Five sentence summary In most situations, I don't disclose my ADHD. I find the risk of harm to myself is greater than the potential rewards, and I can often find ways to manage without specifying that I have ADHD. Discrimination comes from all sorts of people and I've watched too many people be hurt professionally or socially when they've disclosed it's ADHD they have. On the other hand, disclosing means finding community, being a role model, and sharing your unique perspective in a world that often thinks ADHD only means hyper white boy who can't sit still in his chair. Everyone's experience is different. Everyone's level of support, position, privilege, comorbidities, and care is different and my experiences may not translate. These are simply my thoughts based on my experiences.
People act completely differently when I disclose that the disability I refer to is ADHD. Sometimes they connect behaviors and issues I have, like remembering things without writing them down, to ADHD. Other times, they advise me to use a planner, make lists, or just remember to eat dinner, as if it is all that simple. There are so many misconceptions about ADHD circling, and I don't want educating the world, my colleagues, my department, my friends, etc. to be my full time job. The truth is, it would become my full time job for me personally. I would take every opportunity to do a training, speak to a class of incoming disabled students, set up a mentoring program for ADHD students, and any other opportunity that was thrown my way. There is a lot of work to be done at nearly every institution and at every level, and I would try to help every ADHD person I could. That's just the way I function.
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Five sentence summary: This post includes a bunch of resources on ADHD including blog posts, podcasts, info on diagnosis, support groups, where I look for research, and more. Please feel free to suggest more resources. For the blogs, podcasts, and groups, I've included the ones I know at least a little something about. This is not an exhaustive list by any means! Be careful and do your homework. While there's definitely more content on the web about ADHD, not all of it is good content. Not all of it is clearly communicated, or it includes science that is suspicious (unproven, biased, or otherwise problematic), or it is all from the same types of voices we always hear from (think white folks with ADHD- and yes, I am a white person with ADHD). I have to give a few disclaimers here about ADHD, science, and personal experiences.
This is not an exhaustive compilation of ADHD resources by any means! In most cases, I try and suggest podcasts, bloggers, and content I am familiar with or follow myself (see the diagnosis heading though). In some cases I may not personally attend a support group, like the ones run by ADHD Babes for example, but I've corresponded with the creators and kept my eye on the group long enough to feel comfortable supporting ADHD Babes and recommending them as a resource, knowing they're ethical and do good work. Please feel free to suggest more resources, although know that I may or may not be able to check them out soon. Resources elsewhere on this very siteI wish I understood Weebly better or had created this website differently, because I know it's not organized as clearly as I would like. Here are some more places for information within this site that might be useful Virtual study and work groups Perspectives and resources on ADHD and learning, everything from writing to coding to neurodivergent open scholarship. Resources for teaching and ADHD (both if you're teaching ADHD students and if you're an ADHD educator yourself) Podcasts
Blogs & websites Rene Brooks runs Black Girl Lost Keys and is wonderful. She has ADHD and has all sorts of advice, fidgets you can purchase, a cool water bottle that has the pill container in it, and guides for everything from meal planning to cleaning your house. Rachel Idowu is the force behind Adulting with ADHD. She covers social inequities in ADHD, ADHD and grief, how she got her diagnosis, and much more. Public Neurodiversity Support Center includes ADHD and is a good stop for information and folks to follow on social media. Where to look for community & support Many of these groups also have websites that are great resources, so you may want to check them out for that reason also. ADHD Hive was created by Ross and Marie and in addition to running free sessions for body doubling, co-working, creative writing, etc., they also have podcasts, and share other resources. They're regularly running support groups. ADHD Babes is for Black women and Black gender minorities. They are always doing support groups and various community activities. White folks, please respect this space and do not ask to join their sessions. Yes, ADHD Babes is awesome and I totally wish I could join them too, but there are plenty of other spaces. The Unicorn Squad is a Facebook group created for Black marginalized