TELLING YOUR EMPLOYER? | ADHD Information

THIS IS MY FIRST POST. I WAS DIAGNOSED LAST APRIL 04, AFTER A FAILED ATTEMPT AT WITH ANOTHER PSYCHIATRIST FOR EVALUATION OF ADDA. I WAS 50 YEARS OLD. STARTED CONCERTA 36 AND COULD ACTUALLY FOLLOW A CONVERSATION. I CAN TELL YOU WHEN AND WITH WHO... I HAVE DONE SOME READING. IT SUGGESTED TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT BEING ADD. I WOULD LOVE SOME FEED BACK ON INFORMING EMPLOYERS. IF PEOPLE FOUND ANY PROBLEMS. I WORK IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

Welcome Lisa! I would NEVER tell my employer that I have ADD. Friends are a different story, but not if your symptoms aren't bad. I personally have 2 friends who are moving to Florida soon.( Right around the corner, they're having an identical house built). My friend Cheri is 10 yrs older than I am, but as she likes to put it " we're both bizzar" and we've always gotten along super. I know in the past and even sometimes now, I have spaced out. I am thinking about telling them and some of the limitations I may have. They will understand. It's in their family as well.

Now, you said your in the Medical field. I went to school to be a Health Ins. Biller & Coder. Graduated top in my class, held down a crap job,and had to work harder than most. I had asked this question before, and was advised not to. To pass the drug test I was told to go off the adderall before testing b/c they can always find some excuse not to hire you, but if I had to get tested again and had already proved myself, I would have a case against them if they tried to fire me b/c of that. I'm having a hard time getting back into the field b/c after911, most coders, unless certified, were let go and had to start as a biller (much less pay and more stress) and I SUCK bad in math! I tried, but was fired from all 3 billing jobs I have to work on getting certified. I'm a great coder, something most pple find difficult. So billing wasn't taught as much. By the way, I'm 47 and wasn't DX'ed until a little over a yr. ago. If you don't mind me asking, did you always know "something" was not right? I sure did. Oh before I forget, when you tell some employers, they may use you to cover any mistake THEY made. Sorry for rambling, but most of us do that! Again, WELCOME! We all speek the same language here (ADD/ADHDaneese) and you can get wonderful help.

Yes I dont think that people are informed enough to understand. If it becomes an issue within your job - then i would consider having a discussion about it.

HELLO MOON 6-

I HAVE TOLD MY TWO DAUGHTERS, THE YOUNGEST HAS ADD ALSO. I HAVE ALSO TOLD MY SIBLINGS. MY PARENTS HAVE NEVER BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF ANY PSYCHOLOGICAL/NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND. I TOLD MY SIBLINGS IN ORDER TO HELP THEM. SOME OF WHICH STILL STRUGGLE, ONE BROTHER WHO CLEARLY HAS A ADHD 10 YR OLD SON AND NOT DIAGNOSED.

EVEN THOUGH I HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT DISAPOINTED IN THE RESPONSE OF MY SIBLINGS, IT DID FEEL GOOD TO TELL THEM. IF THE UK IS GOING TO MAKE IT A DISCLOSURE, THEN I WOULD NOT WANT TO TELL MY FAMILY LAST. LISA50

Hell, I would tell my family! Thats what they are there for. They can't abandon you because they are stuck with you . Perhaps it will give them some relief to put a label to some of your behaviours that they may find confusing.

This is a little off track, but my father was an abusive alcoholic (dont worry I am way over it), but growing up I felt that I could always blame the alcohol and still love my father. It was good to feel like he did love me - he just had a sickness.

If you can get my point, it may help your family to dismiss some behaviours that they cant accept if they can blame something for it. Humans are funny like that.

Blame makes us feel better.

moon6
In so far as a notifiable condition - does that mean the doctor has to notify someone or yourself. Where does the protection of your privacy come in. I would be jumping up and down and ramming the castle walls if this happened here in Australia.

Unless you are talking about the medications part of it - having to be regulated by government bodies.

Please explain this situation!

But take heart, having ADD does not mean you are less than perfect, you are perfectly you, created as a perfect little baby, growing and struggling through this world like the rest of us. It is not a bad thing, it is only a reason to be brilliant. It is almost an advantage in some ways.

THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR RESPONSE. THIS IS MY FIRST FORUM AND MESSAGE BOARD. SO I'M WORKING ON A LEARNING CURVE - LARGE. IF I DON'T REPLY DIRECTLY, IT'S BECAUSE I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW YET! DID FIGURE OUT THE COLORS AND EMOTICONS THOUGH!!! NOT SURE ABOUT THE PURPLE....

IN AN EFFORT TO RESPOND TO Latina-ADD (BECAUSE I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO RESPOND DIRECTLY YET) THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR DIRECT AND HONEST ANSWER. MY EMPLOYEERS DON'T KNOW ANYTHING YET, AND I THINK FOR NOW I WILL KEEP IT THAT WAY. THERE IS SO MUCH MISINFORMATION OUT THERE AND RIGHT NOW I DON'T FEEL INFORMED ENOUGH TO INFORM THEM. FINANCIALLY I CAN'T TAKE THE CHANCE.

I COME FROM FIVE SIBLINGS. I DID'T KNOW IF IT WAS GROWING UP IN A LARGE FAMILY OR WHAT THAT I ALWAYS FELT MISINFORMED, LEFT OUT, TAUNTED AS STUPID. EVEN THOUGH I FELD I TRIED SO HARD.

