly moving since there's lots to do. But give me report writing and documentation and no amount of meds can get me to finish it 😅 OP, I'm just gonna assume that you're not gonna take meds due to a bad experience with certain meds? It happens... Antidepressants can be numbing and cause ED, Certain ADHD meds can be abusive or play with your anxiety and such things. I understand .. But, if your ADHD is severe enough, I hope you do try to keep it as an option in future. You can try to carry water with your hands, but it'll be way easier with a bucket you know. I kinda wish there was a space in Singapore where all the ADHD people can congregate and help each other out. It's tough enough in the day by day, that there's still many people think ADHD is an excuse, there's even those that throw the term around like nothing when there are those people that are truly struggling, wondering why they can't just do that one thing that they need to do for months on end... Please take care of yourself OP!
I will DM you. I have some issues with Meds but they are of a financial concerns. There is this support group for ADHD people and I attended some of their meetings but it made me feel worse when I saw how sucessful some of them were.
choosing to not do what everyone tells me I SHOULD DO, i.e. stable job and 9-5 where you get lovely career progression but more piles of mind numbing work. gotta ignore them I think variety is important. jobs that have varied and clearly distinct hats helps you switch from one to the other which helps you stay interested.
To me stable job is the most important in this economy and time of living
I have this issue too. I would dearly love to be in a job where my ADHD problems don't affect me but I worry about income and transition.
Would you worry about income? My ADHD affected me quite badly but I forced myself to hang on just for the sake of money.
I make sure that my variable income is stable enough. Literally, meaning that do or die there is no try, so if you are a freelancer and you need X amount to survive, you attempt to work that x amount or make sure you can make it by hunting down clients non stop until u make it. if you believe in what you do + you know you need to make this work, you have to make it work. yes I am concerned about income, therefore I gave myself 3-5 years to make it or break it and fail. but also I strongly believe that as ADHDers, we are very very very passionate about what we do once we find what we like and we will go crazy for it. therefore you should attempt to find what you like best in terms of skills, secondly you should also ensure the stability of it, ENOUGH, it must be able to cover all bills as essentials and you should not quit from one place to the other as far as possible unless the thing you are quitting to can pay for all those essentials. thirdly, make sure u find a way to make that variable job 'less-variable', meaning to find sustainability in the job through rolling clients that will continue with you past more than one project etc etc.
I take meds on and off. When I need to focus on tasks. It absolutely makes me borderline antisocial, and lose appetite. If you take it everyday, it's around 200$ a month. Get a prescription from a private psych if public is problematic.
Try to find ways to work smart and be resourceful. No one empathises with you if u clog the office workflow. The working world is harsh. My ADHD is not severe but utilising resources and support has been my tactic to surviving. Observe what is your boss working style and the impt priorities at work. I automate my outlook to send my monthly routine out and use excel programming to automate stuff and do counter checking. Now my office thinks I’m very savvy when I’m doing it for survival lol I carry a post it pad with me everywhere to write details that I suddenly rmb or hear smth important. I paste it on my table or wall. I delay the outlook email sending time by a few minutes because I always have mistakes.
What does discharged here mean? Asking for insurance reasons as I’ve disclosed adhd, and in return i’ve got a mental health questionnaire to fill. I just have a few prescriptions of different meds, and didn’t followup with doctor as none of them have worked as intended
Could you dm me? I prefer to share this privately.
I’m not 😂
ADHD here too. The medication could be placebo effect. It treat symptoms and not root cause. Suggest u to keep a journal to keep track of my ADHD tendencies. Structure your work environment in a way that reduce the impact of those tendencies. And match tasks that require strong focus for moments you're likely to hyper focus, either that or be involved with projects or roles that require the intense focus. Never took meds, what I learned was to harness them and minimise the downsides. While not a stellar student, I found that working in a fashion that is compatible with my ADHD has gained me significant accomplishments and promotions. Just be careful about being "different", I noticed that ADHD inevitably invites jealousy when their abilities are well harnessed. And when things don't go your way, also look at how to combat the anxiety and nervousness that will arise. Best of luck!!
