I always feel so sad when this subject comes up...

I know of no AD/HD adults receiving disability due to their AD/HD. There is always at least one or more other disablilng conditions present, such as a traumatic brain injury. I'm certain there are some AD/HD adults receiving disability for AD/HD only, but I would think they would have to be severely affected.  

Work environments are challenging for AD/HD adults. I'm almost 50 now. There's so much I wish I'd done differently. At the top of my list of "could of's, would of's, should of's" is the preference that I'd worked during the first 20 years of my adult life. 

Why?

Because during those years I volunteered much of my time. What I didn't understand was that volunteer work environments are far more tolerant of inappropriate behavior. When I got my first job a little more than twelve years ago, I had to unlearn so many bad habits. 

That's not to say that volunteering is bad. Not at all. The right volunteer opportunities make us more confident and capable, and can lead to employment opportunities. I just wish I'd returned to work sooner, much sooner.

When it comes to living life, work is where it's at. It affords us the opportunities to meet people we might not otherwise meet. It's a learning lab of sorts, where we learn what works, and what doesn't.

I encourage any AD/HD adult who is struggling to gain or maintain employment to take advantage of all available treatments, self-help, and services.

Finding the right combination of medication(s), dosages, and nutritional supplements is a great place to start, but only helps so much.

There are many non-profit organizations throughout the country that offer workshops, classes, and ongoing or short-term groups where participants learn how to better understand their conditions and manage their symptoms. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has many such programs, and most are free. Learn more at www.nami.org.

Recovery International offers weekly community, telephone, and online groups in which participants learn how to cope with and manage their symptoms of anger, anxiety, and depression. Cost is limited to the cost of a book and if by telephone, the cost of long distance charges. Donations are optional. Learn more at http://www.lowselfhelpsystems.org/

For those who struggle with bipolar disorder, chronic depression, schizophrenia, or any of the anxiety disorders, learn more about the work of Mary Ellen Copeland, who created the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), an empowering program for those who live with one or more brain disorders who want greater control over their symptoms and their lives. Learn more at http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/ And if you get a chance, learn about her story. She was told by mental health professionals that she was not capable of accomplishing anything in her life. She proved them wrong and today is helping thousands of people daily across the country through her programs.

Another proven treatment that is available through many community mental health clinics is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). This skills based program was initially developed for Borderlilne Personality Disorder but is helpful for most brain disorders. Learn more about it at the peer-based website http://www.dbtselfhelp.com/ or for a directory of clinics who offer DBT, go to http://www.behavioraltech.com/resources/crd.cfm You can also find more historical and clinical information about DBT there.

There are also helpful assistance programs out there, including the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Each state has there own name for this goverment funded agency, but they are there to help any qualifying disabled adult who needs assistance in gaining and/or maintaining employment. Assistance can include funding for tuition and books, or in some cases, what's needed to start a business if I'm remembering correctly. If medical treatment or medication is not otherwise available, they can pay for that too.

What I've learned over the past 20 years is that medication and counseling only work if it's the right kind and if there is an ongoing effort on our part to learn everything we can about our disabling conditions and to gain the knowledge and skills we may have missed growing up, particularly relationship skills. I still struggle with those but each year is better than the last.

In my work, I have daily contact with those dependent on the "system". It's a hard life. Most people wait for years to get public housing and cannot afford a car. It's isolating. Medical treatment is sometimes limited. While necessary for some, I'd do everything I can to minimize use of "systems" or use them only for brief periods of time.  

Websites such as ADHDCentral offer lots of good information, but in reality, it's more of an intellectual experience. It takes work and effort to create a better quality of life for ourselves. It's a lot of fun too. I've met some of my closest friends attending workshops, classes, and trainings related to my multiple disabilities.

If you don't know where to start, your local NAMI office can help - (www.nami.org) - or try calling 2-1-1. They're also quite expert at referral. Seek support in your local communities. Online forums are helpful too, particularly if they lead you to good sources of treatment and education and/or skills based books, classes, and groups. 

My heart goes out to anyone who, like me, finds the work world challenging. Been there myself, many times...am I'm still out there working.

grandma lise

Eileen Bailey, Health Guide

4/ 7/11 6:44pm

Lise

 

Thanks so much for sharing all of that great information and how true that it can be fun to improve our lives. That is such a great way to meet people too, you immediately know that you have something in common with the other people in the class, workshop, etc and it can be easier to start a conversation.

 

Eileen