THANKS FOR THE WELCOME - IT MEANS ALOT!!!!

This is an area that I am finding hard .. do I or do I not tell ??? I work in schools and can hide most of the worst bits ... But in the UK in the next few years it is soon to be a notifiable condition .. yikes ... Only a few good friends know about me I have not told any of my family .. I am also out of a family of 5 girls .. I am also not sure what to do ?? Moon6

This is something that I have been thinking about too. My employers are great, and my job is perfect for someone like me; it is variable, interesting, I can move around at will, look out windows etc. They make allowances for my noticable forgetfullness by making sure I have written information.

I hesitate to give it a label for them though for many of the reasons already sited. I dont want to become a scapegoat, or a percieved liability.

I think for now I will leave it as is.

I think it's probably a bad idea to tell an employer.

You never know! Maybe they have it too, or have a child
with it, and would just be more friendly with you and more understanding if you tell.

On the other hand, they may have it and be in denial, or have a child
with it and still think much more poorly of you if you tell.
They may generalize and assume you have exactly the same problems as their
child or someone else they know with ADD. They may know
someone with ADD who's in jail or something.

If they have it and they're in denial they may be the hardest on you if you admit to having it. They may blame
you for all sorts of things and look for an excuse to fire you.

I think it's probably fine to admit to an employer things like "I forget things sometimes", "I made a mistake -- I'm sorry", "I need more stimulating tasks to keep me awake while I'm working", etc. -- specific facts about yourself.

But to lump these facts together and label them as "ADD" or something to an
employer -- well, I think there's a good chance it will
lead to trouble.

Suddenly whenever you make a mistake instead of them thinking "Oh, well, we're all human, we all make mistakes" they might think "There's that ADD costing us money again." and they may look for an excuse to fire you.
It happens.

You never know. It could be helpful to tell. (How?)
It could make things worse, or not make any difference.And any ways, would your employer tell you if he had Herpes, some things are our business alone.

Thanks for all your great imput! I really appreciate being able to talk about it and get advice from people who KNOW!!!

I have decided to make schedule adjustments, and other ideas to adapt my work to suit me, without telling them. Even though they would appear to understand, I do believe it would leave them with a impression of weakness/potential problems. In my work that is a liability I cannot have, as I work on an "at will" basis. Part being their "will" to call me for any work. I have to remind myself that I am not responsible to educate the entire world regarding ADD.

I actually feel at ease with this topic- thanks so much again.

Hi all

sorry its taken me a while to reply but have at the young age of 37 had yet another bad dose of tonsillitis. Am trying to persuade them to take them out.. don't think i am going to out grow it!! Ray About it being a notifiable condition .. it was just when I was last at my specialist. I asked about telling my employer and he said at the moment its up to me but soon ( next few years) it will have to be put on things like driving licences .. I think I had better look more into this .. As for telling my family .. nope my parents still dont get my kids having it .. They understand for example short attention span but then have a go at them for not listening .. that kind of thing .. As to my employer's I sometimes feel as if I am being dishonest in not telling them .. What do you all think about not telling?? Moon6

[QUOTE=moon6] About it being a notifiable condition .. it was just when I was last at my specialist. I asked about telling my employer and he said at the moment its up to me but soon ( next few years) it will have to be put on things like driving licences .. I think I had better look more into this .. Moon6

[/QUOTE]

On the driver's licence!!! Eeek! What country are you in Moon? Rainraven

UK ..

I think on Monday I need to ring him up and check this out ... take care Moon6

Yup if they ask LISA50 just tell them you are improving the place and restructing your job to make it more efficient and staff friendly.

If they get all curious and worried and start asking questions Explain to them that you will give them a copy of your job description and a report of how you manage your position - and have one prepared. I did this for my Mother and her employers were so amazed and impressed.

I don't ever tell my employer about adhd. Just like I wouldn't tell anyone else. It's none of their business. People judge you enough on how you look and act giving them additional ammunition by saying I have a disorder is just asking for trouble. In a perfect world this wouldn't be a problem but this world is far from a perfect world. MafiaKiddo38273.6440393519Here are a few experiences I have had after telling my employer & a few other people.
I worked in a small branch of our county library. I always got "exceeds expectations" on my evaluations. When my direct supervisor had her children, I was promoted to fill her shoes during her two 6 months maternity leaves. After I had been working for the county for 8 years, I was asked to fill in at another branch. This branch was twice as far away from my house. While I was often 5 to 10 minutes late arriving at my own branch, it was mostly overlooked because I was an asset in so many other ways!! My new supervisor liked her staff to arrive 10 min. before the shift started. While she often praised my work, I could tell that my last minute dashes through the door were annoying her. So, I sat her down & told her. She was totally receptive & understanding. However, she also felt she needed to report it to the CEO. It wasn't long before I was called to head office. The same lady (the CEO) who had appointed me to be branch head during those maternity leaves, informed me the ADD was now part of my employment record. She said it was fine & wouldn't effect my job whatsoever - oh except for one small thing - I would no longer be considered for any promotions!!
Also,
I was excused from jury duty because of ADD.
I was declined mortgage insurance because of it.
When I went through my marital separation, I could not find a lawyer who would take it seriously.
Lots of people just give you a blank stare & don't even reply. My all time favorite "horror story", though, is the mental health worker I had who would not allow me to even
say ADD.
Basically, it is rather a huge task to attempt to educate people about it during a short interchange. Damned if you
do damned if you don't!