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ADHD is my superpower: A personal essay

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A Story About a Kid

In 1989, I was 7 years old and just starting first grade. Early in the school year, my teacher arranged a meeting with my parents and stated that she thought that I might be “slow” because I wasn’t performing in class to the same level as the other kids. She even volunteered to my parents that perhaps a “special” class would be better for me at a different school.

Thankfully, my parents rejected the idea that I was “slow” out of hand, as they knew me at home as a bright, talkative, friendly, and curious kid — taking apart our VHS machines and putting them back together, filming and writing short films that I’d shoot with neighborhood kids, messing around with our new Apple IIgs computer!

The school, however, wanted me to see a psychiatrist and have IQ tests done to figure out what was going on. To this day, I remember going to the office and meeting with the team — and I even remember having a blast doing the IQ tests. I remember I solved the block test so fast that the clinician was caught off guard and I had to tell them that I was done — but I also remember them trying to have me repeat numbers back backwards and I could barely do it!

Being Labeled

The prognosis was that I was high intelligence and had attention-deficit disorder (ADD). They removed the hyperactive part because I wasn’t having the type of behavioral problems like running around the classroom (I’ll cover later why I now proudly identify as hyperactive). A week later, my pediatrician started me on Ritalin and I was told several things that really honestly messed me up.

I was told that I had a “learning disability” — which, to 7-year-old me, didn’t make any sense since I LOVED learning! I was told that I would take my tests in a special room so that I’d have fewer distractions. So, the other kids would watch me walk out of the classroom and ask why I left the room when tests were happening — and they, too, were informed that I had a learning disability.

As you can imagine, kids aren’t really lining up to be friends with the “disabled” kid, nor did they hold back on playground taunts around the issue.

These were very early days, long before attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was well known, and long before people had really figured out how to talk to kids with neurodiversities . And as a society, we didn’t really have a concept that someone who has a non-typical brain can be highly functional — it was a time when we didn’t know that the world’s richest man was on the autism spectrum !

Growing Past a Label

I chugged my way through elementary school, then high school, then college — getting consistent B’s and C’s. What strikes me, looking back nearly 30 years later, is just how markedly inconsistent my performance was! In highly interactive environments, or, ironically, the classes that were the most demanding, I did very well! In the classes that moved the slowest or required the most amount of repetition, I floundered.

Like, I got a good grade in the AP Biology course with a TON of memorization, but it was so demanding and the topics were so varied and fast-paced that it kept me engaged! On the opposite spectrum, being in basic algebra the teacher would explain the same simple concept over and over, with rote problem practice was torturously hard to stay focused because the work was so simple.

And that’s where we get to the part explaining why I think of my ADHD as a superpower, and why if you have it, or your kids have it, or your spouse has it… the key to dealing with it is understanding how to harness the way our brains work.

Learning to Thrive with ADHD

Disclaimer : What follows is NOT medical advice, nor is it necessarily 100% accurate. This is my personal experience and how I’ve come to understand my brain via working with my therapist and talking with other people with ADHD.

A Warp Speed Brain

To have ADHD means that your brain is an engine that’s constantly running at high speed. It basically never stops wanting to process information at a high rate. The “attention” part is just an observable set of behaviors when an ADHD person is understimulated. This is also part of why I now openly associate as hyperactive — my brain is hyperactive! It’s constantly on warp speed and won’t go any other speed.

For instance, one of the hardest things for me to do is fill out a paper check. It’s simple, it’s obvious, there is nothing to solve, it just needs to be filled out. By the time I have started writing the first stroke of the first character, my mind is thinking about things that I need to think about. I’m considering what to have for dinner, then I’m thinking about a movie I want to see, then I come up with an email to send — all in a second. 

I have to haullll myself out of my alternate universe and back to the task at hand and, like a person hanging on the leash of a horse that’s bolting, I’m struggling to just write out the name of the person who I’m writing the check to! This is why ADHD people tend to have terrible handwriting, we’re not able to just only think about moving the pen, we’re in 1,000 different universes.

On the other hand, this entire blog post was written in less than an hour and all in one sitting. I’m having to think through a thousand aspects all at once. My dialog: “Is this too personal? Maybe you should put a warning about this being a personal discussion? Maybe I shouldn’t share this? Oh, the next section should be about working. Should I keep writing more of these?”

And because there is so much to think through and consider for a public leader like myself to write such a personal post, it’s highly engaging! My engine can run at full speed. I haven’t stood up for the entire hour, and I haven’t engaged in other nervous habits I have like picking things up — I haven’t done any of it! 

This is what’s called hyperfocus, and it’s the part of ADHD that can make us potentially far more productive than our peers. I’ve almost arranged my whole life around making sure that I can get myself into hyperfocus as reliably as possible.

Harnessing What My Brain Is Built For

Slow-moving meetings are very difficult for me, but chatting in 20 different chat rooms at the same time on 20 different subjects is very easy for me — so you’ll much more likely see me in chat rooms than scheduling additional meetings. Knowing what my brain is built for helps me organize my schedule, work, and commitments that I sign up for to make sure that I can be as productive as possible.

If you haven’t seen the movie “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” and you are ADHD or love someone who is, you should immediately go watch it! The first time I saw it, I loved it, but I had no idea that one of its writers was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult , and decided to write a sci-fi movie about an ADHD person! The moment I read that it was about having ADHD my heart exploded. It resonated so much with me and it all made sense.

Practically, the only real action in the movie is a woman who needs to file her taxes. Now, don’t get me wrong — it’s a universe-tripping adventure that is incredibly exciting, but if you even take a step back and look at it, really, she was just trying to do her taxes.

But, she has a superpower of being able to travel into universes and be… everywhere all at once. Which is exactly how it feels to be in my mind — my brain is zooming around the universe and it’s visiting different thoughts and ideas and emotions. And if you can learn how to wield that as a power, albeit one that requires careful handling, you can do things that most people would never be able to do!

Co-workers have often positively noted that I see solutions that others miss and I’m able to find a course of action that takes account of multiple possibilities when the future is uncertain (I call it being quantum brained). Those two attributes have led me to create groundbreaking new technologies and build large teams with great open cultures and help solve problems and think strategically. 

It took me until I was 39 to realize that ADHD isn’t something that I had to overcome to have the career I’ve had — it’s been my superpower .

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Published Jul 15, 2022

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Thanks for the Memories: An Essay on Life with ADHD

• Posted by ADDA Editorial Team
• Categories ADHD in Real Life
• Date November 3, 2022
• Comments 2 comments

By Irene Grey

In a moment…it’s gone. The fully-formed sentence sprung from nowhere, a perfect start to a story that might unfold over hundreds of pages. By the time I found my pen, all that remained was a faint memory.

This is the downside of ADHD…falling in love with ideas, images, sounds, smells, and half-formed thoughts several times within one minute.

My thoughts are almost within reach, then slip somewhere I can’t access. As one thought slides away, it’s replaced by one, two or even three more, without order or sequence. The unease lingers.

As a self-employed adult woman recently diagnosed with ADHD, I consider myself moderately successful. I’ve started taking medication, which enables me to reach previously unknown levels of self-awareness.

Medication has given me a fresh perspective. There’s no prescribed way to live or think; it all depends on whom you ask.

The difficulties with ADHD come when you feel and act wildly out-of-step with the majority of society and can’t keep pace.

Originally published on July 13, 2016, this post was republished on November 03, 2022.

What’s It like to Have ADHD (for me):

I can relate to the impulsivity of the Road Runner cartoon. When the wolf runs off the cliff’s edge, his legs cycle rapidly while suspended mid-air. It’s only when he looks down and realizes the enormity of his situation that he plummets down the canyon.

I’ve always empathized with him. Propelling myself forward, and never looking back or down, probably saves me from descending permanently into my own canyon.

Having ADHD, energy, resourcefulness, and optimism fuel me, but mental chaos can overwhelm me, and I grind to a halt. Staring into space, dulled and unable to move without huge effort, the desire for order becomes as overwhelming as it is hopelessly unattainable.

It can last a few minutes, or occasionally all day. I really wouldn’t want it hanging around longer, as the more prolonged times reveal a bleaker view of life.

At least I can explain this now, after a lifetime of inarticulate thought. In the past, I’d try to rationalize what was happening, but if it didn’t make sense to me, what could I say?

I’d always assumed I was terrible at living a normal life. Teachers said, “Only boring people get bored.” They said a lot of other things which confirmed our suspicions I was rebellious, sweet, but slightly simple, and hopelessly forgetful.

I was eventually invited to leave school. The Girl Guides had extended the same invitation a couple of years prior. Friends say, “Remember when…?” I nod, but I don’t really remember.

Everything moves too fast. It’s one reason why I fidget. Trying hard to remember or prevent something which is slipping away is taxing.

I’d like to focus, hold some memories, and have the chance to reflect. These are the big things, although not without drawbacks.

Everyone has elements of their past they’d rather forget, but when you’ve never really learned from your mistakes, a glimpse in the rearview mirror at the mangled wreckage of destructive relationships, dreadful job experiences, and reckless choices can be shocking.

