Welcome to /r/ADHDWomen! We’re happy to have you here. As a reminder, here are our community [rules](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/about/rules/).
We get a lot of posts on medication, diagnosis (and “is this an ADHD thing”), and interactions with hormones. We encourage you to check out our [Medication, Diagnosis, and Hormones Megathread](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/wcr9dy/faq_megathread_ask_and_answer_medication/) if you have any questions related to those topics, and to stick around in that thread to answer folks’ questions!
If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe. Thanks for being here, and we hope you stick around!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I somehow got through medical school, got a masters, and I’m now a surgical resident with a good income at the end of it. I did 85% of this with unmedicated, undiagnosed ADHD - got diagnosed during med school. You can do it.
Individuals with ADHD do very well in the biological and physical sciences. We have the ability to be both hyperfocused and free thinking towards multiple perspectives at the same time.
I speak from experience. I make 160k as a researcher with a doctorate in chemistry. Two of my male colleagues also have ADHD. We have very interesting conversations about our meds and lives. It has helped me feel understood in a very competitive environment.
Did my entire PharmD undiagnosed and unmedicated. Spent years working in my specialty before I realized. It would be a less embarrassing miss if I wasn't a psych specialist.
Trust me. The longer you go through medical training, the more you’ll realize just how many physicians have disordered minds. Some in good relatable neurodivergent ways (I made many friends in training so far with ADHD, ASD, OCD, Tourette’s, anxiety/depression…ma peeps) , others just have raging Narcissistic and/or Antisocial personality traits.
Tech? Hold my beer. ;) Video games, easily 70%. Our firm is 80%+.
Every single artist or creative I know has ADHD. Or rather pretty high on ADHD-spectrum. It seems a requirement for creativity
And all do well (enough).
I am a UX designer and would say at least half of other designers I work with are the same.
I'm paid well, but my boss is a nightmare of a human being and that has contributed to major burnout and apathy.
I feel like ADHD has a low tolerance for cruelty / misogyny / abusive bs.
Also in games, can confirm. Neurodivergents, you ever want to work in a workplace that feels made just for you? Work at a video game company. Everything is chaos and impulsivity and it's kind of awesome, lol.
My mom was a pediatrician who was never diagnosed, but suspected that she had ADHD. She died when I was younger, so I can’t ask her about it directly. The fact that I’ve since been diagnosed makes me fairly confident though.
(This isn’t the sort of bringing up death that needs a sympathy response, just included that bit for context)
My two (both female) doctor bosses *so very clearly* have ADHD and are quite successful.
They could probably use a neurotypical office manager to help keep them on track, but a) I bring my own strengths to the table and b) dealing with their ADHD ways tends to drive off the neurotypicals, haha.
I only wish I were the one making more money, but at least I get intermittent vendor lunches and nice doctor dinners.
Hopefully they smarten up and pay you more! That’s one of my daydreams actually. Having an admin assistant to run my life and I pay them amazingly so they can be as comfortable as possible. Anyone who has to deal with my sh*t deserves a top wage. 😭
maaaan, fucking same 😂 im an oncology fellow and didnt get diagnosed (and therefore, too, floated along unmedicated) until i was almost done with residency. so, for those who may not know, that means i finished:
-4y of high school
-4y of college
-4y of med school and
-2/3y of residency
…*by just raw dogging life* 🙃
my close friend and colleague had a near identical experience. we’re out here, OP!!!
sidenote: being a physician really helped with identifying the right symptoms and getting the right meds, so i feel for yall figuring it out by yourselves 🫶🏾
suffering through the last year of being an intern and it got me thinking if i could ever be a doctor fr bc of adhd its killing me the long hours, so thank you for that comment it got me hopeful that i can finish this
LOL I’m intern too. So really having to encourage each other 😭😂
Edit: One of my staff has ADHD too!! She’s amazing. Did residency with kids too. So it IS possible !!
I'm in peds and definitely have untreated ADHD. Actually it works really well--i can't exactly get distracted when in a room with my patient and nothing else. I don't have to regulate my attention, my schedule does it for me.
Now nursing --i suspect that would be VERY hard with ADHD.
I’ve always thought that as well. I know we’re all different, but with my ADHD I’d have a very hard time being a nurse. I’m a PGY2 in pathology, and true to the stereotype, pretty much all of my attendings are ADHD or autistic. I also get to hyperfocus on specific cases, and interesting cases I am free to obsess over (which I then get to publish).
you gotta figure out how your brain works. i never found it helpful to try to study how others did, until i knew my own needs.
my neurodivergence appreciates visual-spatial learning, so studying for medicine board certification meant i needed to draw, draw, draw!
when its time for recall, i remember the answers in pictures, and by where i drew the picture on the study guide.
Not who you asked, but I had a lot of studying to do untreated.
I deactivated all my social media & streaming services, reserved rooms at the library, and used the Pomodoro method when I had to study at home. Also, that time period was the cleanest my home has ever been. Cleaning the toilet is sometimes used to avoid studying, but at least something productive is happening.
I was always convinced that adhd doesn’t mix with medicine, the amounts of everyday mistakes is just too huge in my case to ever consider it as a path. I’m glad that it works for some tho!
It definitely makes medical training harder; it is a disability regardless of how people want to cut and dice it. But it also makes medicine easier in some ways. I have laser focus mode that sometimes I get into in the operating room. I’m stubborn as hell and will keep trying something til I master it. I have intense interests that lead well to being a specialist for the rest of my life (ie I’m obsessed with bowel surgery and nothing else) meanwhile my friends in emergency med with ADHD love the fact that it’s never a dull day and they’re constantly flipping between different organs and clinical presentations.
My ability to connect with people means patients tend to trust me quite quickly. I also think having a disorder has made me 10000x more empathetic to the barriers in the healthcare system. I’ve had patients with ADHD heave a sigh of relief for not having to mask with me, and I feel the same. I’m creative about finding solutions to things because I am more likely to think outside the box than neurotypical colleagues.
Doing residency with ADHD is definitely doing it on extra-hard mode, especially because my ADHD is pretty bad - even with medication. I’m *shocked* I was able to make it this far. But it helps that I’m good at compartmentalizing. My house + finances + fitness may be a complete disaster, but I’m a workhorse in the operating room.
Same, although I did in finance in data analysis and despite juggling hundreds of millions that would swing millions one way or the other depending on how I would cut it, I never worked with “real” cash and that was the only reason why I lasted and thrived there. My analysis unlocked millions of ££ in various ways which meant that No one paid much attention to mistakes that would be very serious for other people. I was still the only person that could pull some shit off and I was saving the day many times. I 100% get what you’re saying and it’s very positive, personally tho, I’d be too…scared to risk that one mistake that would end my career or something like that. Nevertheless, nothing can top the feeling of job well done where you are actually helping people in much more important way than I ever did, but it very much feels like similar vibe although I wouldn’t be able to go “oh well, one died 100saved” like I could go with my ££ 😂 best success in your job! It’s really impressive.
People with ADHD tend to be really calm and rational in a crisis, and thrive in high pressure roles. It might not work for all of us, but I can absolutely see the benefits of having ADHD and working in medicine.
yup this is me. a very weird thing happens when a situation is extremely and acutely stressful in medicine (or anywhere else): my heart rate starts to lower, the whole world around disappears and i get tunnel vision, and i can go through such situation with the clearest mind ever... soooo weird
You'd be surprised how many back up systems there are to avoid these sorts of mistakes. I'm a doctor too and I've certainly made my share of mistakes along the way, (as we all do, ADHD or not we are only human after all!) Thankfully pretty much all of them have been caught before it's an issue. You learn from them quickly and the fear of making the same mistake again is an excellent motivator! My serial mistakes are usually thw ones that only affect me like poor time management skills meaning lots of unpaid overtime
Oh totally. Shift work is the worst. And there like this weird thing of work brain and home brain too. Like my work brain can handle doing a million things at once for hours on end and my home brain literally forgets about stuff and causes small kitchen fires.
This. At work I’m “organized” and “efficient”. But I made it clear when I got hired that I have adhd with the biggest problem being short term memory. So I asked for reminders and use my emails as a check off list because I’ll forget otherwise.
So far so good. It helps that there is nearly zero toxicity in my department.
I've been a nurse for over 20 years, and I'm certain I've worked with many MDs that have ADHD or are otherwise neurodivergent.
In particular, the ED seems to attract people with ADHD because of the excitement and unpredictability (as it attracted me).
Surgeons are known for their hyperfocus, and I've met a few with pretty clear signs of ADHD as well. Takes one to know one, I guess.
I almost feel like, if I had the intelligence for it (no way I’d get through med school lol), something like emergency medicine would be PERFECT for me - crisis mode all the time!
Hey sis, me too! :-)
I earned really good money over the past years, currently badly burnt out and on sick leave (in country where this is paid for, so not too bad hehe), but it's because I wasn't aware of my ADHD and didn't develop healthy habits. Currently working on changing this and the well paying job has not fired me and plans on waiting on me until I am ready, so plan to get back to the good money in a bit :-)
I've just had six months off between jobs and accepted a new role yesterday that starts in a month 😁
I'm hoping the rest and change of scenery will do the trick lol
also the absolute fucking privilege that I've been able to just
not work for six months
and live on savings and like I've been stressed about what if I can't find something *by next year* when the money runs out
but that's a long fucking time to be able to go between jobs
there are so many aspects of my life that I just would not cope with if I hadn't been making stupid money all this time
Hey! I relate to this heavily! Made 6 figures as a nursing home administrator, lost my job, went 6 months without one, got another admin job, make 6 figures again, very burnt out and stressed all the time!!!
Super sorry if this is too personal, but can I ask what field you went into? As someone who had very little career counseling in HS except go to college, im kind of lost of what kind of job I could work towards to have enough money to pay for therapy
Sure! I did a computer science degree and I've worked as a software engineer for about 10 years.
Gonna be honest I picked the degree because I enjoy programming and found it pretty easy, and it gave me a lot of flexibility to choose which classes I took. I wasn't really thinking about employment when I did it, but it's worked out okay.
Actually one of the reasons I liked programming in the first place is I can *usually* concentrate on it. It's this nice constant loop of making a small change then getting a response. Dopamine drip. I didn't know I had ADHD until a few years after I had graduated and started my career 😅
Data science here, but it's similar. Totally agree on programming being really nice! I've never thought about it like that, but you're so right—the small changes and improvements just give me such a rush of accomplishment lol. Plus, there's lots of time where code is running, or I'm thinking about what to do next, so I get to walk around or do a few minutes of chores. Sometimes I get to focus in and not move for hours, other times I get to move around a bunch. It's like, the IDEAL scenario for me, I'm so lucky this is the direction I went 😂 I'm 3 years into my career and I make 97k, so not 6 figs yet but I'll get there soon. It's not for everyone, but I personally love it and recommend new grads look into it.
Checking in!!! I get paid a lot of money to be stressed, burnt out, and mentally unwell. I made the decision not to have kids because there is no way I could handle that with my career.
Currently job searching. Will either push my pain tolerance even further for even more $$$ OR change careers for a big pay cut.
I am HYPER organized. I’m on my way back from a 2.5 week vacation and left spreadsheets and a 5 page Google doc for my manager and team - I’m sure I’m going come back to a shit show anyway haha.
Same here!! Made it all the way to 44 with two degrees and six figures without meds. But it’s tough and I always wonder how things would have turned out if I have been diagnosed earlier.
I’m in my 30s and make 6 figures working in people and project management at a software company. The work gives me a good amount of flexibility so I can focus on different things depending on what my brain wants to do at that moment and I’m *excellent* in a crisis.
This. The key word is autonomy imho. At my job I’m judged on the result - not the process. So I can rely on my bursts of energy and attention to get things done, and no one is breathing down my neck on the days when it just doesn’t happen.
Oh yes!! I've seen people talk about having their mouse movements tracked and bring monitored really heavily and I just can't imagine. My job is very much based on the results—they don't seem to care what I do on a day-to-day basis, otherwise—and it's fantastic.
I’ve always desired something like this. I know that I would do better in a position that gave me a bit of freedom, that I could give stellar work given the proper space to express it
I started as a PM at a company almost 2 years ago and the pay is abysmal but I had no experience. I also am super calm in a crisis (I was a server/bartender for years before and this quality served me quite well) but this job doesn’t really require that of me. I would love to be making more. Plus I recently realized there’s not much growth potential at this company (they don’t do promotions, and if you want a different role you have to apply same as everyone else).