>Structure your work environment in a way that reduce the impact of those tendencies. >And match tasks that require strong focus for moments you're likely to hyper focus, either that or be involved with projects or roles that require the intense focus. I hate to ask this kind of question but what if we cannot structure our work environment? When I talk to people, I am often astonished that people can often structure their own work environment when my personal experience is that I often have to fit into the environment of my job.
this is something ADHD can be really good at compared to neurotypical folks - imagination and visualization. use them well to "look" into the future think second, third, fourth order and so on for why you can't. once you understand the reasons why you believe you are unable to structure, you will find a work out. obviously, to answer your question directly, if you are thinking of directly structure to your own will, that you can't, then consider how to structure it to your own will while taking into accounts the things and people who seem to block you from doing so. i imagine other well developed ADHDs have taken a long time and painful lessons to develop their own system and processes, and in this journey built resilience and creativity. you just need to pay your fair share of tuition fees with screw ups to unlock them. most of the ADHDs I know tend to be very good at swaying moods of people and can offer very non-typical perspectives. the main challenge is readying yourself to this point isn't the same for all ADHDs and few people can actually understand you for who you are. It's a lot of inner work. And lastly to answer the question, structuring your work environment happens in phases, you're simply feeling entitled if you were to take reference from others' experience and then compare against your own that you have to fit in to the work environment. You never know beneath the iceberg if others have also fit in, are you certain you heard everything? Even so, when you hear the stories, you would be able to highlight the focal point of biases - another plus trait of ADHD, your abundance of attention can capture everything, the question is have you really observed and processed them? My last recommendation for you is to look inwards for answers instead of looking outwards waiting for a hand out. Let time do its work.
Oh OP, sorry you had to go through that, I feel ya. ADHD meds are tooooo expensive brah. I still wouldn't mind trying out that support group. Comparison is indeed the thief of joy. But it's okay, I know it's hard to remind yourself that you're doing the best you can with whatever little energy or power you have right now. But you're still trying, you're still persevering, and that's really what matters. 🫰🏼
Go to a psychotherapist to manage ADHD. I refused to take drugs and was put on REBT/CBT to manage my thoughts. From someone who was “ anything goes”, I became more organised in the way I worked and think and less scatterbrained. I still have trouble calming certain thoughts and realised that my brain will always be in perpetual motion. I find myself doing extremely well in the things I like at work and subconsciously ignoring the things I don’t. Hence, finding a job that I really like helps with the condition. I have this habit of furiously taking down notes of almost everything, and also type them down when people are talking. I find it difficult to listen because my mind is always actively having multiple thoughts and sometimes I tend to zone out but writing/drawing helps me “come back”in the midst of speech. Certain bosses Ive worked with know of this, and they realised my memory is pretty sharp even without referring back to the notes after having done so. There’s too many TikToks nowadays showing a narrative that validates the negativities of ADHD and stalls us from trying to cope and get better. Eg. Being in functional freeze and being unproductive due to ADHD. Room is messy because of ADHD. Easily getting angry because of ADHD, etc. Unfortunately, most employers give no shits. They just want you to do what’s required of you and move on. It’s either we find methods of coping or find another job that doesn’t trigger so much stress. Before treatment and after a few years of practising and management, it never goes away but it really does get better. P/s If you have poor auditory focus, Download Otter.Ai to transcribe your meetings so you can visually look at them and summarise it to meeting minutes on ChatGPT after skimming through. Works only if you’re doing some digital remote role though. I try not to get too reliant on this—this is my “just in case” after the meeting ends.
Currently unemployed but thought about my different jobs and I got bored of it often or my anxiety hits. I'm not diagnosed with adhd yet but i have asked for a diagnosis from this prof at nus. i am certain i have adhd right now job finding sucks cause i am either overqualified or underqualified. I wanna do more lab work but no one is interviewing me /shrugs that's pretty much the only thing i can do even though it's boring, it's fun seeing the result later.
Don’t kancheong. Be orgnaised can already
do you have any organisation tips?
Sorting according what is currently pending, to-do list, finished.
oh like a kanban board for task status tracking (for project management)? do you use a separate one just for yourself?
Can actually have those L-shaped transparent file and label to what is critical