I’ll shift my viewpoint now to say ADHD can be fantastic. Every day offers endless possibilities. Life without self-imposed limits means freedom to go anywhere and speak to anyone.

It’s not so much fearlessness, as simply not considering possible consequences before plunging in.

I’m constantly amazed by what I find out and humbled by what people want to share. I’m trusted, probably because I’m non-threatening. Surrendering yourself, unwittingly or otherwise, to living in the moment attracts people who want to join in.

The irony is I’ve always been shy, so attracting strangers creates a tension that I struggle to overcome. It’s like having an all-access pass for life; it’s a gift you’re not sure you want.

On Relationships with Others:

Friendships are easily formed, and the tenacious ones survive. Constantly forgetting birthdays, meetings, and dinners takes its toll.

I always answer my texts, but often only in my head. It can lead people to think I don’t care about them or am shallow, selfish, and unfeeling. It’s an understandable impression, but couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I forgot” is met with instructions to get a diary (planner), set alerts on my phone, or find another way to get organised. After all, everyone forgets, so you can, too. You just have to focus, plan ahead, and generally get a grip.

How can you tell them you’ve lost your third diary (planner), and it’s only April? Your replacement phone is also gone and you thought today was Tuesday instead of Thursday.

Getting any kind of grip on the stuff sliding in and out of my head is quite tricky. So, to the people I’ve let down, I’d like to say, “It’s not you. It really is me.”

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this” has been screamed at me more times than I could obviously hope to remember. The last time was halfway up a mountainside, sheltering in a pine forest from driving rain. It probably wasn’t the moment to confess that my car keys seemed to have gone.

Everything would be ok, and if we just retraced the last 10 miles, we’d definitely find them. I did find them, inside the unlocked car, so everything worked out well.

To that particular friend, I’d like to say that you always complain about wanting more exercise and, as I pointed out at the time, human skin is waterproof, so can we please move on?

I get blamed for quite a lot. When you’re the forgetful, accident-prone one, it comes with the territory. It can’t always be your fault, and small doses of support and understanding go a long way with those of us who think and operate a bit differently in the world.

I’m good at adventures and spontaneous decisions. I’m open to anything because I have few defenses. Although I generally believe what I’m told, which has got me into trouble.

Keeping secrets comes easily, but hiding my own is hard. I’m a magnet for children and animals and try to cherish and look after everyone around me.

Visitors are well-fed and listened to. I’m known for giving good, at times unorthodox, advice and cocooning those in need of understanding.

The problem comes when transferring this care to myself, or recognizing when I should ask for help. I’m not invincible, but the irrational, hopeful side still can’t quite shake the belief that I just might be.

Why not? I’ve been tremendously lucky so far.

On Seeking Treatment and Disclosing My Diagnosis:

I could continue living in the moment without planning ahead. Forgetting most of it, then starting over the next day.

It’s often great, but I’m tired of reacting and acting impulsively, searching for new ways to keep boredom at bay. I’m weary of losing track of time, thoughts, and people.

I want to build something solid that I can keep going back to. Seeing each day as a clean slate has got me this far, and it’s fascinating, if chaotic.

Endless curiosity feeds the cycle, but it’s all so temporary. I want to pick up where I left off.

These are the reasons why I wanted treatment. A bit of control over my rapid impulses, combined with the chance to focus and untangle the constant, shifting thoughts, has shown it to be the right decision for me.

I’ve told three of my closest friends about the diagnosis, and no one has been surprised, despite having the good grace to pretend otherwise. It seems each one suspected something wasn’t quite ‘right’ at times.

Realizing I’ve been quietly understood and cared for over the years is touching but also difficult to accept – especially as I like to believe I’m invincible.

My abrupt disappearances are par for the course, and those who know me well no longer expect an explanation. Instead, they gently inquire and don’t take it personally.

Like my diary (planner) and phone, I misplace my loved ones sometimes. They’ve all said they need me to stay the way I am, for the adventures and sheer living in the moment thing. Although I’ve always hidden the worst of it from them by retreating.

I’ve reassured them I wouldn’t take medication. It’s dishonest, but I didn’t want them to start preparing to miss the old me. What if I become unrecognizable, stunned into submission by a chemical taser?

The great news is they haven’t noticed anything different, although I have. I’m more focused, and my energy levels are now steady.

I no longer feel the sudden need to run down the street — something that can be alarming to other pedestrians, especially when you’re a grown woman in high heels. (It looks like you’re being chased.)

The sudden development of a verbal filter is a welcome relief after years of unintentionally insulting people who ask for an opinion. It turns out diplomacy doesn’t mean lying.

It’s more choosing words carefully that don’t eviscerate friends, family, or complete strangers. “But you asked me” isn’t a reasonable defense after all, especially for the many times they didn’t ask.

Sleeping well in bed is a new treat. Funnily enough, for me, slipping into unconsciousness in cinemas, theatres, and on all forms of public transport was never a problem.

Most welcome of all the improvements is my memory. I’m forgetting less and thinking more clearly.

I’ll always be a more flawed, impulsive wolf than a perfect, predictable roadrunner, but that’s okay now.

Recently I was gripped by a sudden fear that controlling my symptoms would mean the saturated technicolour that life can be would drain into a perfectly pleasant, slightly dull, black and white. Like a rainy-day film without much pace or plot.

Fortunately, finding a balance between the extremes of falling in love with everything, or disconnecting completely, leaves scope.

Depending on when in the day you ask, I might say that ADHD has been a constant, invasive shadow, falling across every aspect of my life.

Ask me again, and I might say it’s been a brilliantly illuminating shaft of sunlight, throwing everything it hits into stark relief. It can be blinding, but more often reveals the perfect, glorious detail that might have been missed.

Life is enhanced, elevated, and made rather lovely. It depends on your perspective. Who wouldn’t want a little bit of that?

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Wishing I could share this family members! Hearing with sensitive ears of even the unspoken word, sends me in self defeating thoughts. Some of my high achieving family can’t understand all that I go though to be heard or being ignored feels. This is my battle at this time. My understanding is that many of us suffering with ADHD also have Dislexia which I experience as well of being Ambedextrious, with Major Depression. Thank you for this article, it that the wrong out of my life, even if a few understand!

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My ADHD Story: A Deeply Personal Experience

ADHD in women , Personal Stories , Youth December 5, 2021

Unlocking ADHD writer Amy Sng takes us into her mind, with this personal account of her experience with ADHD and its impact on her school life, self esteem, and dreams.

This might be difficult to read. It’s certainly difficult for me to write, as much as I’m someone who lives and breathes words, sentences, books, and the like. This time, I’m on the other side of the text— I get to write my own story. Or tell it, rather. 

Maybe we should start there, with books. I study them, as a literature student. Ironically enough, once I entered uni, they were the one thing I couldn’t stand. I grew up surrounded by books, taught to read wide and as deep as I wanted to. I learned most of what I know on my own, from books and searching and messing around until I got it to work . Intuition has always been my friend, but results never were. Not where it mattered. As much as I excelled in reading and seeking and learning , I always struggled with getting things done. It’s one of those things that they don’t tell you about being homeschooled, having to do things (ugh.) I had daily goals, with a designated amount of pages of each subject to finish each day. It wasn’t crazy hard; if you can read and process words on a page, you’re more than likely to be able to teach yourself. I could read, I could understand, but when I held pencil to paper, nothing would happen. Yeah, typical ADHD story, but it’s still my story. 

The one thing I didn’t prep for: Uni Life

It wasn’t so much the lack of productivity that got to me. I could very much do it, in fact, I could perform miles above expectation. I crammed a whole year’s worth of daily work into three months for years and years because my mum’s only rule was that all your books need to be finished by the year’s end. Like December 31st, New Year’s Eve kind of year’s end. I finished it all, I got through high school , or what everyone else calls JC or Poly here. I got into uni after taking my SATs, where I crammed years of prep into about three or four months. It could have been less, knowing myself (ew you gremlin,) but I still got through it to land in the international top 20%. Above average. I didn’t touch any prep for my literature subject test. Easy grades. The one thing I didn’t prep for was uni life. Who knew you had to read whole novels in a week? Certainly not me. But I loved what I did. My affinity and ability for writing shone— the one thing I knew I could do. I might balk at having to multiply six by seven like the crappy arts student I am, but I can vomit an essay into your lap at the faintest glow of the shaky lightbulb in my empty skull.  To wax poetic, its light is incandescent (hah). It gives me the greatest bliss in the world to look at my ideas laid out in kind-of-neat paragraphs in Times New Roman 12-point MLA format, and have people read it and grasp the tendrils of spark and inspiration that run through my brain. The thing is, you can’t write anything in this course of study without reading the blasted text that you’re supposed to write about first. 