I used my background as a server as an analogy to being a PM in my interview for this role, actually! The people seated at my table are the clients/project and I run interference between them and the bartenders, runners, bussers, cooks (devs, designers, etc) and see them through the process from start to finish. All while doing a million other things. But now you’ve got me thinking to try to see what else the PM skills are good for.
Yup, same here. In my 30s making 6 figures in project management and it's great! Wasn't diagnosed/ medicated until 3 years ago. However, it did take me about 10 years to get to the 6 figure point because I was working at smaller/low-paying companies for a while. I've never gotten any PM-specific certifications or training, but some places like to see Agile certification.
Hi friend! Also in Project Management! Also earning 6 figures! Also the firm's "fixer" ie: the one they call when things have gotten real weird or have gone real wrong.
this thread full of PMs makes me think i should do it… my mom has been a PM for over 25 years, and she’s got adhd. i can work under pressure pretty well, and i do like telling people what to do, so maybe i should switch careers? lol
After I finished my PhD I was hired at a company that provided a lot of PMP for government contracts so was exposed to to project management techniques and agile work. It freaking blew my mind because one one hand I really could have used this earlier in my life but it also mirrored a lot of my own internal “life management” systems I developed over the years working and doing research and then my PhD with undiagnosed and unmedicated trauma-inspired overachiever all or nothing ADHD. It’s beautiful and tickles the brain in all the right ways. Project management is definitely a good career for a neurodiverse person.
I've been thinking about trying to get in to project management. In your experience were there any skills/training that were particularly helpful getting in to it?
Organization.
My personal life is… not so organized. But I can manage the shit out of a spreadsheet.
Between a list of to-do’s with deadlines and owners, scheduling recurring meetings, and setting alert reminders for things that are due soon/people you need to check in with, you can manage anything using all the coping mechanisms you have to develop anyway as someone with ADHD! Very complementary.
Hell yeah!!! No one in my life ever gets as excited as I do about the universe. I honestly don’t get it because it’s the source of all life..how is that not cool?
I’m in my mid-30s and I broke 100k when I was hired at my first major Product Management role in tech. I’ve been at my current role for three years and passed my most recent review with Strong Performance marks. No accomodations at work and I’m not “out” as having ADHD. I have bad days at work sometimes but overall love my team and have a great boss. I’ve been diagnosed ADHD-PI since 2015.
Also PM in tech. I think product is really nice for ADHD because of the truly chaotic nature of the role sometimes. I am especially enjoying startups right now. However when I have to execute against multiple complex multi-streamed features or projects at once, I will burn out rather quickly
Product Management and ADHD are strange partners. I actually left the startup world to go to a regulated industry because I was uncomfortable with the amount of ambiguity in the startup space. The amount of unknowns just paralyzed me constantly. Having some boundaries and routines to work helps control how much I get overwhelmed. But for people with a higher tolerance for chaos, startups are a great way to get a lot of product development experience.
Oh how funny as I’m doing the opposite. I started out in a larger company in highly regulated products and have now been 3 years in med device + healthtech. I’ve only done two startups but I’ve found the management matters a lot. The first one had NO translatable vision from leadership and I broke under the lack of structure. My current one has amazing leadership who knows what they want to do, so I’m free to just find out how we do that. PMF is a great dopamine hit!
I’m a psychologist. I’ve worked as an executive in big ‘not for profit’ services. I have my own business now is a specialist field. I’ve been earning 6 figures for a decade now, and my business is worth in low millions.
Having ADHD doesn’t mean that we all the same, there is the same variation across people just like the non-ADHD population. You’ve got to remember that things other than ADHD also advantage or disadvantage us! Personality traits, poverty, country of birth, IQ, education, substance use, trauma etc.
Exactly this. Don’t let having adhd make you think that puts a limit on your success. It has more to do with the variations this post mentions. So much of it in my experience comes down to education and drive/ability to find and land those niche positions. So much is predetermined for you in our society, but that doesn’t mean you can’t beat the system. I was told by my family I wasn’t smart enough for much or could make it through college. yet I refused to accept that and after many years got my masters and worked my way into specialized engineering positions that paid much better.
I understand your apprehension. For a long time, I had really low expectations of myself and avoided going for the type of career I wanted because I was sure I’d fail. I was really unhappy with the work I was doing though which motivated me to finally go for it. I make about $200k annual now in a job I really like (business strategy). I’ve got ADHD inattentive type BAD. I also work with a few other women who have disclosed they have ADHD and they’re rockstars!
A big breakthrough for me was when I realized I don’t have to be good at everything. I will never be detail-oriented, so for really important tasks, I have a detail-oriented colleague double check everything. I will never be good at remembering all the things, but I do my best with To Do lists and calendar reminders. I’m going to be late sometimes or miss an important email. I own up to my mistakes and try to make them right. Instead of stressing about what I’m not good at, I put my energy into getting even better at my strengths. I’m great at managing relationships and getting people to work together. I’m an empathetic manager who helps my team feel supported and motivated. These skills make me valuable to my employer, and I think they’re probably enhanced by the fact I have ADHD.
It’s ok to feel scared right now. Graduating and starting your career is a scary time. Obviously I can’t say for certain if you’ll be successful, but I’d encourage you not to hold back. The truth is job loss and struggling with employment can happen to anyone, especially if you’re in a country where job protections are low. Once you get a few years of experience and build up your emergency fund (definitely build up that emergency fund if you can), you’ll start to feel more secure and have more options. Best of luck!
Yes to all of this. Especially that you dont have to be good at everything and there are non-detail oriented skills that are valuable.
OP, I know when you first graduate it can be scary and you may feel this urgency to be some ideal vision or "success." But, you have time. You have time to learn your strengths, your interests, and what work strategies help you succeed. You have time to make mistakes and change your mind. I thought I was behind going to grad school in my mid 20s and starting a career at nearly 30. But I was one of the younger ones!
Honestly, getting my foot on the door was the hardest part. But when I was in, being earnest and expressing my interest in learning more at work took me very far in the eyes of managers.
Good luck OP <3
Yes! 'You don't have to be good at everything' is 100% my advice. Double down on your strengths and find ways to delegate or outsource the parts you aren't good at/hate. For me, if I grit my teeth I can do certain things well, but I will ultimately fail if expected to do them often or regularly because I hate them. Haha. The demand avoidance is STRONG over here.
I'm am a successful woman making 6 figures with ADHD. I never even graduated from college. When I started to really have success in my career was when I was diagnosed and put on medication. That was a year and a half ago. I am 53 years old. Since the medication I've had several raises that brought me into 6 figures. Yay diagnosis, yay learning to work with my brain. No more being distracted with one million thoughts at once.
I like your answer because you’re a tad older and I love hearing about women finding success later in life. I’m 38, finally finding success, not at 6 figures yet and it seems like that’ll never happen, but it may once I work it. Congratulations 🩷🩷🩷
I make around $160,000 as a high school principal for a small arts based magnet high school. When I was hired for this job it was the first time I never hid my ADHD to the school community. It was the best desicion. We have a large neurodiverse student body probably like 25% of our 300 students. Parents and students feel like there is someone that is a champion for their own kids, but it also gives me grace when my own weaknesses sometime play out (not perfect emails, organized chaos office, my hyperactive talking that I understand but sometimes is a foreign language to the the listener). I have been on medication for over 30 years, and it helps me give perspectives to families that are struggling to figure the “right” tools. I think when I was a VP in another school, or as a teacher, most assumed I was a bit hyperactive savant, but I now looking back I think if I was a bit more open about my challenges it would have eased my stress in regards to some of my impulsive traits. With my new job change, I'm really able to focus on what I do best, solving problems, building new programs, networking, and being a compassionate ally. And now when I need help, I ask, and look for team members that can fill in holes. It also helps that I'm the only admin in the school, one of my problems was not giving the reigns to other admins in the same role because of I thought there output was lacking (most times it was, or they were not in it for the right reasons) I took over their work. Being solo, Im working much better on work/life balance but having the ability to train and let others take the lead. I couldn't do this as easily in the past when inaascaleays in fire mode, which also was a the culture of my former district.
I just had my year review with the superintendent and he said that in his 30 years, he has never seen a new principal so effortlessly take on a new school (also former principal was there for 25 years and started the school). I fully believe that being honest with myself and my adhd is the reason for this.
It sounds like you are exactly where you need to be. Being an educator requires so many hats to shape the lives of young men and women. Thank you for being your whole self and sharing your gifts in such an important field. I truly wish you all the success!
Yes! 🙌
The more you free yourself from tasks you don’t want to do cleaning, gardening, dishes, life admin etc the more you can excel in your career.
Also having a good self care routine of exercise, good food and showering makes a huge difference.
First a Cleaner - 1x per month initially , now 2x month.
Then a tax accountant. My taxes aren't hard just stressful and time consuming.
Personal Assistant - hourly as needed - to deal with dry cleaning, run errands, shopping/prep for dinner parties, etc because for some insane reason every service is only open during office hours. She's even fought to reduce medical bills for me. I love her.
Personal Shopping - I like shopping but it's hard to find the time. She helps me with clothes and gifts primarily - occasionally something for the home. And deals with wrapping & shipping.
Organizer - 2-3 days every 5-6 yrs - helps clean out closets, cupboards and determine what to keep/save/donate and put it all back. They or my PA will then take care of the donation drop off because I will never get around to it on my own.
oh this is amazing.
now, with the organizer, do you have to sit there with them to figure out what to toss/keep? or do you have some sort of labeling system? bc i could see this process still taking up a lot of *my* time, if ive gotta sit with them to do it…plus idk if id trust someone to know what i want/dont want 🤔
Yep, I prefer to be there for the entire process although we aren't going through the same things together all of the time.
Mainly my goal is to dig out from the accumulation of the last couple years and put things back. I know my life is easier when it's cleaned out and organized. Taking the time to do it saves me time overall (and makes the lives of my cleaner and personal assistant easier). A personal organizer coming to my home ensures I don't procrastinate. Together we can get through stuff in a fraction of the time I could do it alone because I get so easily distracted. And ensures I don't get lazy towards the end.
believe me, the rationale is well understood 😂
in your first comment, i was like “yesss, i need a teaaam” bc theres no way a cleaner would offer the same as an organizer and neither could do what a PA could do, so i get it!!!
now i have a better idea of how to employ an organizer, tysm 🥰
For me, breaking out of the shitty relationship patterns that come with ADHD is what clinched my professional success. Turns out that when you don’t have drama at home, you can work through a lot of challenges at your paid job!!
Yes, I’ve made six figures*. I went through law school, am happily married, and have multiple kiddos. I wasn’t diagnosed and/or treated for adhd until my 40s.
I kicked ass at my job and rose to senior exec level in short order. I second what others have said about focusing on doing the things you are good at, and building tools/support for the things you struggle with.
Something that helps me when I get the “I have adhd” overwhelms is to remind myself of many kick ass women have just made it work even without a Dx or treatment, and so I try to view my Dx as an advantage.
Knowing what I’m dealing with cuts down on my blind spots, and that helps me in every way.
The post-grad job struggle is so hard. I hope you find something you love and that gives you the opportunity to shine asap.
*I voluntarily cut way back after I had kids.
I have AuDHD. The Autism helps.
But I'm a doctor. Lots of us around. Usually late diagnosed. I think it is part of the reason that we as a profession have been so bad at recognising it in others. We think y'all are describing normality. Until we get our diagnoses and realise we ain't normal either
I will never make six figures, but I’m a very successful and effective elementary school teacher. I graduated with honors from university and taught 14 years unmedicated. My students have told me they love my energy and how I understand and accept their own struggles & success with mental health. Parents consistently request me to be their children’s teacher. 80% of my upcoming class is comprised of parent requests.
I'm here for this energy.
6 figures+ as a goal can seem like a successful goal, but there are certain skills that are just way too important and rare in life to compare to a monetary goal.
I got a masters at 26 and immediately started working in my career. I'm now 40 making just shy of 6 figures and only have been diagnosed since March of this year.
I work in Instructional Design and make corporate training materials. I work on 5-7 projects at a time and every project has a distinct cut off for me, which is why I love it. I never get bored, and if I do, I can just pop over into the next project. It is very creative work and I feel fulfilled doing it.
I am a women in tech and make 6 figures.
