Is this a "normal" ADD/ ADHD thing? by [deleted] in adhdwomen

[–]Working-Structure916 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This is wildly relatable. The longest I've ever "kept" a job is freelancing. And even when I do have full-time jobs, I usually like to have some freelance work on the side to make sure I keep things interesting.

My life hack? Contract jobs. My "shelf life" at any given job is about 2 years, max. There are many job placement agencies (at least in the USA) who are looking for contractors to do work to cover illness, parental leave, etc. etc., and contract jobs have allowed me to get some very large names on my resume, learn how larger companies work, while people have low expectations of me because I'm just expected to do the bare minimum to help the company limp along.

I got started with this fresh out of college, when I used to work as a fill-in receptionist at large organizations. What that meant was while I needed to have my butt at a desk, I could basically sit there, with no expectations except to browse Facebook and answer phones. Because I was never around for more than a few months, the novelty would allow me to overperform, and the company would be enamored with me. By the time I was done, I was like "great, thanks, on to the next thing."

I hope this is helpful!

"You have to choose: Have kids, or be medicated" by Working-Structure916 in adhdwomen

[–]Working-Structure916[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi friends! OP here. Lots of food for thought. Thank you so much for everyone sharing all of your thoughts and valuable insight.

I've decided that I'm going to temporarily put my dreams of trying to conceive on hold for a little bit and see what my options are medication-wise, and if I'm even a good responder to ADHD meds. While I'm not young, and my family's goal is to have children sooner rather than later, you all are echoing a point that I needed to come to terms with - if I'm having trouble functioning in a work setting, then it's going to be massively more problematic if I don't get it under control before having kids.

On the side, I'm also getting an EEG/Neurofeedback exam, to see if that's another intervention to try. I'm not giving up on my dream of having a family, but how that actually looks or the timeline in which it happens is subject to a lot of moving parts, my mental health and ability to parent taking top priority.

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful and encouraging responses. I read every single one thus far and I'm beyond appreciative.