The cycle of avoidance

There’s no way to describe the helpless feeling in your chest when you watch the clock tick over to midnight and know that the entire copy of Beowulf in your cinderblock of an anthology needs to be read by the next morning. And that you’ve spent the whole day attempting to put together the words on the pages to form coherent sentences that make sense with zero success. It makes you miserable. So you do what anyone does when they feel miserable. You do Something Else. But when everything you do ends in a whole lot of Nothing, you do Something Else more and more and more and more, and if you repeat the cycle enough times, you learn that it’s always better to do Something Else. Nothing will always happen, you will always feel like you’re drowning and helpless and useless, so you might as well do Something Else. The cycle of avoidance continues, infused with looming anxiety and crippling self-loathing. The vortex grows, it consumes your sleeping hours which consume your waking hours, it eats up time with your friends (if you even have any by this point), it eats your self-worth and identity up , it eventually cannibalises the Something Else you’ve been doing the entire time, and once it’s cold and dead and gone, you seek more. 

Finding the common denominator

I dragged the weight of the vortex with me for a few months. A valid attempt. I’m not a superhuman, clearly. I know it sounds dark and exaggerated, but it’s hard to tell people that you’re suffocating under the weight of your own mental paralysis when you have every reason why you should be able to read a stupid poem. How are you supposed to have people take you seriously when your only reason for not being able to Do Things is “I just couldn’t?” There’s no clear reason. The debilitating death spiral is only something I’ve seen in retrospect. In the moment, when you have to answer for your inaction, there are no words to describe it. “Lazy,” “undisciplined,” “careless,” are things I’m used to being called. Yet, I can hammer out a script for a small-scale theatre production in the span of a week, and then produce and direct it on my own. I taught myself the flute. I taught myself crochet. I taught myself almost everything I know after I was taught to read. How can I be lazy if I put work into these things to get to where I can show them off to others? Undisciplined? Careless? It doesn’t add up. What else could it be?

You’re the common denominator. 

Trying harder does nothing. The vortex drags you in deeper. How are you supposed to fix something you can’t even begin to point to, besides yourself as a person? It’s inherent, it’s always been there, and it won’t go away, no matter how much willpower and determination you put into it. 

I got a message from a friend. Click. The shaky, tired bulb glows.

“Dude, that sounds like ADHD. You should get that checked out.”

A bumpy road to diagnosis

The shoe fits, as the idiom goes. Impulsive, distracted, inclined to mood swings from Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (or overthinking to the point of intense emotional reaction,) introverted, hyperfixated on various hobbies and interests, and would you believe it, depressed or anxious. Who knew that having zero fulfilment in the things that matter would result in depression and anxiety? It was uncanny. It was like someone had laid out my life in front of me in such specificity that you would think reptilians were probing my brain through my ears as I slept. I tried to cope on my own for a while. Would you believe it, it produced absolutely nothing. I finally sucked up the guts to ask my parents to help me get an assessment. Six months at NUH. That was just the waiting list. I went for months of psychiatrist appointments only to be prescribed Lexapro for my mood swings and to be told that I don’t have ADHD because I lack childhood symptoms. After explaining my lifelong history of symptoms to her. After she had tried to convince my parents that going on medication would mess me up if I ever did get diagnosed. Yep, she changed her advice when I kept pressing. But keep pressing I did. 

My family was $800 poorer after pressing. Inconclusive results, the psychologist said. The computers don’t lie, apparently, even though ADHD isn’t a conclusive, noticeable form of inattention that spans all activities and tasks. The test treats it like your brain is just always on a short fuse, like the doctors with their expensive degrees and licences who look you in the eye and tell you that you definitely don’t have ADHD because you’re sitting down like a regular person and talking to them face to face with no obvious issues. Try telling an asthmatic that they don’t have a potentially deadly chronic illness because they’re sitting in front of you and not having an asthma attack at that very moment. I’ve experienced both, and it’s incredibly infantilising and frustrating. Except the doctor I saw for my asthma was a polyclinic doctor. I didn’t pay her over S$100 for a consult, and then S$800 for a test that doesn’t even look at ADHD symptoms in adults. I was fed up, so I left. My therapist told me to. The one good thing I had in terms of professional help. 

I was referred to another doctor through my friend, even if it was more expensive than the psychiatrist at NUH for every visit. I was even prepared to pay for another expensive assessment by myself. I walked out of the clinic with the reports from the NUH assessment and a crisp prescription for Ritalin, Medikinet, and Concerta. Apparently all you have to do is find a doctor that listens to you. But it made a world of difference.

The most amazing epiphany

It was like magic. I could remember routines, I could sit down and fill out the forms I had been avoiding for months in a single afternoon, I could even process numbers at my retail job with perfect accuracy when before, I made daily mistakes that cost precious time in the middle of the lunch rush. I could even process people speaking to me better. I didn’t even know I had a problem with that until I was medicated. On top of existing medication for my anxiety and depression, my daily Ritalin caused a massive upturn in my mood. I didn’t know how badly my inactivity and inattention sucked the life out of everything I did until I could finally live without it. It was like having smudged glasses and giving them a good wipe. I could finally see for the first time in my life, I could live and breathe and not have to worry if my brain would betray me if I needed to listen to a lecture or write an important email.

It was the most amazing epiphany that I finally had an answer for so many struggles that I had experienced throughout my entire life. It was even more relieving to realise as a consequence, that all of these shortcomings were never my fault. Never. I could finally forgive myself for things that I had always blamed myself for, and make peace with myself . I could finally stop hating myself for things that I thought were etched deep into my brain and behaviour, things that I thought I would never be free from. Of course, it didn’t mean that life after Ritalin would be smooth sailing, but I finally felt like I had control back. I had the power to change all the things I hated about myself because I could focus long enough to get things done. 

Then I cried. 

I realised how much of my life had been swallowed up by the deep, aching helplessness of being trapped in my own mind, and how much I had lost of my younger years because I had been struggling with myself. Of course, it’s not something that can be changed. Done is done. The power to do is finally back in my hands, but it will always hit close to home thinking about how much I’ve lost to the crippling death spiral.

A definitive turning point

Things hit a definitive turning point for me, especially in school. On top of my massive improvement in mood, it was unreal to be able to sit in a lecture and process what my professor was saying in real time. Previously, I would zone out for large patches, and return to earth completely lost. Now, my mind was alert. Clear. Blissfully silent and free from the fuzziness that previously plagued me at all hours. Taking Ritalin was like being given a new brain. The best way I can provide a comparison is by saying that being unmedicated is like lucid dreaming. Ritalin is being awake. It was by no means easy to manage being in the lecture hall while on a stimulant, but I put a pair of knitting needles in my hands that I had previously abandoned, and all was good. I participated more, if not as much, as any other student with a perfectly functioning frontal lobe. My professors loved it. I loved it . Essays were easier than ever, too. I could finally work in the day instead of being forced to cram in my work in the evening through the early hours of the morning. It certainly didn’t stop my habit of overnighters, but it eased it along as my workload increased. My assignments were coming back with the straight As I knew I could get. 

It’s not to say that medication magically gave me the capacity to score high grades— I was already getting them in my first semester. I even had my first academic publication in my first semester, a year before I was diagnosed. I already had the capacity for excellence, but knowing how to manage my condition allowed me to remove the barriers that made it difficult to function and perform at top condition. Think of it as a boat filled with rocks. The rocks cause resistance, and may even threaten to sink the boat if they pile too high. Take off the rocks, starting with the things you can shift, and it gets easier and easier as you go. When I finally threw off the bulk of my ADHD symptoms, my boat could float so much smoother. 

Don’t delay an assessment

I think the reason why I wanted to write like this is because I want people to understand my experience. It’s the one way I can try to impress on others my struggle and the sense of relief I had when I received my diagnosis . If hearing my story resonates with you, I would encourage you to consult a professional. Don’t let it snowball until you can’t take it anymore, whether it’s ADHD or anxiety or depression. You’ll lose more than you think you might by avoiding action, and you’ll gain more than you’d think if you reach out for help. Getting a diagnosis was by no means easy, but it was the best decision I’ve made in my life. Being able to understand that there is a known reason behind my struggles and a solution that I can implement has allowed me to live much more freely and achieve the things I knew I was capable of, but could somehow never reach. If you or a loved one might be thinking of an assessment, don’t delay it. You could be making a decision that could change their life as they know it.

[ If you liked this story and found it helpful, please SHARE it. For more personal stories about ADHDers, please click here . Unlocking ADHD has also organized a series of events and you can view our past webinars on YouTube . ]

If you liked this article and found it helpful, please share it with others.

If you are looking for community support, join our ADHD support group or Discord chat!

If you like this article and find it helpful, do consider donating to support us in our mission to empower ADHDers and their families to live life to the fullest.

*DISCLAIMER: This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Should you suspect that you have ADHD, consider seeking the advice of a trained healthcare professional with any questions you may have about your condition.

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Andrea is a constantly curious person attracted to all things colourful. On weekends, you will probably find her churning out fun activities to keep her son occupied or engrossed in a new game/book/drama series. She enjoys every moment of volunteering with Unlocking ADHD and hopes to build a more inclusive and empathetic society that embraces neurodiversity.

Li Ming’s educational background is in Business Management and Mass Communications. She have worked in the areas of marketing communications, philanthropy and medical fundraising.