genders created by Rene Brooks. Again, white folks, please respect this space. Marc Almodovar founded ADHD Men's Support which is a Facebook community specifically for men. He also does meet-ups. NDPostgrads is a support network for neurodivergent PhDs, early career researchers, and postgraduate researchers with regular meetings. Reason Network (Researchers and Students on Neurodiversity) is for neurodivergent students, academics, and staff in higher education. Get in touch with them at [email protected] if you're not on Twitter. They're in the process of setting up a website and Discord server. Central ADHD has a Discord for university and college students with ADHD and they do study sessions and events. Neurodivergent on Campus is a Discord group started in 2023. ADHDDesigner does body doubling/co-working sessions on Twitch. JPB Gerald has a Discord for People of Color who are neurodivergent. Contact him through Twitter (@JPBGerald) or email ([email protected]) him to join. Diagnosis & Care Getting an ADHD diagnosis is by no means a requirement, although it can open doors. Access to diagnosis depends on health insurance, geography, $$$, race, age, and gender. The pandemic increased the number of virtual or telehealth options for ADHD treatment and diagnosis (Some operate in all states and others have more limitations). In the US, the cost for assessment alone (assuming paying out of pocket) seems to be around $150. There are options like ADHD Online does official assessments for $149 in all 50 states and seems to have good reviews from Twitter folks, Circle Medicine for $249 for two needed appointments, KarityADHD for $149, and others (note that I do not have any personal experience with being diagnosed for ADHD through virtual means). JPB Gerald talks about his diagnosis in, "How my ADHD Diagnosis Gave Me Permission to Stop Trying too Hard." Black and Neurodiverse (BAND) has an assessment fund that certain folks can apply for when the application period is open. Like I said, there are limitations, including living in the UK and being between the ages of 18-30. I believe this assessment fund is offered periodically, so if it is not available, I apologize. Please check back again or contact them for more information. Pursuing a diagnosis in Scotland as an international student is discussed in this Voices of Academia podcast episode (transcript). Online news article, "Why women may wait decades for an ADHD diagnosis" on women in the UK. You can read Rachel Idowu's experience, "How I got my ADHD diagnosis on the NHS". Science and nerdy resources and groups The Intersectional Neurodiversity and Disability Reading Groups both meet monthly and are neurodivergent-led and disabled-led. They read intersectional academic texts on neurodiversity and/or disability. They also have a YouTube channel, host webinars, and put on a fabulous flipped webinar on disability and race in 2021 and you can read all of the blog posts.
I like ScienceDaily as a general news website because their posts are generally short, well-written, and they have an ADHD tag so it is easier to find the latest research. I also like Neuroscience News and they have an ADHD tag as well. I created a list on Twitter of folks and groups studying ADHD and/or attention and memory. Please feel free to recommend more folks and accounts. Unfortunately most of the news sites I've found (ScienceDaily and Neuroscience News) that conglomerate studies contain research that largely confirms to a medical model of disability, so it can be disheartening to read a lot of content about your deficiencies and the cost of ADHD. If anyone knows of good sources consolidating social science research on ADHD, or scientific research on ADHD following more of a social disability model, please let me know. Five sentence summary
There is no one right way to experience ADHD. There is no singular correct way to view ADHD. Everyone is entitled to their own experience of their ADHD and all of these experiences are valid. The trouble starts when we police other people's experiences and when we carelessly speak about our experiences as if they are universal.
Some folks love their ADHD and view it as a superpower. Some folks hate their ADHD and want it gone. Some people love their ADHD in certain conditions and hate it other times. Some people love their ADHD but hate the inaccessibility of society. All of these views are valid. All of these views are true in some sense.
There is no one right way to experience ADHD nor is there one right way to view ADHD. Your experience of ADHD is your experience. It's limited, it may have aspects that are entirely unique and aspects that are not. It is affected by your family, your race, your support network, culture, education, income, genetics, any other disorders/diseases/conditions you may have, and all the other parts of your life and your identity. ADHD manifests itself in many ways, is experienced by people differently, and everyone is entitled to their own experience of their ADHD.