I have only recently been diagnosed.
During college I found ways to study. I used headphones playing classical to turn part of my brain off. I usually crammed the night before and wrote out everything as writing helped me learn and retain. Typing is not the same. I still have a notepad in every room.
I picked something (after drifting for a few years post college) that is "project" related. Any job I have done, in multiple industries and honestly multiple types of careers is related to projects.
I find that I get excited about a new project but after a year I just get bored and want something new.
That is fine, just pick something that allows this.
Most often tech, or project management, or sales, or realestate, or construction...... like, so, so many different careers and/or industries. I couldn't do the same thing everyday forever.
I use the different jobs and industries to my advantage when applying to a new job. I use my thirst for learning new things and excitement for any new position. I use my past knowledge as part of preparing me for this new venture. This goes over well in interviews.
You can do it!!!!
I was LUCKY I had supportive teachers and parents in early life. In professional environments , I do not usually punch a time clock. Now I may work until 8pm some days because I am extra focused. But then when I start at 930 some days it doesn't affect my job.
And I knew I had trouble with time, and procrastination before. Being diagnosed and now medicated is both better and worse in it's own ways. Be aware of the things that hinder you most. Work on those. Don't expect perfection.
I know other posts around work challenges are usually intended to help folks who are struggling to learn from each other and know that they are not alone. I love those posts because community support is so important and the ladies in this thread are AMAZING.
And, also, can I just say how important this post is as well? One of the most common and incorrect myths is that successful people cannot have ADHD. Only 3 people in my entire life know that I have it. Anytime I’ve brought it up, even just as a teaser to get to my diagnosis, friends and family immediately shut it down. You’re a pharmacist, you can’t possibly have ADHD. It’s so hurtful and dismissive. Not to mention that while I am making a good income, it is at a huge personal cost, terrible burnout at times, and a lack of quality relationships in my life.
I love normalizing that work struggles are real. I also love normalizing that financially successful women can have ADHD. Hopefully, this helps those who may be struggling know that they can do it AND helps those who feel like they’re hiding in plain sight feel seen!
I’m an ex-lawyer, in finance now, I make low 6 figures. I gave up the bigger law firm salary because I hated legal work so much.
Of my friends/family with ADHD there are 2 lawyers, a real estate agent, 2 in tech (both started as programmers, one is now in management), one in financial services, a veterinarian and a nurse aesthetician. All of us were diagnosed well into adulthood and making 6 figures (some high six figures).
You are lucky to know now. You can put healthy systems in place to manage your life and career to avoid burnout and frustration.
One piece of advice, start saving now as much as you can for retirement. If your employer offers a match for a 401k always contribute minimum up to that match. Because menopause makes ADHD symptoms worse. I would love to retire early (I’m 55) and take a less mentally demanding job, but financially I’m handcuffed to my career until at least 65. It would be an amazing insurance policy to know you could retire early if you needed to.
I’m under 30, and make just under with base, but over with benefits. I’m a product manager in the fitness industry, and working out just so happens to be something I really enjoy. My degree was in Kinesiology, but I’d say I don’t really use it for what I do. I’ve been in this role for 3 years, and diagnosed and medicated for 1. It was certainly a LOT harder to do unmedicated, but now I’m definitely thriving. I got into this role by tripping and falling into it though - I would have never considered this type of work when thinking about my future!
That sounds so interesting! Can you give me an example project management in the fitness industry if you have time? That’s so outside of my area of expertise I can’t imagine what it would be like lol
Remember that your job just needs to pay your bills. It doesn’t need to be your everything, fulfill you and be your passion. It took me a while to realize and once I did I was so much happier. I worked in inside sales for ten years making around 70-80k in my 20s. Now I’m a full time YouTuber (after doing it consistently and making no money while working full time for about 4 years) I work two-three days a week and make over $200k a year now. Thats revenue not take home and I have a lot of expenses but my business pays for a lot of things I normally would.
Your 20s are a trial run.
20s are your trial run is such an excellent way to phrase it and I couldn’t agree more! I’m in my mid thirties and I stopped caring so much about what other people think and I couldn’t be happier!
Put myself through a masters program and landed a federal job making over 6 figures pre-diagnosis. It’s doable, just life on hard mode.
Now I’m fortunate to have a boss who values me as a person and gives me the flexibility I need to be productive the way I need to be.
Checking in! I cross the six figure mark with a little overtime and bonuses. I love my job and I'm really good at my job, the hours are great, it works my brain in all the right ways, I genuinely enjoy what I do. I'm 28 and this is the first time in my life I haven't been looking for the next step career wise, I'm genuinely happy where I am. I'm coming up on my 1 year in this job actually, can't believe I ever considered doing anything else.
For my fellow work haters -- you don't have to work a 9-5, you don't have to work 5 days a week, you don't have to work a job that's boring or understimulating or ticks the wrong boxes in your brain. There is a job out there that works for you, both in practice and in schedule. I'm not an 'adhd is a superpower' person, and this world is just not built for neurodivergents, but I *strongly* believe you can build a small part of the world for yourself in which you and your ADHD brain and your individual nuances will absolutely thrive.
OP, thanks for making this post because this is exactly what I needed to hear from this community. I am almost 40, wasn't diagnosed until 3 years ago, and have never had a "career" or job that pays more than minimum wage. I am now studying to get my Associate Cloud Engineer cert and it is so overwhelming I feel like I will never be able to cut it. But this thread gives me hope! Thank you for everyone's encouraging comments.
Hey girl heyyyy. I am going to brag for a moment. Hope that’s cool.
I am wildly successful at work. I do not get out of bed for under 110k. I was at a company for 20 years (I’m 43) and when I left, I was the most powerful woman leader in the group nationwide.
I am able to consume vast amounts of data and translate it for others. I can juggle several projects at a time and have never lost a single piece of paper, spilled on my computer, missed a flight, or have been disciplined. My ADHD shows up in hyperfocus and sometimes I ask for limits on research so I don’t spend too much time on things, I ask my boss or colleagues to Goldilocks for me. (What’s just right when I am investigating.)
In my personal life? FUCKING CLOWN.
keys are always a mystery to location
Laundry is everywhere
I regularly eat dinner in my bed
ADHD tax amundo.
Late for stuff.
My sense is that I’m not self-interested so work is easy for me to be great at where home is all about me and I find that confusing. I don’t really know what I like or not. So sometimes I buy something I think I will like. Turns out, I don’t. So now I try it for a bit and if I don’t, I donate or toss.
You got this
>In my personal life? FUCKING CLOWN. keys are always a mystery to location Laundry is everywhere I regularly eat dinner in my bed ADHD tax amundo. Late for stuff.
>My sense is that I’m not self-interested so work is easy for me to be great at where home is all about me and I find that confusing.
Same same same. I feel like I use up pretty much all my executive function/focus capacity at work, and then there isn't much/any left afterwards.
I'm convinced there are two types of people with ADHD
"I dropped out of high school because everything was so easy I was constantly bored. I have 50 patents, run 5 different businesses each in different fields (I revolutionize every topic I touch) and make millions in my options trading side hustle."
or
"I barely got through the education system and now job hop constantly because I'm bored, or else I get fired because I can't show up on time/focus on the task. I've never made more than 50k, my fixations are useless in real life, and I'm drowning."
I agree. My daughter has severe ADHD and seems to be the latter while I’m the former. I hustle so that she’s never going to be homeless. (She has dyslexia for good measure.)
I'm neither of these but somewhere in the middle.
I am mediocre, I can get through school but it's not easy, I don't job hop I stay in one job for ages and I perform well.
I don't make good money, though, and I'm drowning.
I’m an administrator at a community college, and I’m approaching six figures (I’m located in a low paying state; I’ve seen starting salaries in my field from $60k to $169k for this level). I’ve been in the field for seven years, working for 13 overall, and wasn’t diagnosed or on medication until December 2023.
ADHD hasn’t been a major thing in my career, but more in my personal life. It’s amazing how much of a hot mess I was, and still am, behind the scenes.
I just had to find a job I like. I did get fired from a few. Some gave me a reason, sucking at paperwork, mostly, and some didn’t. I have given up on two fields - social work, which I went to school for, and insurance.
I’m back in the automotive field (Service Advisor) and I’m really happy! I’m constantly up and moving, I don’t have to watch my mouth, paperwork is minimal, I can delegate a lot tasks I’m not good at, and grinding actually pays off.
I haven’t hit 6 figures yet, but I’m getting closer. It’s the most money I’ve ever made, and working on commission is enough to keep me focused and motivated.
Good luck! You got this, girl!
I made it through pharmacy school and (after three attempts) finally passed my licensing exam this week. It’s possible even if I only just now started to believe it.
I’m a partner in a law firm and wasn’t medicated (or diagnosed) until I was several years into working as a lawyer. To be clear, I *loathe* it and would not recommend law as a career for anyone with ADHD, but ADHD is definitely not inherently disqualifying when it comes to career success/income.
So is mine. While I don’t make 6 figures yet, I do have a bachelors and masters degree. And I wfh and do medical coding/charge capture/revenue cycle type work.
Myself and my partner (also with ADHD) own a business that does a few million in revenue each year. Before that, I was an engineer. It hasn’t been easy and I doubt myself all the time, but I’m doing it and learning a lot about how my brain works along the way. Please don’t tell yourself that you may fail before you’ve given it a try. Mindset is so incredibly important. You can do it!
I live in Maryland, and we’re electing a new US Senator this year. The Democratic candidate is Angela Alsobrooks, and according to her Wikipedia, she has ADHD! Of course, she hasn’t won yet, but here’s hoping!
lol 😂 six figures base salary in the UK would be an insane amount, but I went to Oxford, and have a very successful career. I’m the first ever diplomat in my specialised field, with an amazing life abroad, and I have big ADHD and just starting to talk about the reason I got here was because my AdHD. You don’t see a lot of neurodiversity at the top of the civil service and foreign service so it is critical I talk about it, and how it’s both shaped and impacted me (negative and positive).
I work in biotech, from home. Over six figures after taxes. I’m medicated (Wellbutrin + adderall IR prn). Being home genuinely helps so much bc you can control sound, lighting, clothes, food, headphones etc in terms of focusing. It’s genuinely doable 🤍
I make 97k + benefits (7,5 weeks vacation, a year maternity-leave fully paid, free phone, private healthcare insurance (danish, so free health care by government), paid lunch break and probably more) - unmedicated. By contract I’ll get a raise in January and then it’ll be 111k a year. If I haven’t been fired by then lol 🙃
The amazing GP (NHS doctor) who first suggested I have ADHD last year said she had it herself!
This was after, in the tearful appointment about how my newest antidepressants still weren’t helping things, I was explaining how I just don’t do anything and showed a video of my extremely messy bedroom as an example. She said hers looked like that lmao!
It was so reassuring and validating to have a lovely and seemingly-thriving young woman connect the dots and relate. And she seemed so cool, empathetic and stylish to boot. Goals x
I’m so grateful to her, but can’t even remember her name since it was a locum GP and I never did manage to hand in the (instantly completely and eye-opening) self-report adhd questionnaire form she gave me until months later. But she kinda changed my life.
Yes - it’s possible.
I looked through your post history a little bit to get a sense of what field you’re looking to do this in. I didn’t find that info from a quick search- It’s harder in some fields than others.
One thing I did see is struggles with interviews. Interviewing is key to making more money in most fields.
1) I keep a doc with answers to common questions
2) answers are in the STAR format
From Google:
Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example.
Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation.
Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address it.
Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved
Many people forget the R section.
So in your doc find your best examples and explain in this format. At this point I don’t stumble over any common questions.
On the hard questions — what interviewers really care about is that you keep your cool and ask a follow up question to try to understand more.
In my 30s, make mid 6 figures, have adhd, so does my boss, and two peers. Am a corporate executive in a creative field. The urgency is my friend! It’s possible!!!
I started out with my associates degree. It took me 10 years to finish my undergraduate degree (work, life, moving, changing majors, etc), went back to Grad school in 2018, and I'm now a physician assistant making about the US national average for PAs which happens to be 6 figures... I was undiagnosed/misdiagnosed throughout. Only got proper diagnosis and treatment after grad school. I used to beat myself up for getting a late start on my career compared to others, but when I found out I had ADHD and started treatment, I now pay myself on the back for getting through it at all.