Fees are $70 per one hour session. Psychoeducational testing ranges between $750 to $1,120 depending on the tests required.

Email: [email protected] .

Rachelle parents three brilliant ADHD kids and is an experienced magazine editor, a co-director in the family healthcare business and would kill to be a student again

Indhu is a university student majoring in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. During her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends and watching TV shows.

Cheyenne provides HR/people strategy consulting and career coaching. She also volunteers with SPARK to increase the awareness of and reduce the stigma of ADHD.

Tahirah is a mom whose seven out of nine children have special needs with two having ADHD. An advocate for special needs and mental health, she is an avid reader with a love for photography, music and tv

Valerie is a secondary 2 student who loves sports and creative activities like writing, drawing, music. She hopes to contribute to teen awareness through Unlocking ADHD!

Mrunmayee (Mayee) is a Counseling Psychologist who previously worked as a school counselor. She is interested in hiking and reading.

Tricia is a university student majoring in Life Sciences and Psychology. An avid fan of scaling rock walls and whatever else she can climb, some say she is more monkey than human!

Moonlake is the Founder of Unlocking ADHD. A community builder and multi-hyphenate, she runs to fat burn so that she can enjoy food with family and friends. She is still working on strengthening the brakes for her ADHD wiring…

Stephanie is a university student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Japanese Language. She hopes to make the most of her leisure time through writing and reading.

How to Tackle an Essay (an ADHD-friendly Guide)

6 steps and tips.

Most of the college students I work with have one major assignment type that gets them stuck like no other: the dreaded essay. It has become associated with late nights, requesting extensions (and extensions on extensions), feelings of failure, and lots of time lost staring at a screen. This becomes immensely more stressful when there is a thesis or capstone project that stands between you and graduation.

The good news?

An essay doesn’t have to be the brick wall of doom that it once was. Here are some strategies to break down that wall and construct an essay you feel good about submitting.

Step 1:  Remember you’re beginning an essay, not finishing one.

Without realizing it, you might be putting pressure on yourself to have polished ideas flow from your brain onto the paper. There’s a reason schools typically bring up having an outline and a rough draft! Thoughts are rarely organized immediately (even with your neurotypical peers, despite what they may say). Expecting yourself to deliver a publishing-worthy award winner on your first go isn’t realistic. It’s allowed to look messy and unorganized in the beginning! There can be unfinished thoughts, and maybe even arguments you aren’t sure if you want to include. When in doubt, write it down.

Step 2: Review the rubric

Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the assignment is asking you to include and to focus on. If you don’t have an understanding of it, it’s better to find out in advance rather than the night before the assignment is due. The rubric is your anchor and serves as a good guide to know “when you can be done.” If you hit all the marks on the rubric, you’re looking at a good grade.

I highly recommend coming back to the rubric multiple times during the creative process, as it can help you get back on track if you’ve veered off in your writing to something unrelated to the prompt. It can serve as a reminder that it’s time to move onto a different topic - if you’ve hit the full marks for one area, it’s better to go work on another section and return to polish the first section up later. Challenge the perfectionism!

Step 3: Divide and conquer

Writing an essay is not just writing an essay. It typically involves reading through materials, finding sources, creating an argument, editing your work, creating citations, etc. These are all separate tasks that ask our brain to do different things. Instead of switching back and forth (which can be exhausting) try clumping similar tasks together.

For example:

Prepping: Picking a topic, finding resources related to topic, creating an outline

Gathering: reading through materials, placing information into the outline

Assembling: expanding on ideas in the outline, creating an introduction and conclusion

Finishing: Make final edits, review for spelling errors and grammar, create a title page and reference page, if needed.

Step 4: Chunk it up

Now we’re going to divide the work EVEN MORE because it’s also not realistic to expect yourself to assemble the paper all in one sitting. (Well, maybe it is realistic if you’re approaching the deadline, but we want to avoid the feelings of panic if we can.) If you haven’t heard of chunking before, it’s breaking down projects into smaller, more approachable tasks.

This serves multiple functions, but the main two we are focusing on here is:

• it can make it easier to start the task;
• it helps you create a timeline for how long it will take you to finish.

If you chunk it into groups and realize you don’t have enough time if you go at that pace, you’ll know how quickly you’ll need to work to accomplish it in time.

Here are some examples of how the above categories could be chunked up for a standard essay. Make sure you customize chunking to your own preferences and assignment criteria!

Days 1 - 3 : Prep work

• ‍ Day 1: Pick a topic & find two resources related to it
• Day 2: Find three more resources related to the topic
• Day 3: Create an outline

Days 4 & 5 : Gather

• ‍ Day 4: Read through Resource 1 & 2 and put information into the outline
• Day 5: Read through Resource 3 & 4 and put information into the outline

Days 6 - 8 : Assemble

• ‍ Day 6: Create full sentences and expand on Idea 1 and 2
• Day 7: Create full sentences and expand on Idea 3 and write an introduction
• Day 8: Read through all ideas and expand further or make sentence transitions smoother if need be. Write the conclusion

Day 9: Finish

• ‍ Day 9: Review work for errors and create a citation page

Hey, we just created an outline about how to make an outline - how meta!

Feel like even that is too overwhelming? Break it down until it feels like you can get started. Of course, you might not have that many days to complete an assignment, but you can do steps or chunks of the day instead (this morning I’ll do x, this afternoon I’ll do y) to accommodate the tighter timeline. For example:

Day 1: Pick a topic

Day 2: Find one resource related to it

Day 3: Find a second resource related to it

Step 5: Efficiently use your resources

There’s nothing worse than stockpiling 30 resources and having 100 pages of notes that can go into an essay. How can you possibly synthesize all of that information with the time given for this class essay? (You can’t.)

Rather than reading “Article A” and pulling all the information you want to use into an “Article A Information Page,” try to be intentional with the information as you go. If you find information that’s relevant to Topic 1 in your paper, put the information there on your outline with (article a) next to it. It doesn’t have to be a full citation, you can do that later, but we don’t want to forget where this information came from; otherwise, that becomes a whole mess.

By putting the information into the outline as you go, you save yourself the step of re-reading all the information you collected and trying to organize it later on.

*Note: If you don’t have topics or arguments created yet, group together similar ideas and you can later sort out which groups you want to move forward with.

Step 6: Do Some Self-Checks

It can be useful to use the Pomodoro method when writing to make sure you’re taking an adequate number of breaks. If you feel like the 25 min work / 5 min break routine breaks you out of your flow, try switching it up to 45 min work / 15 min break. During the breaks, it can be useful to go through some questions to make sure you stay productive:

• How long have I been writing/reading this paragraph?
• Does what I just wrote stay on topic?
• Have I continued the "write now, edit later" mentality to avoid getting stuck while writing the first draft?
• Am I starting to get frustrated or stuck somewhere? Would it benefit me to step away from the paper and give myself time to think rather than forcing it?
• Do I need to pick my energy back up? Should I use this time to get a snack, get some water, stretch it out, or listen to music?

General Tips:

• If you are having a difficult time trying to narrow down a topic, utilize office hours or reach out to your TA/professor to get clarification. Rather than pulling your hair out over what to write about, they might be able to give you some guidance that speeds up the process.
• You can also use (and SHOULD use) office hours for check-ins related to the paper, tell your teacher in advance you’re bringing your rough draft to office hours on Thursday to encourage accountability to get each step done. Not only can you give yourself extra pressure - your teacher can make sure you’re on the right track for the assignment itself.
• For help with citations, there are websites like Easybib.com that can help! Always double check the citation before including it in your paper to make sure the formatting and information is correct.
• If you’re getting stuck at the “actually writing it” phase, using speech-to-text tools can help you start by transcribing your spoken words to paper.
• Many universities have tutoring centers and/or writing centers. If you’re struggling, schedule a time to meet with a tutor. Even if writing itself isn’t tough, having a few tutoring sessions scheduled can help with accountability - knowing you need to have worked on it before the tutoring session is like having mini deadlines. Yay, accountability!

Of course, if writing just isn’t your jam, you may also struggle with motivation . Whatever the challenge is, this semester can be different. Reach out early if you need help - to your professor, a tutor, an ADHD coach , or even a friend or study group. You have a whole team in your corner. You’ve got this, champ!

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My Experience with ADHD

            The laptop was right in front of me, the word document was open, but I could not do anything except stare at the blank white page in front of me. It was a week before the deadline for a standard English Literature class analysis essay. I could hear myself internally screaming “Do it! What is stopping you from just typing out what you know? You already have this whole essay in your head, why can’t you just write?”  These questions were a very common echo in my head. No simple answer would ever come. That was until one of my friends showed me a video about ADHD because they were concerned that I may have it after watching me struggle with what I would later learn is called “executive dysfunction.”