ADHD may play a small part in your life or it may be all-consuming. You may constantly be aware of your ADHD or you may think about it only when someone else mentions it. How much you think about your ADHD can depend on the type of ADHD you have, the spaces you live, work, and play in, and the support systems you have. It can depend on the treatment you have received and at what age it started. For those diagnosed as a child, it's something that has long been a part of their identity. Maybe it's never questioned or considered or maybe you're very much aware of how it affects you. For those diagnosed as an adult, perhaps it explains all sorts of behaviors and events, why you felt different, but a late diagnosis may also add confusion and seemingly endless questions.
Don't police others and don't extrapolate carelessly
The problems arise when we start policing other people's ADHD. If we react without considering the other person's experience (which is hard because our hyperactivity means we may react too quickly), we risk causing harm. If we reply, "You need to be more positive, ADHD is a gift" when someone is discussing how much trouble they're having juggling multiple projects, that can hurt. No one wants their experiences negated. Throw in RSD, and the damage increases substantially.
At the same time, there is a difference between disregarding someone's experience entirely and questioning their perspective from a neutral or kind heart. When someone remarks on a comment I've made in a completely different way, rather than shut myself down and think, "No, that's not what I meant. That's not my experience. That person doesn't understand." I try and take a breath and ask, "Well, what happens if they're right or partially right? Could their perspective make sense? What direction might they be coming from and how would this experience look from that direction?" I try to balance my own knowledge of my ADHD while recognizing that I will never know everything and that learning will only make me stronger, more fulfilled, and happier in the long run. If I have the opportunity to learn from someone who disagrees with my experience of ADHD, I try to take it, especially if I know it comes from a place of kindness or at least honest curiosity. If I suspect the person is trying to start an argument or has ulterior motives, well I have enough on my plate and I don't need to spend energy on that conversation or those thoughts. Problems can also arise when we make statements or speak about our ADHD and our circumstances as though they are everyone's circumstances and as if everyone experiences ADHD like we do. When we thoughtlessly expand our personal experiences beyond ourselves, we risk ignoring the diversity of ADHD brains and the unique experiences individuals have. Just because you can order three months of ADHD medications that are stimulants in your state does not mean everyone can. You may find your colleagues treat you much worse after disclosing your ADHD, but some folks disclose and their work conditions improve. Be mindful when giving advice, especially concerning accommodations, what is and what isn't legal (and telling someone to sue), medications, and any advice where the person receiving could be adversely and severely affected by misinformation.
For example, don't tell a student that registering with the disability office will only take a week or two if you don't know for certain it will take this exact student at this exact school with this exact documentation a week or two to register. If they wait a week before school starts and the process is more involved, that student likely won't have accommodations they need by the time classes begin. Don't tell someone a certain medication should be covered by insurance if you don't know what insurance that person has, what country they're in, what their relationship with their doctor is, etc. Most of the time we're just excited to share our experiences and get the information out there, but we can seriously misinform someone and make their life a lot harder when they're following advice built for someone on a different continent.
Your ADHD is your ADHD. However you feel about it is valid and you shouldn't feel pressured to accept it as a superpower or a disability if it doesn't feel that way to you. Recognize what experiences are yours, how your history, circumstances, family, doctors, and society has all shaped your ADHD, and be mindful not to extrapolate wildly. Your ADHD is your ADHD, but it is also only your ADHD. Key points:
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AuthorThere's a reason theADHDAcademic is an anonymous account and there's a reason why this website will remain anonymous That said, there are some basics it might be helpful to know about me: DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional or a lawyer of any kind. All text, graphics, and content on this website are for educational purposes only. Any and all content should not be substituted for medical or legal advice. Although I strive to provide the most accurate, current, and scientifically sound information, content should never be substituted for professional advice. Always consult a medical and/or legal professional before making any decisions. Links are provided only for reference and do not necessarily imply endorsement.
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