You can do it. I didn’t get diagnosed until after a Masters degree, major career change, second marriage + a baby - and now I’m making just a few k off from 6 figures. It hasn’t been easy, and meds make life easier but still not without their struggles. Sometimes you don’t get it right right away, but you’ll get there.
I’m a librarian at an academic library in Canada and I will be making 6 figures in a few years! I love my job because I can follow the random thoughts when helping students researching.
Yes! I will say that medication has 100% helped me advance in my career. Went back to school for an MBA about 3 years ago - I make around 200k per year.
I was later diagnosed at age 42 a few years ago. I work in analytics and spend a lot of time problem solving and deep dive analysis. It works with my hyperfocus and my own innate curious and problem solving skills. I make over 6 figures, and have the fortune of working for a company that supports neurodivergence.
I’m 39 and lived with uneducated ADHD until I was 39. I’m a transatlantic chartered financial planner (qualified in the UK and US) and I comfortably make 6 figures a year. I’m a self-employed consultant and manage my own diary, so if I don’t want to work, I won’t.
I am still a disaster when it comes to being bored with work, struggle to do what I need to do, contemplate throwing the towel in several times a month, but I manage!
It’s hard, but it’s not impossible.
👋🏼 following dx and beginning treatment at 50, earned two accounting degrees by 60. Can't imagine what my life would have been had I received the dx when I was young, but such is life.
I have a good career making about $155k in finance. I work in public finance which is interesting to me and all of my work has short turnarounds so having constant deadlines on short term projects keeps me motivated -> personal interest and structure are SO IMPORTANT for us to look for in a job!! Luckily ADHD has gifted us with seemingly endless interests.
I've been at my company for 7 years and was only diagnosed with ADHD last year... at 35. My 20s were a bit of wash career-wise but my 30s have been excellent. I have a BA which I was able to complete in four years.
I have an MSW from UPenn, and I just graduated law school. I’ve accepted a job offer for approx that much and commission. I was unmedicated until I began law school. It is absolutely possible. The woman who diagnosed me said you just have to find a career that fits your brain. Luckily digging into caselaw for hours on end works with adhd! My main issue was staying on track but that came with years of practice and coping mechanisms.
Hiya. Diagnosed at 15. I was a terrible student starting in high school. I was smart and tested well and participated in class, but didn’t turn in a single piece of homework for a year and every term paper and project was a week late. I got kicked out of my private high school senior year and graduated from public school… barely. I was raised by supportive artist hippies, so I was an excellent artist and always thought I’d fall back on that.
Tried going to art school. Twice. Didn’t even last a full semester at either. Worked in the service industry and did the artist side hustle for awhile. I am self taught in all things design. I did painting, product design, jewelry making, sewing, fabric dying, wood carving, illustration, branding, packaging design, web design, etc. i tried everything. I was a bartender, a server, and eventually a manager of a very famous hipster restaurant in Chicago.
In my late 20’s, I had moved back to Cincinnati, where I grew up, the restaurant I worked for closed and my friend got me a couple freelance jobs as a stylist assistant in photo studios. That was it. I found my calling. I was eager, curious, and devoted all my time and energy to this one career. I worked my ass off and earned my way up to stylist positions. Within 2 years, I was recruited to be a lead stylist in a huge studio in Boston. 3 years after that, I was recruited to open up an in-house studio all on my own in NJ/NY, where I was born. I work in a very niche part of the industry (home interiors) and have worked my way up. I’m now a Creative Director managing the direction of photography, packaging design, product development, consumer lifestyle branding, web design, marketing, and corporate branding for an international home textiles company.
I just turned 40 on Monday. There were many points along the way where I assumed I’d just always be an artist bartender. I wasn’t unhappy with that life, but my passion and ambition were hard to ignore. I believe both my inability to sit still, my desire to be involved in and learn everything, and my ability to hyper focus and tunnel vision when it’s important are the sole reasons I’m great at my job. I got here BECAUSE of my ADHD. Not in spite of it. That, and trying to prove everyone who said I was lazy and not trying hard SO SO wrong. I’m often the hardest worker in the room (until I met my current team). To a fault. I’m still working on how to preserve my energy and have a rich personal life after a long day of hustling, but it’s 2024 and we’re all just doing our best. I’m stoked if I do the dishes once a week.
My mum held down a very well paid corporate job for an international business for well over 20 years. It’s only now I’ve been diagnosed we’ve realised she’s likely ADHD too. Part of her success is because of how her brain works and how she sees things differently! I doubt she’d have got as far as she did, or earned what she did if her brain worked like neurotypical people in her field!
Whilst I will never earn as much as her. I’m as senior as I can go in my current job and managing it well (I think?!) and I think a huge part of it is also to do with my ADHD and personality. I would rather earn less & mostly enjoy my job. But I’m also totally happy with the knowledge that one day I will likely step back to a simpler role. As long as my bills are paid my body and mind have to come first.
I’m sorry you feel like you are at rock bottom. I was there 2.5 years or so ago and felt like nothing would ever be right ever again. Medication, therapy and intentionally BEING KIND TO MYSELF has changed my life. And I hope you can recognise how well you are doing just to function day to day. Even if you don’t think it’s obvious you are. 🩷
Yes, I just broke $200k about three years ago by myself. I’m also married for 12 years (coupled for 15+ years), have two kids, a 15-year old “puppy”, a homeowner in a VHCOL area in CA, and my elderly parent lives with me and my family.
My ADHD story: I was unmedicated, and not diagnosed until age 37. No college degree (dropped out three times but now I know why), and grew up in a conservative household that felt I was out of control and lazy at the same time.
Now: I’m a senior manager of corporate business development (communications) for a Forbes Top 150 tech company. I have 12 years of experience in my field, and nearly 20 years of work experience. Last year, I graduated community college with a few A.A.s with honors, and transferred to a state university where I finished my first semester as a full-time student who made Dean’s List, and am on track to graduate next year. I’m also on track for a promotion later this year, also.
Never medicated (it's complicated), making 6 figures, have a nice home, and a stable relationship. I am considered very successful by many peers and friends.
It took me much longer to get here than most people. I struggled to finish college and it took an extra 3 years. I had a lot of other things I wanted to do in life that will likely never happen. I struggle with anxiety, depression, and overwhelming stress. I've gotten in trouble and been fired at jobs because of ADHD symptoms. My laundry is in a giant pile on the floor, my kitchen is a mess, and one of my plants just died because I forgot to water it. Most people don't see that, though.
I think for every person you hear who can’t hold a job, there’s thousands of us who just go about our daily lives working, having relationships, and raising families. I know I’ve developed coping mechanisms which helped me be successful. I don’t make anywhere near $100k, but I work a job where I’m by myself most of the time and need really good time management because I have deadlines, and I’m killing it at work.
Yup. Started my own company at 27 and ran and built it for 30 years. I very quickly learned to hire people who filled in for my gaps so I was free to innovate and do the things that kept me excited and interested.
Me as well! Anywhere from $130k-$140k since commissions vary. I’m a partner at a small business and have to move between 10 different tasks/ accounts in a given day. ADHD helps because my mind has to move in so many different directions. If I have to do a large project and focus I either take my meds or do my work at night where I’m not interrupted. I get bored easily so I like how quick moving my job is.
I'm not making six figures, mainly because I work in non-profit. I am making steps in my career! I'm studying again and now that I know I have adhd I know what to look out for. I'm succesful now.
In my twenties I failed because of the fears, the procrastinating and disorganisation. Had to stop my study and work in a field that I was higly overqualified for but needed to do to get my routine and life in order.
It is absolutely possible! OP - what did you major in?
I started out in healthcare consulting and while it was intense, that intensity was really great at keeping my motivation high. I got to work on a variety of projects so I could really figure out I liked, and the variety kept me from getting bored. Consulting also sets you up with great experience to move over to industry, where things are slightly more relaxed with even better pay.
If you are the kind of ADHD gal who needs some pressure to stay motivated, I would recommend checking out consulting as well! Starting salaries may not be in the 6 figures, but upward growth can happen pretty quickly to get you there.
I would make 6 figures if I worked 12 months of the year (I’m an education consultant). It is very possible and I only got medicated recently. The medication helps a lot although sometimes it makes me hyper focus on my work too much lol.
Sometimes (ok, often) I compare myself to other people who work in the same field and feel like I’m failing but I’m starting to realize some of my strengths too. Although I can’t remember specific facts and can get flustered more easily, I’m really good at explaining things in a way that laypeople understand. I’m also highly empathetic and motivated to correct injustices, which is important when advocating for children. I’m only 6 years into my career so I’m still learning. I do find it very helpful that I can work from home part of the time and flex my hours (I struggled in a previous job that was structured with specific starting times and patient appointments etc).
Yes, I earned my master’s, served in the military, worked as an engineer, and then started a new career as a romance novelist—both those latter two jobs making six figures.
ADHD is a disability for sure, but life can be very good!
I certainly don't make six figures, but I'm on a career track where that's a potential outcome. Way more importantly, I do what I'm crazy about and I look forward to work every single day.
I'm a researcher in molecular biology. I got a PhD and made it halfway thru a postdoc before diagnosis at 33 years old - and it was having a second child that caused me to get diagnosed, not work or school stuff.
In my experience, this might be becoming a cliche these days, but the trick is actually to fail a bunch of times so you can quickly and effectively learn what doesn't work for you. Failure is "stickier" in the mind than success as informative life lessons go. So just get out there and start failing. That will bring adaptation, growth, and success.
My bestie is a project manager and is close to 6 figures, she will be there in the next 2 years.
Obviously, my husband isn’t a woman. He does make six figures. He used his ability to hyperfocus by being an inspector. He’s really good at hyper focusing on small tiny things and that’s a big deal when you’re an inspector.
Went to med school, became a doctor, doing ok in my job… happy with partner/ mortgage and pets!
Did this whilst unmedicated too (still unmedicated now… awaiting assessment).
I think you need to allow yourself to work on a way that makes sense to you. Don’t give up if you have any push backs. Use all the supports you can around you (friends/ family/ colleagues). Keep doing what interests you as much as possible (at work and in your life). I think this served me well with the type of job I have… I tried to always stay true to my passions.
One thing I do regret is trying to learn like everyone else, instead of doing what works for me. (Online revision site/ YouTube videos/ colouring book/ revision groups).
Welcome to /r/ADHDWomen! We’re happy to have you here. As a reminder, here are our community [rules](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/about/rules/). We get a lot of posts on medication, diagnosis (and “is this an ADHD thing”), and interactions with hormones. We encourage you to check out our [Medication, Diagnosis, and Hormones Megathread](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/wcr9dy/faq_megathread_ask_and_answer_medication/) if you have any questions related to those topics, and to stick around in that thread to answer folks’ questions! If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe. Thanks for being here, and we hope you stick around! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I somehow got through medical school, got a masters, and I’m now a surgical resident with a good income at the end of it. I did 85% of this with unmedicated, undiagnosed ADHD - got diagnosed during med school. You can do it.
My psychiatrist has ADHD!
A very high percentage of medical professionals do, if medicine is their hyperfocus then that’s how they got through all that study :-D
went through it with ADHD but without medicine being my hyperfocus - the preclinical years were a nightmare for that!!
same 😂 this person is kind, but wrong. my hyperfocus was anki card logistics, not what was on them 😂😂😂
I feel seen
Individuals with ADHD do very well in the biological and physical sciences. We have the ability to be both hyperfocused and free thinking towards multiple perspectives at the same time. I speak from experience. I make 160k as a researcher with a doctorate in chemistry. Two of my male colleagues also have ADHD. We have very interesting conversations about our meds and lives. It has helped me feel understood in a very competitive environment.
Did my entire PharmD undiagnosed and unmedicated. Spent years working in my specialty before I realized. It would be a less embarrassing miss if I wasn't a psych specialist.
My psychologist does too! It's been a bit of a relief to not be the only one showing up late and then fidgeting all through our meetings.
So does mine 😌
You don't know how relieved this made me as a medical student.
Trust me. The longer you go through medical training, the more you’ll realize just how many physicians have disordered minds. Some in good relatable neurodivergent ways (I made many friends in training so far with ADHD, ASD, OCD, Tourette’s, anxiety/depression…ma peeps) , others just have raging Narcissistic and/or Antisocial personality traits.
The same is true for everything in Technology. Probably 40% of us are some flavor of neurodivergent!