            Before my ADHD diagnosis, I was constantly procrastinating on my assignments. Not because I would actively push off doing my work, but because I would just look at my computer, worksheet, or assigned reading and freeze. I would set aside the time to do it and nothing would ever be achieved. My free time was taken up by thinking about and planning assignments in my head. I knew the material ten times over but until the clock was ticking and the impending doom of an impossible headline appeared, I was unable to do anything about it. During the fall, things were easier. Time was limited due to tennis and other activities, so deadlines were always creeping up. However, I would be working until 2-3am every night on homework due to a challenging course load that I was determined to take on.

            After many long talks with my mother, and completing multiple diagnostics tests to see if a visit to the doctor was even worth our time…I convinced her. This had been difficult because I had never struggled at school. Yes, I was talkative. However, this trait was attributed to everything under the sun except an abnormality in my brain chemistry. When I spoke to my doctor, he gave me a referral to a neurologist. After multiple appointments, I was told that I had different options to pursue for treatment. In the end, we chose medication as the best fit for my situation and severity. Medication was a welcomed change. I stopped struggling with executive dysfunction. My relationship with food, which had led to an eating disorder during my early high school years, improved significantly. Most of all, I no longer felt like I was running behind the rest of my classmates trying to keep up with academic content.

            ADHD is a spectrum, and severity should not be classified by how inconvenient individuals with ADHD are to neurotypical people. Individuals who do not fit into the stereotype of the overactive child with bad grades go undiagnosed, struggling without knowing that there are solutions that will help them handle day-to-day tasks. As a result of these struggles, people with ADHD are more susceptible to anxiety and depression which can lead to further struggles. It is not rare for an individual to go undiagnosed due to the fact that they visibly behave well during class and keep decent grades. These individuals eventually begin to struggle as they meet challenges that required long-term concentration and dedication that outlast their hyper-focus on the subject matter.

            There are more resources on ADHD each day. Internet creators sharing their experiences have encouraged individuals who relate to seek testing and treatment should they be diagnosed. Doctors are widening their diagnosis standards to fit multiple presentations of ADHD in order to counter the prior under diagnosis of young women. Overall, ADHD can be a challenge if undiagnosed but if teachers are mindful and properly educated on the different presentations of ADHD, they can prevent future issues for individuals later on.

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Blog > Common App , Essay Advice , Personal Statement > How to Write a College Essay About ADHD

How to Write a College Essay About ADHD

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University Admissions

Key Takeaway

ADHD and ADD are becoming more prevalent, more frequently diagnosed, and better understood.

The exact number of college students with ADHD is unclear with estimates ranging wildly from just 2% to 16% or higher.

Regardless of the raw numbers, an ADHD diagnosis feels very personal, and it is not surprising that many students consider writing a college essay about ADHD.

If you are thinking about writing about ADHD, consider these three approaches. From our experience in admissions offices, we’ve found them to be the most successful.

First, a Note on the Additional Information Section

Before we get into the three approaches, I want to note that your Common App personal statement isn’t the only place you can communicate information about your experiences to admissions officers.

You can also use the additional information section.

The additional information section is less formal than your personal statement. It doesn’t have to be in essay format, and what you write there will simply give your admissions officers context. In other words, admissions officers won’t be evaluating what you write in the additional information section in the same way they’ll evaluate your personal statement.

You might opt to put information about your ADHD (or any other health or mental health situations) in the additional information section so that admissions officers are still aware of your experiences but you still have the flexibility to write your personal statement on whatever topic you choose.

Three Ways to Write Your College Essay About ADHD

If you feel like the additional information section isn’t your best bet and you’d prefer to write about ADHD in your personal statement or a supplemental essay, you might find one of the following approaches helpful.

1) Using ADHD to understand your trends in high school and looking optimistically towards college

This approach takes the reader on a journey from struggle and confusion in earlier years, through a diagnosis and the subsequent fallout, to the present with more wisdom and better grades, and then ends on a note about the future and what college will hold.

If you were diagnosed somewhere between 8th and 10th grade, this approach might work well for you. It can help you contextualize a dip in grades at the beginning of high school and emphasize that your upward grade trend is here to stay.

The last part—looking optimistically towards college—is an important component of this approach because you want to signal to admissions officers that you’ve learned to manage the challenges you’ve faced in the past and are excited about the future.

I will warn you: there is a possible downside to this approach. Because it’s a clear way to communicate grade blips in your application, it is one of the most common ways to write a college essay about ADHD. Common doesn’t mean it’s bad or off-limits, but it does mean that your essay will have to work harder to stand out.

2) ADHD as a positive

Many students with ADHD tell us about the benefits of their diagnosis. If you have ADHD, you can probably relate.

Students tend to name strengths like quick, creative problem-solving, compassion and empathy, a vivid imagination, or a keen ability to observe details that others usually miss. Those are all great traits for college (and beyond).

If you identify a strength of your ADHD, your essay could focus less on the journey through the diagnosis and more on what your brain does really well. You can let an admissions officer into your world by leading them through your thought processes or through a particular instance of innovation.

Doing so will reveal to admissions officers something that makes you unique, and you’ll be able to write seamlessly about a core strength that’s important to you. Of course, taking this approach will also help your readers naturally infer why you would do great in college.

3) ADHD helps me empathize with others

Students with ADHD often report feeling more empathetic to others around them. They know what it is like to struggle and can be the first to step up to help others.

If this rings true to you, you might consider taking this approach in your personal statement.

If so, we recommend connecting it to at least one extracurricular or academic achievement to ground your writing in what admissions officers are looking for.

A con to this approach is that many people have more severe challenges than ADHD, so take care to read the room and not overstate your challenge.

Key Takeaways + An Example

If ADHD is a significant part of your story and you’re considering writing your personal statement about it, consider one of these approaches. They’ll help you frame the topic in a way admissions officers will respond to, and you’ll be able to talk about an important part of your life while emphasizing your strengths.

And if you want to read an example of a college essay about ADHD, check out one of our example personal statements, The Old iPhone .

As you go, remember that your job throughout your application is to craft a cohesive narrative —and your personal statement is the anchor of that narrative. How you approach it matters.

Liked that? Try this next.

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ADHD ( Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Essay Examples

Adhd essay topics and outline examples, essay title 1: understanding adhd: causes, symptoms, and treatment.

Thesis Statement: This research essay aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), including its possible causes, common symptoms, and various treatment approaches.

• Introduction
• Defining ADHD: An Overview
• Possible Causes of ADHD: Genetic, Environmental, and Neurological Factors
• Symptoms and Diagnosis: Recognizing ADHD in Children and Adults
• Treatment Options: Medication, Behavioral Therapy, and Lifestyle Interventions
• The Impact of ADHD on Daily Life: School, Work, and Relationships
• Current Research and Future Directions in ADHD Studies
• Conclusion: Enhancing Understanding and Support for Individuals with ADHD

Essay Title 2: ADHD in Children: Educational Challenges and Supportive Strategies

Thesis Statement: This research essay focuses on the educational challenges faced by children with ADHD, explores effective strategies for supporting their learning, and highlights the importance of early intervention.

• Educational Implications of ADHD: Academic, Social, and Emotional Impact
• Supportive Classroom Strategies: Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 Plans
• Teacher and Parent Collaboration: Creating a Supportive Learning Environment
• Alternative Learning Approaches: Montessori, Waldorf, and Inclusive Education
• ADHD Medication in the Educational Context: Benefits and Considerations
• Early Intervention and the Role of Pediatricians and School Counselors
• Conclusion: Nurturing Academic Success and Well-Being in Children with ADHD

Essay Title 3: ADHD in Adulthood: Challenges, Coping Strategies, and Stigma

Thesis Statement: This research essay examines the often overlooked topic of ADHD in adults, discussing the challenges faced, coping mechanisms employed, and the impact of societal stigma on individuals with adult ADHD.

• ADHD Persisting into Adulthood: Recognizing the Symptoms
• Challenges Faced by Adults with ADHD: Work, Relationships, and Self-Esteem
• Coping Strategies and Treatment Options for Adult ADHD
• The Role of Mental Health Support: Therapy, Coaching, and Self-Help
• ADHD Stigma and Misconceptions: Impact on Diagnosis and Treatment
• Personal Stories of Triumph: Overcoming ADHD-Related Obstacles
• Conclusion: Raising Awareness and Providing Support for Adults with ADHD

A Negative Critique on ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment

Rethinking adhd: balancing medication with holistic interventions, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

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Understanding ADHD: an Informative Overview

The effect of adhd on the life of an individual, analysis of treatment decisions for a child with adhd, the effects of methylphenidate on adults with adhd, let us write you an essay from scratch.

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Personal Experience of The Struggles Associated with Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD

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How fidgeting actually contributes to a lack of focus in students, diagnosing dyscalculia and adhd diagnosis in schools, the issue of social injustice of misdiagnosed children with adhd, understanding adhd: a comprehensive analysis, behavioral disorders: causes, symptoms, and support.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by excessive amounts of inattention, carelessness, hyperactivity (which evolves into inner restlessness in adulthood), and impulsivity that are pervasive, impairing, and otherwise age-inappropriate.

The major symptoms are inattention, carelessness, hyperactivity (evolves into restlessness in adults), executive dysfunction, and impulsivity.

