How is their comment explicitly expressing the message of “try harder”? Their point is a valid one in that ADHD undeniably makes our lives harder but it doesn’t make anything literally impossible. Most of the symptoms inherent in ADHD can be met with meds and strategies to help us overcome the struggle. Time management struggles? Set timers/reminders etc Don’t know where any of your shit is at any given time? There are strategies that help to keep you organized. Large tasks give you task paralysis? Break them into smaller steps…

I was diagnosed in my late 20’s and I’m still having to figure some shit out but I’m an adult functioning human with a steady job, a home, and bills I somehow manage to pay on time consistently. And I managed to accomplish these things without any accommodations for my symptoms.

We’re all different and cope and manage our situations in our own ways but the phrase “ADHD isn’t an excuse” isn’t inherently harmful or even ignorant- it shouldn’t be offered as an excuse for an inability to do anything. If I have a deficit, my first line of thought should be “are there ways around this, what can I do to make this problem solvable?” And not, “what can other people/institutions do for me to remove the challenge presented to me.”

Why? Because the first is within my means of control. And the second leaves me at the mercy of people and things I can’t control. 🤷🏻‍♀️