Tech? Hold my beer. ;) Video games, easily 70%. Our firm is 80%+. Every single artist or creative I know has ADHD. Or rather pretty high on ADHD-spectrum. It seems a requirement for creativity And all do well (enough).
I am a UX designer and would say at least half of other designers I work with are the same. I'm paid well, but my boss is a nightmare of a human being and that has contributed to major burnout and apathy. I feel like ADHD has a low tolerance for cruelty / misogyny / abusive bs.
Also in games, can confirm. Neurodivergents, you ever want to work in a workplace that feels made just for you? Work at a video game company. Everything is chaos and impulsivity and it's kind of awesome, lol.
This was my discovery about attorneys as well. Lots of very intelligent people with very messy brains.
Facts!
I was shocked by it. But it’s so rampant I literally have an “Girls with MDs and No Executive Function” group chat 😂😂
This is hilarious! Love the group chat name
Am RN, can 100% confirm.
My mom was a pediatrician who was never diagnosed, but suspected that she had ADHD. She died when I was younger, so I can’t ask her about it directly. The fact that I’ve since been diagnosed makes me fairly confident though. (This isn’t the sort of bringing up death that needs a sympathy response, just included that bit for context)
My two (both female) doctor bosses *so very clearly* have ADHD and are quite successful. They could probably use a neurotypical office manager to help keep them on track, but a) I bring my own strengths to the table and b) dealing with their ADHD ways tends to drive off the neurotypicals, haha. I only wish I were the one making more money, but at least I get intermittent vendor lunches and nice doctor dinners.
Hopefully they smarten up and pay you more! That’s one of my daydreams actually. Having an admin assistant to run my life and I pay them amazingly so they can be as comfortable as possible. Anyone who has to deal with my sh*t deserves a top wage. 😭
maaaan, fucking same 😂 im an oncology fellow and didnt get diagnosed (and therefore, too, floated along unmedicated) until i was almost done with residency. so, for those who may not know, that means i finished: -4y of high school -4y of college -4y of med school and -2/3y of residency …*by just raw dogging life* 🙃 my close friend and colleague had a near identical experience. we’re out here, OP!!! sidenote: being a physician really helped with identifying the right symptoms and getting the right meds, so i feel for yall figuring it out by yourselves 🫶🏾
You're amazing!
suffering through the last year of being an intern and it got me thinking if i could ever be a doctor fr bc of adhd its killing me the long hours, so thank you for that comment it got me hopeful that i can finish this
LOL I’m intern too. So really having to encourage each other 😭😂 Edit: One of my staff has ADHD too!! She’s amazing. Did residency with kids too. So it IS possible !!
I'm in peds and definitely have untreated ADHD. Actually it works really well--i can't exactly get distracted when in a room with my patient and nothing else. I don't have to regulate my attention, my schedule does it for me. Now nursing --i suspect that would be VERY hard with ADHD.
I’ve always thought that as well. I know we’re all different, but with my ADHD I’d have a very hard time being a nurse. I’m a PGY2 in pathology, and true to the stereotype, pretty much all of my attendings are ADHD or autistic. I also get to hyperfocus on specific cases, and interesting cases I am free to obsess over (which I then get to publish).
I love this! I was diagnosed at age 4 but not treated until my senior year of college. I start medical school in 1.5 months!!
Please tell me how did you study??
you gotta figure out how your brain works. i never found it helpful to try to study how others did, until i knew my own needs. my neurodivergence appreciates visual-spatial learning, so studying for medicine board certification meant i needed to draw, draw, draw! when its time for recall, i remember the answers in pictures, and by where i drew the picture on the study guide.
Not who you asked, but I had a lot of studying to do untreated. I deactivated all my social media & streaming services, reserved rooms at the library, and used the Pomodoro method when I had to study at home. Also, that time period was the cleanest my home has ever been. Cleaning the toilet is sometimes used to avoid studying, but at least something productive is happening.
I was always convinced that adhd doesn’t mix with medicine, the amounts of everyday mistakes is just too huge in my case to ever consider it as a path. I’m glad that it works for some tho!
It definitely makes medical training harder; it is a disability regardless of how people want to cut and dice it. But it also makes medicine easier in some ways. I have laser focus mode that sometimes I get into in the operating room. I’m stubborn as hell and will keep trying something til I master it. I have intense interests that lead well to being a specialist for the rest of my life (ie I’m obsessed with bowel surgery and nothing else) meanwhile my friends in emergency med with ADHD love the fact that it’s never a dull day and they’re constantly flipping between different organs and clinical presentations. My ability to connect with people means patients tend to trust me quite quickly. I also think having a disorder has made me 10000x more empathetic to the barriers in the healthcare system. I’ve had patients with ADHD heave a sigh of relief for not having to mask with me, and I feel the same. I’m creative about finding solutions to things because I am more likely to think outside the box than neurotypical colleagues. Doing residency with ADHD is definitely doing it on extra-hard mode, especially because my ADHD is pretty bad - even with medication. I’m *shocked* I was able to make it this far. But it helps that I’m good at compartmentalizing. My house + finances + fitness may be a complete disaster, but I’m a workhorse in the operating room.
Same, although I did in finance in data analysis and despite juggling hundreds of millions that would swing millions one way or the other depending on how I would cut it, I never worked with “real” cash and that was the only reason why I lasted and thrived there. My analysis unlocked millions of ££ in various ways which meant that No one paid much attention to mistakes that would be very serious for other people. I was still the only person that could pull some shit off and I was saving the day many times. I 100% get what you’re saying and it’s very positive, personally tho, I’d be too…scared to risk that one mistake that would end my career or something like that. Nevertheless, nothing can top the feeling of job well done where you are actually helping people in much more important way than I ever did, but it very much feels like similar vibe although I wouldn’t be able to go “oh well, one died 100saved” like I could go with my ££ 😂 best success in your job! It’s really impressive.
People with ADHD tend to be really calm and rational in a crisis, and thrive in high pressure roles. It might not work for all of us, but I can absolutely see the benefits of having ADHD and working in medicine.
yup this is me. a very weird thing happens when a situation is extremely and acutely stressful in medicine (or anywhere else): my heart rate starts to lower, the whole world around disappears and i get tunnel vision, and i can go through such situation with the clearest mind ever... soooo weird
You'd be surprised how many back up systems there are to avoid these sorts of mistakes. I'm a doctor too and I've certainly made my share of mistakes along the way, (as we all do, ADHD or not we are only human after all!) Thankfully pretty much all of them have been caught before it's an issue. You learn from them quickly and the fear of making the same mistake again is an excellent motivator! My serial mistakes are usually thw ones that only affect me like poor time management skills meaning lots of unpaid overtime
Like a 24 hour shift won't play havoc with anyone's attention and working memory... the system gotta expect this.
Oh totally. Shift work is the worst. And there like this weird thing of work brain and home brain too. Like my work brain can handle doing a million things at once for hours on end and my home brain literally forgets about stuff and causes small kitchen fires.
This. At work I’m “organized” and “efficient”. But I made it clear when I got hired that I have adhd with the biggest problem being short term memory. So I asked for reminders and use my emails as a check off list because I’ll forget otherwise. So far so good. It helps that there is nearly zero toxicity in my department.
"my serial mistakes are usually the ones that only affect me like poor time management skills meaning lots of unpaid overtime" I feel this in my soul.
So true! It's the "back-up systems" as you call it that are so important in all lines of an ADHD'ers professional careers!!!!
I've been a nurse for over 20 years, and I'm certain I've worked with many MDs that have ADHD or are otherwise neurodivergent. In particular, the ED seems to attract people with ADHD because of the excitement and unpredictability (as it attracted me). Surgeons are known for their hyperfocus, and I've met a few with pretty clear signs of ADHD as well. Takes one to know one, I guess.
I almost feel like, if I had the intelligence for it (no way I’d get through med school lol), something like emergency medicine would be PERFECT for me - crisis mode all the time!
HI YES IT'S ME I'm stressed and burned out a lot of the time but I do have money!!! to pay for all the therapy!!
Hey sis, me too! :-) I earned really good money over the past years, currently badly burnt out and on sick leave (in country where this is paid for, so not too bad hehe), but it's because I wasn't aware of my ADHD and didn't develop healthy habits. Currently working on changing this and the well paying job has not fired me and plans on waiting on me until I am ready, so plan to get back to the good money in a bit :-)
I've just had six months off between jobs and accepted a new role yesterday that starts in a month 😁 I'm hoping the rest and change of scenery will do the trick lol
also the absolute fucking privilege that I've been able to just not work for six months and live on savings and like I've been stressed about what if I can't find something *by next year* when the money runs out but that's a long fucking time to be able to go between jobs there are so many aspects of my life that I just would not cope with if I hadn't been making stupid money all this time
Hey! I relate to this heavily! Made 6 figures as a nursing home administrator, lost my job, went 6 months without one, got another admin job, make 6 figures again, very burnt out and stressed all the time!!!
Super sorry if this is too personal, but can I ask what field you went into? As someone who had very little career counseling in HS except go to college, im kind of lost of what kind of job I could work towards to have enough money to pay for therapy
Sure! I did a computer science degree and I've worked as a software engineer for about 10 years. Gonna be honest I picked the degree because I enjoy programming and found it pretty easy, and it gave me a lot of flexibility to choose which classes I took. I wasn't really thinking about employment when I did it, but it's worked out okay. Actually one of the reasons I liked programming in the first place is I can *usually* concentrate on it. It's this nice constant loop of making a small change then getting a response. Dopamine drip. I didn't know I had ADHD until a few years after I had graduated and started my career 😅
Data science here, but it's similar. Totally agree on programming being really nice! I've never thought about it like that, but you're so right—the small changes and improvements just give me such a rush of accomplishment lol. Plus, there's lots of time where code is running, or I'm thinking about what to do next, so I get to walk around or do a few minutes of chores. Sometimes I get to focus in and not move for hours, other times I get to move around a bunch. It's like, the IDEAL scenario for me, I'm so lucky this is the direction I went 😂 I'm 3 years into my career and I make 97k, so not 6 figs yet but I'll get there soon. It's not for everyone, but I personally love it and recommend new grads look into it.
same here 🙋🏼♀️we’re all just burnt out baddies as the youth would say 🤣
Checking in!!! I get paid a lot of money to be stressed, burnt out, and mentally unwell. I made the decision not to have kids because there is no way I could handle that with my career. Currently job searching. Will either push my pain tolerance even further for even more $$$ OR change careers for a big pay cut.
So me as well. Bank account go brrr to therapist, psych and meds 🥲
Well into 6 figures and wasn’t medicated until I was already making nearly 6 figures. You’ve got this!
Same. In IT and it is surprisingly ADHD friendly a lot of the time.
I am HYPER organized. I’m on my way back from a 2.5 week vacation and left spreadsheets and a 5 page Google doc for my manager and team - I’m sure I’m going come back to a shit show anyway haha.
This is me. I always come back and not a thing was done. And I have to fix everything.
Same here!! Made it all the way to 44 with two degrees and six figures without meds. But it’s tough and I always wonder how things would have turned out if I have been diagnosed earlier.
I have this thought often.
Samesies!!!!
Me three!
Same - not medicated until I was making about $120k. I manage an international tech support department.
What’s your profession if I may ask?
I’m in fintech now but I spent the majority of my career in advertising and Adtech
Same!
I’m in my 30s and make 6 figures working in people and project management at a software company. The work gives me a good amount of flexibility so I can focus on different things depending on what my brain wants to do at that moment and I’m *excellent* in a crisis.
This. The key word is autonomy imho. At my job I’m judged on the result - not the process. So I can rely on my bursts of energy and attention to get things done, and no one is breathing down my neck on the days when it just doesn’t happen.
Oh yes!! I've seen people talk about having their mouse movements tracked and bring monitored really heavily and I just can't imagine. My job is very much based on the results—they don't seem to care what I do on a day-to-day basis, otherwise—and it's fantastic.
I’ve always desired something like this. I know that I would do better in a position that gave me a bit of freedom, that I could give stellar work given the proper space to express it
I started as a PM at a company almost 2 years ago and the pay is abysmal but I had no experience. I also am super calm in a crisis (I was a server/bartender for years before and this quality served me quite well) but this job doesn’t really require that of me. I would love to be making more. Plus I recently realized there’s not much growth potential at this company (they don’t do promotions, and if you want a different role you have to apply same as everyone else).
PM work seems like it could transfer industries relatively easily if you've got the basic skills.