The management of ADHD typically involves counseling or medications, either alone or in combination. While treatment may improve long-term outcomes, it does not get rid of negative outcomes entirely. Medications used include stimulants, atomoxetine, alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists, and sometimes antidepressants. In those who have trouble focusing on long-term rewards, a large amount of positive reinforcement improves task performance.ADHD stimulants also improve persistence and task performance in children with ADHD.

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• Mental Health
• Schizophrenia
• Stress Management
• Drug Addiction

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ADHD Made Me Feel Like a Failure at Work — Here's How I Changed That

"You're absolutely positive I have ADHD? Like the kid's disorder?" I asked uneasily, it sounded more like a plea than a question. I could hear my voice quiver, as a sinking feeling made its way into the pit of my stomach. I silently prayed that the psychiatrist sitting across from me had made a mistake. We were meeting in his office at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health ( CAMH ), on a sunny spring afternoon. After months of insisting to my primary care provider that there had to be an underlying cause to my consistent issues at work, I had finally secured an appointment. Even so, now that I was sitting in his office, which consisted of four yellowing walls, and a giant digital clock hanging on the wall, a part of me hoped I'd somehow gotten it wrong.

Instead, the psychiatrist arched an eyebrow and took a deep, labored breath. "Well, yes," he replied. "Patients are normally diagnosed during childhood, but it's not uncommon for symptoms to continue into adulthood and women in particular tend to go undiagnosed," his tone seeming to embody the word "duh". Those words would kick-off my ongoing journey of navigating life as a woman with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

I'm 29, and even though symptoms of ADHD typically begin in childhood , I only received my official diagnosis a few months ago. I realize now it has been covertly impacting every aspect of my life, making its presence particularly known in my career. Prior to that moment of clarity, my career had been characterized by a constant stream of contradictrary emotions. Feelings of joy for how far I'd come, were met with deep frustration because of how difficult it'd been to get there. Any sense of pride that emerged, often collided with sentiments of shame because of the self-imposed time-frame in which they occurred. My signature brand of optimism was often coupled with uncertainty. I constantly felt on edge, waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under me. Waiting to eventually be found out .

How ADHD Impacted My Career

At the time of my diagnosis, from the outside looking in, I probably appeared to be thriving. My resume included a string of roles within prestigious companies, two successful industry pivots, and a growing list of published articles in some of the country's leading publications. Not to mention a music industry side hustle, that had gotten me on camera, backstage at festivals, and in studios with creatives who could list Drake and Sza as past collaborators. Despite it all, internally I felt like I was drowning. I was putting in twice as much effort as my peers, just to stay on track, leaving me in a perpetual state of burnout.

My symptoms first surfaced 6 years before my CAMH visit. As a Communications major who loved writing, a shrinking journalism industry, one too many episodes of "The Hills," and the rising interest rates of my student loans, propelled me to pursue public relations. When a well-timed referral landed me an entry level PR role for a luxury fashion house, I thanked the fashion gods and was immediately determined to emerge as a model employee.

It finally dawned on me that instead of accepting the beautiful brain I was born with I had been trying to change it— a losing battle from the start.

Unfortunately, that initial spark of energy fizzled out almost as quickly as it had arrived. After the thrill of a new role, and the allure of a luxury fashion house wore off, the cracks in my performance began to show. Like most entry level PR roles, there was a lot of administrative work involved. A typical day consisted of paperwork, inventory tracking, and sample organization— essentially an unending nightmare for someone living with untreated ADHD. Seemingly 'small' mistakes, like a missing item number while reporting new inventory, or a forgotten accessory while couriering looks to a top magazine editor had monumental impact due to the brand's iconic status. So much so, that these instances began outshining the various ways in which I actually was succeeding. The big wins faded into the background as my workload grew, and the frequency of these frivolous errors increased along with it. At first, these blunders were met with sympathetic words of encouragement, or "helpful" tips. However, as time wore on and the mistakes persisted, a palatable layer of tension engulfed many of the 1:1 meetings that seemed to pop up on my calendar with increasing regularity.

ADHD looks different for everyone, but symptoms typically manifest in three different types : inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive and combined. I struggle with the inattentive type, most commonly found in women. Meaning that when I'm faced with daily tasks that require me to be extremely organized or to enact a high level of focus (ie.creating spreadsheets, organizing a sample closet) I have to tap into more brain power than someone who is neurotypical . I was eventually forced to develop a combination of strategies and coping mechanisms that enabled me to complete daily tasks with minimal error. I did what many women with ADHD, particularly ambitious ones, do all the time: I masked my symptoms . I adapted perfectionist tendencies, creating overly high standards for myself and being hyper-sensitive to even the smallest amounts of feedback. I put an unnecessary amount of effort into being excessively organized, and would double, triple, sometimes quadruple check my work to make sure it was 100% accurate. What should have been a fun and interesting first job evolved into a grueling, shame-inducing, anxiety-ridden experience.

I tried to justify my shortcomings by convincing myself they were simply part of my personality. I had never been a super organized person to begin with, and who doesn't find spreadsheets boring? I rationalized.

So when an opportunity to enter the editorial industry (an industry I was dying to break into) finally presented itself, I vowed things would be different, they had to be , right? This role was a dream-job-skill-building opportunity after all. However, despite my best efforts, it wasn't long before those same issues began to rear their ugly head. I knew my struggles at work couldn't be a lack of interest, or motivation. I was finally getting to do what I had always dreamed of: pitching and publishing my own thoughts and ideas. So why did it feel like I was constantly working myself into exhaustion? Why was it so hard for me to stay on task? The harsh reality began to set in: maybe this was something even I, the great control freak, couldn't handle on my own.

I lay awake one night, a misspelled headline from the day earlier replaying in my head, when I half-jokingly typed "Why do I keep making stupid mistakes at work" into google. An article titled "Signs You May Have ADHD," followed by another whose headline read, "Living With Adult ADHD" appeared on my screen. I remember that stomach-churning feeling as I scrolled through page after page of ADHD explainers — each one describing challenges I had faced my entire life, with frightening accuracy.

How I Learned to Accept and Manage My ADHD at Work

Even though my visit to CAMH didn't reveal anything I hadn't previously suspected, I left my appointment with more questions than I had answers. Wasn't ADHD a disorder reserved for rambunctious 8 year old boys? I didn't know any 29-year-old women, who were aspiring writers with ADHD. In fact I didn't know any women living with the disorder at all. And that in itself is a larger problem. According to UCLA Health the underdiagnosis of ADHD is directly correlated to how often ADHD goes undiagnosed in young girls. Even though there is plenty of existing research that demonstrates ADHD often shows up differently in boys than it does girls the signs often go missed. My chronically messy room, or paper-filled backpack as a child would have been early indicators that I was living with the disorder, but it's difficult to identify something you were never searching for in the first place.

When I transitioned out of full time editorial into a copywriting position at a thriving beauty company it seemed like all my efforts had finally paid off. I had finally secured a role that combined all my skills and interests, and offered a livable salary in one of Canada's most expensive cities. I also had something I hadn't had in any of my previous roles: acceptance of my ADHD and management strategies.

While I made the decision not to disclose my ADHD diagnosis with my current employer, many people choose to do otherwise and receive extremely beneficial accommodations because of it . I have taken the initiative to educate myself about ADHD, and its unique impact on my life. Interesting and quirky reads like "You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!" by Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo, and "The Disorganized Mind" by Nancy A. Ratey has helped me deepen my understanding, while making me feel less alone.

I also put systems in place that worked for me. A key part of successfully managing my ADHD symptoms, while navigating a fast-paced, deadline driven, workplace was learning how to work with my brain instead of against it. Here are some strategies and lifestyle changes I have found particularly helpful:

• Using visual aids/reminders: I NEED to write everything down, or I will probably forget. I find it extremely helpful to physically see all my tasks for the day laid out and I have a wall calendar in my home office for that very purpose. I also am not afraid to stick a plethora of sticky notes on everything from my laptop to my fridge if there is a crucial task I can't afford to miss.
• Maintaining a consistent schedule: I tackle deep work first thing in the morning when my energy and attention levels are at their peak. This also forces me to focus on one thing at a time, before the demands of the day begin to reveal themselves.
• Actively blocking out distractions: Perhaps one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of my productivity is how easily distracted I am. I am fortunate that my current employer has a hybrid work model and so I often save my most challenging tasks for when I know I will be working from home. When I do have to go into the office I typically wear headphones to block out noise and office chatter that can easily take me off task.
• Moving my body: Annoying, but true — working out helps with a lot of things. For me that includes managing my ADHD symptoms. I make an intentional effort to exercise regularly, especially during the work week. I also tend to stick to things that I actually enjoy (HIIT, pilates, running) so I'm actually looking forward to it and it doesn't feel like a chore. I found that this has been incredibly helpful in regulating my moods and anxiety associated with my ADHD symptoms.
• Prioritizing my happiness: I take brain-supporting supplements. I read. I write. If I can't seem to get my mind back on task, I listen to my favorite song, or make a coffee brimming with cream and sugar. Doing these things not only makes me happy but also gives me a mini mental break. I've tried ADHD medication, but I'm not sure it's the right treatment option for me.
• Articulating and processing my feelings: This is something I do via therapy which has given me the opportunity to speak candidly without fear of judgment. And most importantly, I've begun sharing the realities of my lovely ADHD brain with those who mean the most to me, family and friends. I've done this in the hopes that they can come to better understand me, and maybe that will lead to me better understanding myself.