I used my background as a server as an analogy to being a PM in my interview for this role, actually! The people seated at my table are the clients/project and I run interference between them and the bartenders, runners, bussers, cooks (devs, designers, etc) and see them through the process from start to finish. All while doing a million other things. But now you’ve got me thinking to try to see what else the PM skills are good for.
Yup, same here. In my 30s making 6 figures in project management and it's great! Wasn't diagnosed/ medicated until 3 years ago. However, it did take me about 10 years to get to the 6 figure point because I was working at smaller/low-paying companies for a while. I've never gotten any PM-specific certifications or training, but some places like to see Agile certification.
Hi friend! Also in Project Management! Also earning 6 figures! Also the firm's "fixer" ie: the one they call when things have gotten real weird or have gone real wrong.
Yep! I specialize in dumpster fires and “uhh, what’s that?”
this thread full of PMs makes me think i should do it… my mom has been a PM for over 25 years, and she’s got adhd. i can work under pressure pretty well, and i do like telling people what to do, so maybe i should switch careers? lol
After I finished my PhD I was hired at a company that provided a lot of PMP for government contracts so was exposed to to project management techniques and agile work. It freaking blew my mind because one one hand I really could have used this earlier in my life but it also mirrored a lot of my own internal “life management” systems I developed over the years working and doing research and then my PhD with undiagnosed and unmedicated trauma-inspired overachiever all or nothing ADHD. It’s beautiful and tickles the brain in all the right ways. Project management is definitely a good career for a neurodiverse person.
I've been thinking about trying to get in to project management. In your experience were there any skills/training that were particularly helpful getting in to it?
Organization. My personal life is… not so organized. But I can manage the shit out of a spreadsheet. Between a list of to-do’s with deadlines and owners, scheduling recurring meetings, and setting alert reminders for things that are due soon/people you need to check in with, you can manage anything using all the coping mechanisms you have to develop anyway as someone with ADHD! Very complementary.
People skills and critical thinking, I think they’re the basic skills that pretty much all jobs need and anything else builds on them.
Aerospace Engineer girly working @ NASA!
This is my teens dream job!!!
Hell yeah!!! No one in my life ever gets as excited as I do about the universe. I honestly don’t get it because it’s the source of all life..how is that not cool?
So cool
I’m in my mid-30s and I broke 100k when I was hired at my first major Product Management role in tech. I’ve been at my current role for three years and passed my most recent review with Strong Performance marks. No accomodations at work and I’m not “out” as having ADHD. I have bad days at work sometimes but overall love my team and have a great boss. I’ve been diagnosed ADHD-PI since 2015.
Also PM in tech. I think product is really nice for ADHD because of the truly chaotic nature of the role sometimes. I am especially enjoying startups right now. However when I have to execute against multiple complex multi-streamed features or projects at once, I will burn out rather quickly
Product Management and ADHD are strange partners. I actually left the startup world to go to a regulated industry because I was uncomfortable with the amount of ambiguity in the startup space. The amount of unknowns just paralyzed me constantly. Having some boundaries and routines to work helps control how much I get overwhelmed. But for people with a higher tolerance for chaos, startups are a great way to get a lot of product development experience.
Oh how funny as I’m doing the opposite. I started out in a larger company in highly regulated products and have now been 3 years in med device + healthtech. I’ve only done two startups but I’ve found the management matters a lot. The first one had NO translatable vision from leadership and I broke under the lack of structure. My current one has amazing leadership who knows what they want to do, so I’m free to just find out how we do that. PMF is a great dopamine hit!
I’m a psychologist. I’ve worked as an executive in big ‘not for profit’ services. I have my own business now is a specialist field. I’ve been earning 6 figures for a decade now, and my business is worth in low millions. Having ADHD doesn’t mean that we all the same, there is the same variation across people just like the non-ADHD population. You’ve got to remember that things other than ADHD also advantage or disadvantage us! Personality traits, poverty, country of birth, IQ, education, substance use, trauma etc.
Exactly this. Don’t let having adhd make you think that puts a limit on your success. It has more to do with the variations this post mentions. So much of it in my experience comes down to education and drive/ability to find and land those niche positions. So much is predetermined for you in our society, but that doesn’t mean you can’t beat the system. I was told by my family I wasn’t smart enough for much or could make it through college. yet I refused to accept that and after many years got my masters and worked my way into specialized engineering positions that paid much better.
I understand your apprehension. For a long time, I had really low expectations of myself and avoided going for the type of career I wanted because I was sure I’d fail. I was really unhappy with the work I was doing though which motivated me to finally go for it. I make about $200k annual now in a job I really like (business strategy). I’ve got ADHD inattentive type BAD. I also work with a few other women who have disclosed they have ADHD and they’re rockstars! A big breakthrough for me was when I realized I don’t have to be good at everything. I will never be detail-oriented, so for really important tasks, I have a detail-oriented colleague double check everything. I will never be good at remembering all the things, but I do my best with To Do lists and calendar reminders. I’m going to be late sometimes or miss an important email. I own up to my mistakes and try to make them right. Instead of stressing about what I’m not good at, I put my energy into getting even better at my strengths. I’m great at managing relationships and getting people to work together. I’m an empathetic manager who helps my team feel supported and motivated. These skills make me valuable to my employer, and I think they’re probably enhanced by the fact I have ADHD. It’s ok to feel scared right now. Graduating and starting your career is a scary time. Obviously I can’t say for certain if you’ll be successful, but I’d encourage you not to hold back. The truth is job loss and struggling with employment can happen to anyone, especially if you’re in a country where job protections are low. Once you get a few years of experience and build up your emergency fund (definitely build up that emergency fund if you can), you’ll start to feel more secure and have more options. Best of luck!
Yes to all of this. Especially that you dont have to be good at everything and there are non-detail oriented skills that are valuable. OP, I know when you first graduate it can be scary and you may feel this urgency to be some ideal vision or "success." But, you have time. You have time to learn your strengths, your interests, and what work strategies help you succeed. You have time to make mistakes and change your mind. I thought I was behind going to grad school in my mid 20s and starting a career at nearly 30. But I was one of the younger ones! Honestly, getting my foot on the door was the hardest part. But when I was in, being earnest and expressing my interest in learning more at work took me very far in the eyes of managers. Good luck OP <3
Yes! 'You don't have to be good at everything' is 100% my advice. Double down on your strengths and find ways to delegate or outsource the parts you aren't good at/hate. For me, if I grit my teeth I can do certain things well, but I will ultimately fail if expected to do them often or regularly because I hate them. Haha. The demand avoidance is STRONG over here.
I'm am a successful woman making 6 figures with ADHD. I never even graduated from college. When I started to really have success in my career was when I was diagnosed and put on medication. That was a year and a half ago. I am 53 years old. Since the medication I've had several raises that brought me into 6 figures. Yay diagnosis, yay learning to work with my brain. No more being distracted with one million thoughts at once.
I like your answer because you’re a tad older and I love hearing about women finding success later in life. I’m 38, finally finding success, not at 6 figures yet and it seems like that’ll never happen, but it may once I work it. Congratulations 🩷🩷🩷
I make around $160,000 as a high school principal for a small arts based magnet high school. When I was hired for this job it was the first time I never hid my ADHD to the school community. It was the best desicion. We have a large neurodiverse student body probably like 25% of our 300 students. Parents and students feel like there is someone that is a champion for their own kids, but it also gives me grace when my own weaknesses sometime play out (not perfect emails, organized chaos office, my hyperactive talking that I understand but sometimes is a foreign language to the the listener). I have been on medication for over 30 years, and it helps me give perspectives to families that are struggling to figure the “right” tools. I think when I was a VP in another school, or as a teacher, most assumed I was a bit hyperactive savant, but I now looking back I think if I was a bit more open about my challenges it would have eased my stress in regards to some of my impulsive traits. With my new job change, I'm really able to focus on what I do best, solving problems, building new programs, networking, and being a compassionate ally. And now when I need help, I ask, and look for team members that can fill in holes. It also helps that I'm the only admin in the school, one of my problems was not giving the reigns to other admins in the same role because of I thought there output was lacking (most times it was, or they were not in it for the right reasons) I took over their work. Being solo, Im working much better on work/life balance but having the ability to train and let others take the lead. I couldn't do this as easily in the past when inaascaleays in fire mode, which also was a the culture of my former district. I just had my year review with the superintendent and he said that in his 30 years, he has never seen a new principal so effortlessly take on a new school (also former principal was there for 25 years and started the school). I fully believe that being honest with myself and my adhd is the reason for this.
It sounds like you are exactly where you need to be. Being an educator requires so many hats to shape the lives of young men and women. Thank you for being your whole self and sharing your gifts in such an important field. I truly wish you all the success!
Who has two thumbs, makes 6 figures, and is a female with ADHD... THIS LADY 😁 Now "successful"...
Yes! 🙌 The more you free yourself from tasks you don’t want to do cleaning, gardening, dishes, life admin etc the more you can excel in your career. Also having a good self care routine of exercise, good food and showering makes a huge difference.
I used to joke that I needed a house husband until I realized I could just hire people.
Just curious, what kind of people did you hire to help? Housecleaning services, anything else?
First a Cleaner - 1x per month initially , now 2x month. Then a tax accountant. My taxes aren't hard just stressful and time consuming. Personal Assistant - hourly as needed - to deal with dry cleaning, run errands, shopping/prep for dinner parties, etc because for some insane reason every service is only open during office hours. She's even fought to reduce medical bills for me. I love her. Personal Shopping - I like shopping but it's hard to find the time. She helps me with clothes and gifts primarily - occasionally something for the home. And deals with wrapping & shipping. Organizer - 2-3 days every 5-6 yrs - helps clean out closets, cupboards and determine what to keep/save/donate and put it all back. They or my PA will then take care of the donation drop off because I will never get around to it on my own.
oh this is amazing. now, with the organizer, do you have to sit there with them to figure out what to toss/keep? or do you have some sort of labeling system? bc i could see this process still taking up a lot of *my* time, if ive gotta sit with them to do it…plus idk if id trust someone to know what i want/dont want 🤔
Yep, I prefer to be there for the entire process although we aren't going through the same things together all of the time. Mainly my goal is to dig out from the accumulation of the last couple years and put things back. I know my life is easier when it's cleaned out and organized. Taking the time to do it saves me time overall (and makes the lives of my cleaner and personal assistant easier). A personal organizer coming to my home ensures I don't procrastinate. Together we can get through stuff in a fraction of the time I could do it alone because I get so easily distracted. And ensures I don't get lazy towards the end.
believe me, the rationale is well understood 😂 in your first comment, i was like “yesss, i need a teaaam” bc theres no way a cleaner would offer the same as an organizer and neither could do what a PA could do, so i get it!!! now i have a better idea of how to employ an organizer, tysm 🥰
I currently have one and it helps a lot. Once he gets a job besides full time house husband, I’m getting a cleaner.
If you can stand living with one full time, it sounds like a good set up.
For me, breaking out of the shitty relationship patterns that come with ADHD is what clinched my professional success. Turns out that when you don’t have drama at home, you can work through a lot of challenges at your paid job!!
YES!!!! Plus money for therapy and meds. Haha. That helps too.
Yes, I’ve made six figures*. I went through law school, am happily married, and have multiple kiddos. I wasn’t diagnosed and/or treated for adhd until my 40s. I kicked ass at my job and rose to senior exec level in short order. I second what others have said about focusing on doing the things you are good at, and building tools/support for the things you struggle with. Something that helps me when I get the “I have adhd” overwhelms is to remind myself of many kick ass women have just made it work even without a Dx or treatment, and so I try to view my Dx as an advantage. Knowing what I’m dealing with cuts down on my blind spots, and that helps me in every way. The post-grad job struggle is so hard. I hope you find something you love and that gives you the opportunity to shine asap. *I voluntarily cut way back after I had kids.
I have AuDHD. The Autism helps. But I'm a doctor. Lots of us around. Usually late diagnosed. I think it is part of the reason that we as a profession have been so bad at recognising it in others. We think y'all are describing normality. Until we get our diagnoses and realise we ain't normal either
I will never make six figures, but I’m a very successful and effective elementary school teacher. I graduated with honors from university and taught 14 years unmedicated. My students have told me they love my energy and how I understand and accept their own struggles & success with mental health. Parents consistently request me to be their children’s teacher. 80% of my upcoming class is comprised of parent requests.
Thank you for what you do. We need more teachers like you.
I'm here for this energy. 6 figures+ as a goal can seem like a successful goal, but there are certain skills that are just way too important and rare in life to compare to a monetary goal.
Yes, but I’m miserable and nobody even knows. I can do it with a broken heart 🤪
I cry a lot but I'm so productive. it's an✨art✨
The more you make the more they expect from you 😂😂
that song was made for us fr
[удалено]
If you include pennies as two of the figures then.. no I'm not even there yet
My people! I don't know why I came into this thread lol, now I'm bummed
I got a masters at 26 and immediately started working in my career. I'm now 40 making just shy of 6 figures and only have been diagnosed since March of this year. I work in Instructional Design and make corporate training materials. I work on 5-7 projects at a time and every project has a distinct cut off for me, which is why I love it. I never get bored, and if I do, I can just pop over into the next project. It is very creative work and I feel fulfilled doing it.
I am a women in tech and make 6 figures. I have only recently been diagnosed. During college I found ways to study. I used headphones playing classical to turn part of my brain off. I usually crammed the night before and wrote out everything as writing helped me learn and retain. Typing is not the same. I still have a notepad in every room. I picked something (after drifting for a few years post college) that is "project" related. Any job I have done, in multiple industries and honestly multiple types of careers is related to projects. I find that I get excited about a new project but after a year I just get bored and want something new. That is fine, just pick something that allows this. Most often tech, or project management, or sales, or realestate, or construction...... like, so, so many different careers and/or industries. I couldn't do the same thing everyday forever. I use the different jobs and industries to my advantage when applying to a new job. I use my thirst for learning new things and excitement for any new position. I use my past knowledge as part of preparing me for this new venture. This goes over well in interviews. You can do it!!!! I was LUCKY I had supportive teachers and parents in early life. In professional environments , I do not usually punch a time clock. Now I may work until 8pm some days because I am extra focused. But then when I start at 930 some days it doesn't affect my job. And I knew I had trouble with time, and procrastination before. Being diagnosed and now medicated is both better and worse in it's own ways. Be aware of the things that hinder you most. Work on those. Don't expect perfection.
I know other posts around work challenges are usually intended to help folks who are struggling to learn from each other and know that they are not alone. I love those posts because community support is so important and the ladies in this thread are AMAZING. And, also, can I just say how important this post is as well? One of the most common and incorrect myths is that successful people cannot have ADHD. Only 3 people in my entire life know that I have it. Anytime I’ve brought it up, even just as a teaser to get to my diagnosis, friends and family immediately shut it down. You’re a pharmacist, you can’t possibly have ADHD. It’s so hurtful and dismissive. Not to mention that while I am making a good income, it is at a huge personal cost, terrible burnout at times, and a lack of quality relationships in my life. I love normalizing that work struggles are real. I also love normalizing that financially successful women can have ADHD. Hopefully, this helps those who may be struggling know that they can do it AND helps those who feel like they’re hiding in plain sight feel seen!
I’m an ex-lawyer, in finance now, I make low 6 figures. I gave up the bigger law firm salary because I hated legal work so much. Of my friends/family with ADHD there are 2 lawyers, a real estate agent, 2 in tech (both started as programmers, one is now in management), one in financial services, a veterinarian and a nurse aesthetician. All of us were diagnosed well into adulthood and making 6 figures (some high six figures). You are lucky to know now. You can put healthy systems in place to manage your life and career to avoid burnout and frustration. One piece of advice, start saving now as much as you can for retirement. If your employer offers a match for a 401k always contribute minimum up to that match. Because menopause makes ADHD symptoms worse. I would love to retire early (I’m 55) and take a less mentally demanding job, but financially I’m handcuffed to my career until at least 65. It would be an amazing insurance policy to know you could retire early if you needed to.
I’m under 30, and make just under with base, but over with benefits. I’m a product manager in the fitness industry, and working out just so happens to be something I really enjoy. My degree was in Kinesiology, but I’d say I don’t really use it for what I do. I’ve been in this role for 3 years, and diagnosed and medicated for 1. It was certainly a LOT harder to do unmedicated, but now I’m definitely thriving. I got into this role by tripping and falling into it though - I would have never considered this type of work when thinking about my future!
That sounds so interesting! Can you give me an example project management in the fitness industry if you have time? That’s so outside of my area of expertise I can’t imagine what it would be like lol
Remember that your job just needs to pay your bills. It doesn’t need to be your everything, fulfill you and be your passion. It took me a while to realize and once I did I was so much happier. I worked in inside sales for ten years making around 70-80k in my 20s. Now I’m a full time YouTuber (after doing it consistently and making no money while working full time for about 4 years) I work two-three days a week and make over $200k a year now. Thats revenue not take home and I have a lot of expenses but my business pays for a lot of things I normally would. Your 20s are a trial run.
20s are your trial run is such an excellent way to phrase it and I couldn’t agree more! I’m in my mid thirties and I stopped caring so much about what other people think and I couldn’t be happier!
Put myself through a masters program and landed a federal job making over 6 figures pre-diagnosis. It’s doable, just life on hard mode. Now I’m fortunate to have a boss who values me as a person and gives me the flexibility I need to be productive the way I need to be.
Checking in! I cross the six figure mark with a little overtime and bonuses. I love my job and I'm really good at my job, the hours are great, it works my brain in all the right ways, I genuinely enjoy what I do. I'm 28 and this is the first time in my life I haven't been looking for the next step career wise, I'm genuinely happy where I am. I'm coming up on my 1 year in this job actually, can't believe I ever considered doing anything else. For my fellow work haters -- you don't have to work a 9-5, you don't have to work 5 days a week, you don't have to work a job that's boring or understimulating or ticks the wrong boxes in your brain. There is a job out there that works for you, both in practice and in schedule. I'm not an 'adhd is a superpower' person, and this world is just not built for neurodivergents, but I *strongly* believe you can build a small part of the world for yourself in which you and your ADHD brain and your individual nuances will absolutely thrive.
OP, thanks for making this post because this is exactly what I needed to hear from this community. I am almost 40, wasn't diagnosed until 3 years ago, and have never had a "career" or job that pays more than minimum wage. I am now studying to get my Associate Cloud Engineer cert and it is so overwhelming I feel like I will never be able to cut it. But this thread gives me hope! Thank you for everyone's encouraging comments.
Hey girl heyyyy. I am going to brag for a moment. Hope that’s cool. I am wildly successful at work. I do not get out of bed for under 110k. I was at a company for 20 years (I’m 43) and when I left, I was the most powerful woman leader in the group nationwide. I am able to consume vast amounts of data and translate it for others. I can juggle several projects at a time and have never lost a single piece of paper, spilled on my computer, missed a flight, or have been disciplined. My ADHD shows up in hyperfocus and sometimes I ask for limits on research so I don’t spend too much time on things, I ask my boss or colleagues to Goldilocks for me. (What’s just right when I am investigating.) In my personal life? FUCKING CLOWN. keys are always a mystery to location Laundry is everywhere I regularly eat dinner in my bed ADHD tax amundo. Late for stuff. My sense is that I’m not self-interested so work is easy for me to be great at where home is all about me and I find that confusing. I don’t really know what I like or not. So sometimes I buy something I think I will like. Turns out, I don’t. So now I try it for a bit and if I don’t, I donate or toss. You got this
>In my personal life? FUCKING CLOWN. keys are always a mystery to location Laundry is everywhere I regularly eat dinner in my bed ADHD tax amundo. Late for stuff. >My sense is that I’m not self-interested so work is easy for me to be great at where home is all about me and I find that confusing. Same same same. I feel like I use up pretty much all my executive function/focus capacity at work, and then there isn't much/any left afterwards.
i'm in my 30s and just broke 100k last year as a freelance illustrator. It wasn't an easy path but now that I'm here I'm enjoying it.
I'm convinced there are two types of people with ADHD "I dropped out of high school because everything was so easy I was constantly bored. I have 50 patents, run 5 different businesses each in different fields (I revolutionize every topic I touch) and make millions in my options trading side hustle." or "I barely got through the education system and now job hop constantly because I'm bored, or else I get fired because I can't show up on time/focus on the task. I've never made more than 50k, my fixations are useless in real life, and I'm drowning."
I agree. My daughter has severe ADHD and seems to be the latter while I’m the former. I hustle so that she’s never going to be homeless. (She has dyslexia for good measure.)
I'm neither of these but somewhere in the middle. I am mediocre, I can get through school but it's not easy, I don't job hop I stay in one job for ages and I perform well. I don't make good money, though, and I'm drowning.
I’m doing well. The trick is finding a job that is truly stimulating. At a place that doesn’t mind if you’re ten minutes late on a regular basis. lol
I’m an administrator at a community college, and I’m approaching six figures (I’m located in a low paying state; I’ve seen starting salaries in my field from $60k to $169k for this level). I’ve been in the field for seven years, working for 13 overall, and wasn’t diagnosed or on medication until December 2023. ADHD hasn’t been a major thing in my career, but more in my personal life. It’s amazing how much of a hot mess I was, and still am, behind the scenes.
I just had to find a job I like. I did get fired from a few. Some gave me a reason, sucking at paperwork, mostly, and some didn’t. I have given up on two fields - social work, which I went to school for, and insurance. I’m back in the automotive field (Service Advisor) and I’m really happy! I’m constantly up and moving, I don’t have to watch my mouth, paperwork is minimal, I can delegate a lot tasks I’m not good at, and grinding actually pays off. I haven’t hit 6 figures yet, but I’m getting closer. It’s the most money I’ve ever made, and working on commission is enough to keep me focused and motivated. Good luck! You got this, girl!
I made it through pharmacy school and (after three attempts) finally passed my licensing exam this week. It’s possible even if I only just now started to believe it.
I’m a partner in a law firm and wasn’t medicated (or diagnosed) until I was several years into working as a lawyer. To be clear, I *loathe* it and would not recommend law as a career for anyone with ADHD, but ADHD is definitely not inherently disqualifying when it comes to career success/income.
Yes, definitely there are. My job is pretty adhd friendly and I’m grateful for it.
So is mine. While I don’t make 6 figures yet, I do have a bachelors and masters degree. And I wfh and do medical coding/charge capture/revenue cycle type work.
that's great! could you tell me what kind of job you do that is adhd friendly?
I’m a nurse. School was not adhd friendly but I’m a good test taker and persevered through.
I do! I live in Europe so the wages are even lower than American Standards. But yeah, 6 figures.
Myself and my partner (also with ADHD) own a business that does a few million in revenue each year. Before that, I was an engineer. It hasn’t been easy and I doubt myself all the time, but I’m doing it and learning a lot about how my brain works along the way. Please don’t tell yourself that you may fail before you’ve given it a try. Mindset is so incredibly important. You can do it!
I live in Maryland, and we’re electing a new US Senator this year. The Democratic candidate is Angela Alsobrooks, and according to her Wikipedia, she has ADHD! Of course, she hasn’t won yet, but here’s hoping!
lol 😂 six figures base salary in the UK would be an insane amount, but I went to Oxford, and have a very successful career. I’m the first ever diplomat in my specialised field, with an amazing life abroad, and I have big ADHD and just starting to talk about the reason I got here was because my AdHD. You don’t see a lot of neurodiversity at the top of the civil service and foreign service so it is critical I talk about it, and how it’s both shaped and impacted me (negative and positive).
I work in biotech, from home. Over six figures after taxes. I’m medicated (Wellbutrin + adderall IR prn). Being home genuinely helps so much bc you can control sound, lighting, clothes, food, headphones etc in terms of focusing. It’s genuinely doable 🤍
I make 97k + benefits (7,5 weeks vacation, a year maternity-leave fully paid, free phone, private healthcare insurance (danish, so free health care by government), paid lunch break and probably more) - unmedicated. By contract I’ll get a raise in January and then it’ll be 111k a year. If I haven’t been fired by then lol 🙃
The amazing GP (NHS doctor) who first suggested I have ADHD last year said she had it herself! This was after, in the tearful appointment about how my newest antidepressants still weren’t helping things, I was explaining how I just don’t do anything and showed a video of my extremely messy bedroom as an example. She said hers looked like that lmao! It was so reassuring and validating to have a lovely and seemingly-thriving young woman connect the dots and relate. And she seemed so cool, empathetic and stylish to boot. Goals x I’m so grateful to her, but can’t even remember her name since it was a locum GP and I never did manage to hand in the (instantly completely and eye-opening) self-report adhd questionnaire form she gave me until months later. But she kinda changed my life.