Am I perfect? Obviously not — and some days neither are these coping mechanisms. But I'm learning and growing, and I'm accepting myself for the imperfect human being that I am. Sure, I wish I had been able to identify my disorder sooner, but if I had I wouldn't be able to share my journey with you. In managing my ADHD, I have uncovered the beauty that exists in being different. I am empowered by how intimately I have gotten to know and understand my mind and the unique way it operates. And I am comforted by the fact that there is no one on Earth who moves through the world like I do, and for me, that has been the greatest lesson I've learned so far.

Kenisha Alexander is a freelance journalist and full-time beauty copywriter from Toronto. She enjoys covering everything from health and wellness to beauty and business. Aside from PS you can find her words in Elle, BuzzFeed, Canadian Business, Fashion, and more.

How I owned it: 3 college application essays

By The Understood Team

Many students (and families) wonder if it’s a good idea to disclose their learning and thinking differences in their college application essay.

Whether to disclose is a personal decision. But for these three students, all mentors with Understood founding partner Eye to Eye , it was a positive move. Here are portions of their essays, and their thoughts on how the process of writing about their differences changed how they see themselves and their challenges.

1. Brittain Peterson, senior at University of Denver

Like most people with dyslexia , I have had the inevitable moment of feeling powerless and unintelligent. But I have also had the positive moments of feeling successful and capable.

Compassionate teachers made the reward of being successful so much greater that I came to love school, while the unaccommodating teachers showed me the importance of advocating for myself. My learning difference also taught me to embrace differences in others. Because I have learned to find my own strengths in unconventional places, I have learned the importance of doing the same for others.

Currently, the most challenging part of dyslexia is overcoming the logistics: scheduling extended time for tests, arranging computer access for in-class essays, planning ahead to source books on tape when necessary. I know that I will have to navigate the logistics of college just as I have navigated the logistics of high school.

But, now it won’t be a question of whether I can do it, just of how.

“I think writing my application essay boosted my confidence. It reminded me that dyslexia didn’t define me, but that it described me. It helped me grasp the idea that my dyslexia had taught me a great deal. It also forced me to picture how I would use accommodations in college , which allowed me to picture myself in college.

My essay also helped me to choose which college to attend . I wanted college to be a place to enjoy learning and not be frustrated with it.”

2. Scott Thourson, bioengineering PhD candidate at Georgia Institute of Technology

In college, at age 19, I was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In grade school, my intelligence was masked by my low reading comprehension. I neither fit in with the top students (I could not read) nor with the bottom students (I excelled in mathematics).

Firing spitball guns, among other mischief, was my way of protecting my self-esteem and allowing me to focus on coping with my learning differences in school.

When I was 12 years old, my mother gave me an Electronics Learning Lab. I observed that when I could apply knowledge from my electronics projects to new concepts in school, I overcame my ADHD and enhanced my academic performance.

“One of my mentors told me to always be thinking about my life as a coherent story that can explain and tie together everything I have ever done. Making lists, writing journal entries, creating mind maps, or any way of organizing thoughts and ideas can help bring that story to light.

I chose to disclose my ADHD because I was finally proud and confident in my story. I’m a very open person, so I was already comfortable with putting it out there. What made me feel good was how I put it out there. Having enough confidence in my accomplishments and coherence in my story made me feel a lot better about being me and having ADHD.

I wasn’t nervous about what the reviewers might have thought; I was excited. This was definitely a turning point in my life. It wasn’t until this point that I actually started thinking that I was smart.”

3. Carolyn Todd, sophomore at McGill University

Dyslexia is both a blessing and a curse. I struggle every day, working twice as hard as other students. I get stereotyped as stupid by people who do not understand what it means to have a learning difference. However, I refuse to give up. I have learned the importance of standing up for myself and others.

Being dyslexic makes me able to look at the world and see the amazing potential that exists in diversity. Dyslexia has given me the tools to see the beauty in difference and the passion to change the way we define intelligence.

I want to show the world what I see.

“I chose to disclose in my essay because I believe it’s important to raise awareness about different learners. I’ve noticed that topics of disabilities and mental illness are quite taboo. Not enough people take the time to become educated on what they are and can make false assumptions on how they affect someone. I thought that I could, in a small part, help the movement of trying to change this.

Disclosing in my essay felt empowering. Growing up I had learned to hide my dyslexia, and it felt good to be able to embrace the positivities associated with it and share that with others.

It changed the way I saw myself because it gave me more confidence and helped to reinforce the truth that having a disability doesn’t make you any less ‘smart’ or capable.”

Hear from six students in the Eye to Eye mentoring network on the accommodations that helped them succeed in college .

Read how self-advocacy helped a college student with dyscalculia fight for her accommodations.

Find out how another student uses dictation technology to handle college writing.

Explore related topics

The Impact of ADHD on Academic Performance

The importance of advocating for your child with their educators..

Posted February 17, 2023 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods

• What Is ADHD?
• Take our ADHD Test
• Find a therapist to help with ADHD
• ADHD symptoms contribute to poor academic performance.
• The symptoms of inattentive-type ADHD make it difficult diagnose in school-age children.
• Advocating for your child with educators can improve their academic performance.
• Working with your child’s ADHD is key to their academic success.

A major concern for parents of ADHD children is their performance in school, and parents often worry over criticizing their children for behaviors like difficulty finishing homework . Poor academic performance can result in failing grades, skipping school, dropping out of high school, or not attending college.

Inattentive-type ADHD is difficult to identify

Children with the inattentive subtype of ADHD can fly under the radar at school and at home with symptoms of inattention, forgetfulness, and disorganization. Michael Jellineck, professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, has estimated children with ADHD could receive as many as 20,000 corrections for their behavior in school by the time they are 10 years old. The symptom of inattentive-type ADHD, including behaviors like disappearing to the bathroom or nurse’s office during class to avoid a disliked task, are difficult to identify correctly as the inattentive subtype and can often be confused with other behavioral problems.

According to the Centers for Disease Control 2017 report, nine out of ten children with ADHD received classroom accommodations in school. However, most children with ADHD are not in special education programs and their teachers may know little about ADHD behaviors. Knowledge of ADHD, including symptoms, behaviors, prognosis, and treatment, varies among teachers (Mohr-Jennsen et al., 2019), and educators are most knowledgeable about the “hallmark” symptoms of ADHD, like students fidgeting or squirming in their seat and being easily distracted by extraneous stimuli (Scuitto et al., 2016).

Advocating for your child

Since my son’s inattentive ADHD is not outwardly apparent (i.e., he isn’t hyperactive or disruptive in the classroom), advocating for him, and teaching him to advocate for himself, is one of my most important jobs as a parent. I was inspired by the story of a father who would send letters to his son’s teachers explaining the boy’s learning disability. Knowing my son’s performance did not always reflect his capabilities, I emailed my son’s middle and high school teachers at the beginning of each semester detailing his ADHD, his weaknesses, and, most importantly, his strengths. I was pleasantly surprised that the reaction from many of my son’s teachers over the years was positive; they were grateful for parental communication and support. Teachers with a greater understanding of ADHD recognize the benefit of behavioral and educational treatments and are more likely to help their students (Ohan et al., 2008). In my son’s case, educators who either had ADHD themselves, or sought to learn about it, had the biggest impact in terms of my son’s academic success.

Practical strategies for common academic struggles

Due to the executive function deficits that accompany ADHD, our kids cannot just “try harder” to get good grades. They are already working harder than their peers to stay afloat in school. According to Mayes and Calhoun (2000) more than half of ADHD children struggle with written expression, my son included. Executive function deficits in ADHD make organizing ideas, planning, and editing difficult. I helped my son by having him talk it out when he had to write an essay for school (this was also an accommodation in his 504 plan to help him answer essay questions on tests and other assignments). I would start by asking him to tell me one fact about his essay’s topic. I found that he knew what he wanted to say, but organizing his thoughts on the page was an overwhelming and difficult task for him. I would furiously type while he talked, then gave him the notes, making it much easier for him to compose his essay. Another strategy was to have him incorporate something about a topic he was interested in, if possible. Anytime my son could write something about outer space or rockets he struggled less, even being selected as a national finalist in a NASA-sponsored essay contest about traveling to Mars.

Approximately 25-40% of patients with ADHD have major reading and writing difficulties, and ADHD frequently co-occurs with other learning disabilities like dyslexia, which makes reading difficult. In addition, the inattention symptoms of ADHD likely interfere with reading ability, resulting in reading the same paragraph over and over without retaining the information. As parents, we have to accept that our ADHD kids learn differently and not be concerned with the traditional, or 'right' way of doing something. My son retained information from required reading in school much better when he listened to an audiobook, rather than trying to painstakingly read the book. What did it matter if my son read the book or listened to it being read? Let’s take a cue from our ADHD kids and think outside the box.

Learning to work with my son’s ADHD gave me a better understanding of his strengths and weaknesses when it came to his academic performance. As a result, I was a better advocate for him and was able to work with his teachers to ensure his academic success.

Albert, M., Rui, P., & Ashman, J.J. (2017). Physician office visits for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents Aged 4–17 Years: United States, 2012–2013 . National Center for Health Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/ databriefs/db269.htm.

Mayes, S.D. & Calhoun, S. (2000, April). Prevalence and degree of attention and learning problems in ADHD and LD. ADHD Reports , 8 (2).

Mohr-Jensen, C., Steen-Jensen, T., Bang Schnack, M., &Thingvad, H. (2019). What do primary and secondary school teachers kno about ADHD in children? Findings from a systematic review and a representative, nationwide sample of Danish teachers. Journal of Attention Disorders 23(3): 206-219.

Ohan, J. L., Cormier, N., Hepp, S. L., Visser, T. A. W., & Strain, M. C. (2008). Does knowledge about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder impact teachers' reported behaviors and perceptions? School Psychology Quarterly, 23 (3), 436–449.

Sciutto, M.J., Terjesen, M.D., Kučerová, A., Michalová, Z., Schmiedeler, S., Antonopoulou, K., Shaker, N.Z., Lee, J., Lee, K., Drake, B., & Rossouw, J. (2016). Cross-national comparisons of teachers’ knowledge and misconceptions of ADHD. International Perspectives in Psychology 5(1): 34-50.

Kristin Wilcox, Ph.D. , is the author of Andrew's Awesome Adventures with His ADHD Brain . She has studied ADHD medications and drug abuse behavior at Emory University and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

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How to Apply to College When You Have ADHD

Applying to college is stressful for everyone — if your child has adhd, you’re probably concerned about finding a school that’s a great fit for his personality and academic performance. here, tips for putting his best foot forward during the application process..

As a teen with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you were able to take the SATs untimed and you earned a good score.

But academic challenges in high school have left you with a so-so grade point average. Now, wary of the college admissions process in general, you’re wondering whether or not to disclose the fact that you have ADHD.

Or perhaps you’re the parent of this teen. How do you begin this process? How can you help your child find the best school to fit his ADHD needs and personality?

Two words always apply to college planning: Start early. According to the HEATH Resource Center , the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team begin to consider post-secondary school goals when the student is entering high school! Even if your teen is further along in his high-school career, here are a number of cool-headed strategies you can employ when facing application time.

Create a Top List of Colleges

Talk with your teen and members of her IEP team to decide what level of services she’d feel comfortable with in college. If your teen was recently diagnosed, it will be helpful to compare semesters before and after interventions were in place — what made the biggest difference? Many colleges provide as-needed services for students with ADHD and/or learning disabilities while others offer structured programs.

Keep in mind that colleges are not obliged to alter their program requirements for students with learning disabilities once they have been admitted. Therefore, you’re advised to take a realistic view of your teen’s unique interests and abilities during the early stages of the decision process. The fact that your child may be admitted to a specific school doesn’t mean he will thrive there. Pursue colleges that will meet your child’s needs.

Develop a “hot list” of six to 12 colleges or universities that offer such programs and/or student supports. Find out the ranges of standardized test scores and GPAs for those admitted, keeping in mind that there’s probably a margin of flexibility.

After you’ve determined what your child needs in a school, refine your list by figuring out what she wants . Your teen should have a clear idea of her academic strengths and weaknesses. Students with ADHD tend to do better in subjects they enjoy, so this can be a clue as to a possible major in college. Highlight the schools on your list that offer a course of study in this field. Then consider extracurricular opportunities. Does your child play a sport or participate in drama club? Would he prefer to stay close to home or venture out to another state (or coast!)? Does in-state tuition make the most sense for your family? Contact the student activities offices to see what’s available outside the classroom, and talk to the offices of financial aid to see what type of package each school can offer.

Visit as many of the schools on your list as you can. In Learning How to Learn: Getting Into and Surviving College When You Have a Learning Disorder , Joyanne Cobb advises prospective freshmen that “College is not just a place to get an education, but a home and lifestyle for four years or more.” An afternoon or an overnight stay on a campus will give you a much better feel for the school than the colorful brochure you received in the mail.

After the data collection part of the application process, sit down with your teen and go over the “hot list,” which by now should include a range of significant factors (entrance difficulty, available majors, financial considerations, location, athletics, activities, and community resources). Evaluate the list and begin ranking the schools by desirability.

Should You Reveal Your ADHD Diagnosis on College Applications?

Before your teen begins to fill out applications, he needs to determine whether or not to disclose the fact that he has ADHD. If he’s applying to specialized schools for students with learning disabilities, or if a school requires documentation of ADHD or a learning disability before it will provide on-campus services, the answer is obvious. But if he requires only minor accommodations, he’ll want to give some thought to this decision.

By law, colleges and universities cannot deny entrance solely based on disabilities — but they are also, by law, under no obligation to alter their admissions standards. Translated, this means that students with disabilities must meet the same criteria established by admissions committees for all prospective students.

However, most colleges do take note of extenuating personal circumstances, such as ADHD. Colleges and universities often maintain some leeway with regard to the qualifications for prospective students. The staff at the HEATH Resource Center suggests that high school students with learning disabilities consider disclosure, in order to show how their academic strengths and personalities mesh with their chosen curricula. A savvy student is in a position to enhance his applications by making a statement of purpose. By putting the proper spin on his learning difficulties, a student can show how, through proper diagnosis and tenacity, he has turned setbacks into triumphs.

Keep in mind that your child’s personal statement, test scores, transcript, and recommendations are each just a part of the larger picture. A student with ADHD may have a high GPA, but low SAT scores, or vice versa, but neither situation need define him. By disclosing his disabilities and putting forth a detailed plan for managing his ADHD and/or learning disabilities at the college level, a student may tacitly amend discrepancies within his admissions packet. Unless admissions committees are aware that such schisms exist, the candidate may be summarily rejected.

Ready…Set…Apply!

A candidate must complete an application form for each school he wishes to apply to. Many institutions still use their own form, which you can request by mail, by telephone, or via the Web, but many schools now accept the Common Application . Submitted electronically or in hard copy, this is now the accepted application form for nearly 700 selective colleges and universities.

Most colleges expect their applicants to supplement their application with an official transcript of classes and grades, a personal essay, and two letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other adults who can comment on the student’s scholastic ability. Additionally, colleges and universities may be especially interested in evidence of a candidate’s community service, extracurricular activities, sports participation, or other talents.

Successful Marketing

A vital part of the application process is distinguishing the applicant. Accommodative services granted by a testing agency to students with ADHD or learning disabilities are solely meant to give students equal footing in that section of the application process. From there, it’s up to the student to set himself apart, to highlight his assets and bring his top-notch qualities to the attention of the admissions team. If your teen’s SATs aren’t stellar, do all you can to help him play up his other strengths.

• The importance of the on-campus interview cannot be overstressed. Role-play questions to get your teen’s confidence up before the appointment.
• If your student has a mentor or a special relationship with a particular teacher, have him request a letter of recommendation from that adult. A heartfelt recommendation that comments on a student’s personality as well as his in-class performance can catch the eye of the admissions office.
• Your child’s extracurricular participation can set him apart from the rest of the applicant pool. Remember to mention his activities that take place outside of school — Eagle-Scout status or a steady after-school job says a lot about commitment and responsibility.

Also, remember that a high level of interest in a particular institution is an attractive quality in an applicant. If possible, participate in formal activities for prospective students, such as overnight stays or campus tours. Applying for early decision or early action at her first-choice college also implies serious interest, and might give her a winning edge.

Final Thoughts

Parents, remember that your own network of contacts can be beneficial. The recommendations of relatives, friends, and alumni of your selected institutions won’t guarantee admission, but they may improve a student’s chances of acceptance. Students, remember that actions affect outcomes. Continue to play a proactive role in the high school-to-college transition — seeking out appropriate supports, assessing your growth — even after the application process is over and you’re finishing up senior year.

Most students with ADHD and/or learning disabilities have realistic concepts of their strengths and weaknesses and will be able to identify the school that seems “right.” In the end, trust your instincts about a school and about the focus of your application. Help your teen coordinate an application that zeroes in on who he is and what he has to offer, and prepare to find sweet surprises in your mailbox come spring of senior year.

Survival Guide for College Students with ADHD & LD (Magination Press), by Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D.

ADD and the College Student (Magination Press), by Patricia Quinn, M.D.

Learning How to Learn: Getting into and Surviving College When You Have a Learning Disability (Child & Family Press), by Joyanne Cobb

Testing Tips

Contact the PSAT, SAT, or ACT boards to secure a testing environment to meet your child’s needs for standardized testing. Accommodations may include:

• Individual administration of the test
• Computerized, audio, or large-print test editions
• Extended testing time

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