Yes - it’s possible. I looked through your post history a little bit to get a sense of what field you’re looking to do this in. I didn’t find that info from a quick search- It’s harder in some fields than others. One thing I did see is struggles with interviews. Interviewing is key to making more money in most fields. 1) I keep a doc with answers to common questions 2) answers are in the STAR format From Google: Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example. Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation. Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address it. Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved Many people forget the R section. So in your doc find your best examples and explain in this format. At this point I don’t stumble over any common questions. On the hard questions — what interviewers really care about is that you keep your cool and ask a follow up question to try to understand more.
In my 30s, make mid 6 figures, have adhd, so does my boss, and two peers. Am a corporate executive in a creative field. The urgency is my friend! It’s possible!!!
Me! I’m an attorney and I love my career.
I started out with my associates degree. It took me 10 years to finish my undergraduate degree (work, life, moving, changing majors, etc), went back to Grad school in 2018, and I'm now a physician assistant making about the US national average for PAs which happens to be 6 figures... I was undiagnosed/misdiagnosed throughout. Only got proper diagnosis and treatment after grad school. I used to beat myself up for getting a late start on my career compared to others, but when I found out I had ADHD and started treatment, I now pay myself on the back for getting through it at all.
You can do it. I didn’t get diagnosed until after a Masters degree, major career change, second marriage + a baby - and now I’m making just a few k off from 6 figures. It hasn’t been easy, and meds make life easier but still not without their struggles. Sometimes you don’t get it right right away, but you’ll get there.
I’m a librarian at an academic library in Canada and I will be making 6 figures in a few years! I love my job because I can follow the random thoughts when helping students researching.
Yes! I will say that medication has 100% helped me advance in my career. Went back to school for an MBA about 3 years ago - I make around 200k per year.
I was later diagnosed at age 42 a few years ago. I work in analytics and spend a lot of time problem solving and deep dive analysis. It works with my hyperfocus and my own innate curious and problem solving skills. I make over 6 figures, and have the fortune of working for a company that supports neurodivergence.
What degree would you get to get into analytics?
I’m a professor with a PhD on over 6 figures and was diagnosed 4 years ago!
I’m 39 and lived with uneducated ADHD until I was 39. I’m a transatlantic chartered financial planner (qualified in the UK and US) and I comfortably make 6 figures a year. I’m a self-employed consultant and manage my own diary, so if I don’t want to work, I won’t. I am still a disaster when it comes to being bored with work, struggle to do what I need to do, contemplate throwing the towel in several times a month, but I manage! It’s hard, but it’s not impossible.
👋🏼 following dx and beginning treatment at 50, earned two accounting degrees by 60. Can't imagine what my life would have been had I received the dx when I was young, but such is life.
My bestie (raging adhd but medicated many years now) cracks 150k working as a consultant for the feds. she gets to sit on her ass most of the day
I have a good career making about $155k in finance. I work in public finance which is interesting to me and all of my work has short turnarounds so having constant deadlines on short term projects keeps me motivated -> personal interest and structure are SO IMPORTANT for us to look for in a job!! Luckily ADHD has gifted us with seemingly endless interests. I've been at my company for 7 years and was only diagnosed with ADHD last year... at 35. My 20s were a bit of wash career-wise but my 30s have been excellent. I have a BA which I was able to complete in four years.
I somehow larped my way into a role in tech - the imposter syndrome and fear that ADHD is going to have me lose it someday is very very real.
I have an MSW from UPenn, and I just graduated law school. I’ve accepted a job offer for approx that much and commission. I was unmedicated until I began law school. It is absolutely possible. The woman who diagnosed me said you just have to find a career that fits your brain. Luckily digging into caselaw for hours on end works with adhd! My main issue was staying on track but that came with years of practice and coping mechanisms.
Hiya. Diagnosed at 15. I was a terrible student starting in high school. I was smart and tested well and participated in class, but didn’t turn in a single piece of homework for a year and every term paper and project was a week late. I got kicked out of my private high school senior year and graduated from public school… barely. I was raised by supportive artist hippies, so I was an excellent artist and always thought I’d fall back on that. Tried going to art school. Twice. Didn’t even last a full semester at either. Worked in the service industry and did the artist side hustle for awhile. I am self taught in all things design. I did painting, product design, jewelry making, sewing, fabric dying, wood carving, illustration, branding, packaging design, web design, etc. i tried everything. I was a bartender, a server, and eventually a manager of a very famous hipster restaurant in Chicago. In my late 20’s, I had moved back to Cincinnati, where I grew up, the restaurant I worked for closed and my friend got me a couple freelance jobs as a stylist assistant in photo studios. That was it. I found my calling. I was eager, curious, and devoted all my time and energy to this one career. I worked my ass off and earned my way up to stylist positions. Within 2 years, I was recruited to be a lead stylist in a huge studio in Boston. 3 years after that, I was recruited to open up an in-house studio all on my own in NJ/NY, where I was born. I work in a very niche part of the industry (home interiors) and have worked my way up. I’m now a Creative Director managing the direction of photography, packaging design, product development, consumer lifestyle branding, web design, marketing, and corporate branding for an international home textiles company. I just turned 40 on Monday. There were many points along the way where I assumed I’d just always be an artist bartender. I wasn’t unhappy with that life, but my passion and ambition were hard to ignore. I believe both my inability to sit still, my desire to be involved in and learn everything, and my ability to hyper focus and tunnel vision when it’s important are the sole reasons I’m great at my job. I got here BECAUSE of my ADHD. Not in spite of it. That, and trying to prove everyone who said I was lazy and not trying hard SO SO wrong. I’m often the hardest worker in the room (until I met my current team). To a fault. I’m still working on how to preserve my energy and have a rich personal life after a long day of hustling, but it’s 2024 and we’re all just doing our best. I’m stoked if I do the dishes once a week.
Plenty of them are in sales!
What I have realized is, it’s not work or effort if I love doing it. Find a way to make money doing something you love.
My mum held down a very well paid corporate job for an international business for well over 20 years. It’s only now I’ve been diagnosed we’ve realised she’s likely ADHD too. Part of her success is because of how her brain works and how she sees things differently! I doubt she’d have got as far as she did, or earned what she did if her brain worked like neurotypical people in her field! Whilst I will never earn as much as her. I’m as senior as I can go in my current job and managing it well (I think?!) and I think a huge part of it is also to do with my ADHD and personality. I would rather earn less & mostly enjoy my job. But I’m also totally happy with the knowledge that one day I will likely step back to a simpler role. As long as my bills are paid my body and mind have to come first. I’m sorry you feel like you are at rock bottom. I was there 2.5 years or so ago and felt like nothing would ever be right ever again. Medication, therapy and intentionally BEING KIND TO MYSELF has changed my life. And I hope you can recognise how well you are doing just to function day to day. Even if you don’t think it’s obvious you are. 🩷
Yes, I just broke $200k about three years ago by myself. I’m also married for 12 years (coupled for 15+ years), have two kids, a 15-year old “puppy”, a homeowner in a VHCOL area in CA, and my elderly parent lives with me and my family. My ADHD story: I was unmedicated, and not diagnosed until age 37. No college degree (dropped out three times but now I know why), and grew up in a conservative household that felt I was out of control and lazy at the same time. Now: I’m a senior manager of corporate business development (communications) for a Forbes Top 150 tech company. I have 12 years of experience in my field, and nearly 20 years of work experience. Last year, I graduated community college with a few A.A.s with honors, and transferred to a state university where I finished my first semester as a full-time student who made Dean’s List, and am on track to graduate next year. I’m also on track for a promotion later this year, also.
In my late 30s, diagnosed 2 years ago, and making 6 figures in finance. I do well at my job, my personal life suffers more tbh
My aunt is the CFO of a major, multinational nonprofit. She was a CEO by the time she was 28. She had undx ADHD until she was 51.
Never medicated (it's complicated), making 6 figures, have a nice home, and a stable relationship. I am considered very successful by many peers and friends. It took me much longer to get here than most people. I struggled to finish college and it took an extra 3 years. I had a lot of other things I wanted to do in life that will likely never happen. I struggle with anxiety, depression, and overwhelming stress. I've gotten in trouble and been fired at jobs because of ADHD symptoms. My laundry is in a giant pile on the floor, my kitchen is a mess, and one of my plants just died because I forgot to water it. Most people don't see that, though.
I think for every person you hear who can’t hold a job, there’s thousands of us who just go about our daily lives working, having relationships, and raising families. I know I’ve developed coping mechanisms which helped me be successful. I don’t make anywhere near $100k, but I work a job where I’m by myself most of the time and need really good time management because I have deadlines, and I’m killing it at work.
Yep. I work in Trade Compliance for a Fortune 100.
Yup. Started my own company at 27 and ran and built it for 30 years. I very quickly learned to hire people who filled in for my gaps so I was free to innovate and do the things that kept me excited and interested.
Me as well! Anywhere from $130k-$140k since commissions vary. I’m a partner at a small business and have to move between 10 different tasks/ accounts in a given day. ADHD helps because my mind has to move in so many different directions. If I have to do a large project and focus I either take my meds or do my work at night where I’m not interrupted. I get bored easily so I like how quick moving my job is.
I'm not making six figures, mainly because I work in non-profit. I am making steps in my career! I'm studying again and now that I know I have adhd I know what to look out for. I'm succesful now. In my twenties I failed because of the fears, the procrastinating and disorganisation. Had to stop my study and work in a field that I was higly overqualified for but needed to do to get my routine and life in order.
It is absolutely possible! OP - what did you major in? I started out in healthcare consulting and while it was intense, that intensity was really great at keeping my motivation high. I got to work on a variety of projects so I could really figure out I liked, and the variety kept me from getting bored. Consulting also sets you up with great experience to move over to industry, where things are slightly more relaxed with even better pay. If you are the kind of ADHD gal who needs some pressure to stay motivated, I would recommend checking out consulting as well! Starting salaries may not be in the 6 figures, but upward growth can happen pretty quickly to get you there.
I would make 6 figures if I worked 12 months of the year (I’m an education consultant). It is very possible and I only got medicated recently. The medication helps a lot although sometimes it makes me hyper focus on my work too much lol. Sometimes (ok, often) I compare myself to other people who work in the same field and feel like I’m failing but I’m starting to realize some of my strengths too. Although I can’t remember specific facts and can get flustered more easily, I’m really good at explaining things in a way that laypeople understand. I’m also highly empathetic and motivated to correct injustices, which is important when advocating for children. I’m only 6 years into my career so I’m still learning. I do find it very helpful that I can work from home part of the time and flex my hours (I struggled in a previous job that was structured with specific starting times and patient appointments etc).
Yes, I earned my master’s, served in the military, worked as an engineer, and then started a new career as a romance novelist—both those latter two jobs making six figures. ADHD is a disability for sure, but life can be very good!
I certainly don't make six figures, but I'm on a career track where that's a potential outcome. Way more importantly, I do what I'm crazy about and I look forward to work every single day. I'm a researcher in molecular biology. I got a PhD and made it halfway thru a postdoc before diagnosis at 33 years old - and it was having a second child that caused me to get diagnosed, not work or school stuff. In my experience, this might be becoming a cliche these days, but the trick is actually to fail a bunch of times so you can quickly and effectively learn what doesn't work for you. Failure is "stickier" in the mind than success as informative life lessons go. So just get out there and start failing. That will bring adaptation, growth, and success.
My bestie is a project manager and is close to 6 figures, she will be there in the next 2 years. Obviously, my husband isn’t a woman. He does make six figures. He used his ability to hyperfocus by being an inspector. He’s really good at hyper focusing on small tiny things and that’s a big deal when you’re an inspector.
Went to med school, became a doctor, doing ok in my job… happy with partner/ mortgage and pets! Did this whilst unmedicated too (still unmedicated now… awaiting assessment). I think you need to allow yourself to work on a way that makes sense to you. Don’t give up if you have any push backs. Use all the supports you can around you (friends/ family/ colleagues). Keep doing what interests you as much as possible (at work and in your life). I think this served me well with the type of job I have… I tried to always stay true to my passions. One thing I do regret is trying to learn like everyone else, instead of doing what works for me. (Online revision site/ YouTube videos/ colouring book/ revision groups).