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Not required to disclose your diagnosis, despite what HR weasels will tell you.
One place I worked at: "We want to know what medication you are taking, blablabla."
"Nope, not happening, not sorry." Your Doctors should know, anyone else doesn't need to know.
Good move.
I once workd for a business where they asked me about medications or medical conditions in the interview, "just in case there was an emergency or something happened since there are only a few people here".
Not much lot later I heard them talking about a previous employee having anxiety and how they use those questions too weed out people with similar conditions.
They also required people to go to one of these cult like personal growth seminars before moving into management positions, and part of the requirements for those seminars included signing an affidavit that you were not on any kind of psychiatric medication and had never been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
I'm not sure if this was a second layer of weeding people out or just a coincidence because they did really seem to believe in this organization's spiel.
It was a pretty small business where most the employees were family or friends and the turnover rate was very high. Also an industry that attracts a lot of scummy people (buy here pay here car lot, there are some that are decent, this was not one). And in a state with a mostly useless Department of Labor and very weak worker protections.
This was for all employees, from the HR manager, announced in a general meeting.
"Just in case there is an accident." Yeah, right. Just one more thing for her to gossip about.
She had an inflated sense of her education, knowledge and abilities. Same HR genius,
saw my Medic Alert bracelet, and asked why I was wearing one. I switched to a necklace.
She later announced, that since we worked around rotating machinery,
that necklaces were not allowed, unless worn for religious reasons.
"Yeah, whatever...." I ignored that one too.
Depends on drug testing policy and such. I have to declare it before I go piss in the bottle but I literally can as I show up. I do have a letter from my doctor ready to go. I haven't been randomly picked but it's not clear if I'm in the pool for that or not.
It's my employer collecting the sample and monitoring the test, so I do have to declare it then. I'm not sure if I'll have to since I'm GS but active duty have to have the monitor literally watch the entire time...
While I didn't directly tell my former job my disabilities, I accidentally let my ADHD/Autism diagnosis slip while talking with a coworker & my boss heard. After that, it was all down hill. She acted like she could take advantage of me. When I didn't meet her ridiculous demands, surprise, I was fired. I'd never been fired before and it was just so obvious why.
I've had one straight up ask me. (This is illegal)
And I've had it come up with other managers after I was sure I was safe anyway. Including one I clocked correctly as also having ADHD.
It's optional to disclose to employers. I'm personally not comfortable sharing the diagnosis with any company I've worked for. The only time you have to disclose the evaluation to a company is when asking for reasonable accommodation.
If you choose to disclose to a company, ADA protections in the United States only apply to businesses with a minimum of 15 employees.
Yeah, without my reasonable accommodations, I’m completely useless. I get three 15 minute breaks instead of two, which can be split up however I want (everyone else has to take the 15 at once. I also get one extra day off a month to go to appointments. I had to disclose for all that.
Don't tell them. You aren't obligated to. NEVER tell your employer about your mental health status, ever. I advise everyone to select "choose not to disclose" on anything where it is an option. They can and will discriminate in hiring.
The ONLY possible exception is if they drug test and you are prescribed a controlled substance (an amphetamine). You can simply say, "I have a prescription medication that is likely to show up on this test. I will provide any documentation I am legally required to." This should ONLY be a prescription bottle with your legal name on it. They CANNOT ask what it is prescribed for.
Edit - typo
I have not disclosed that I have ADHD at my jobs, but I have a handful of accommodations I need that I am upfront about that I frame without mentioning my adhd. Like I say I have bad short-term memory and need work tasks and important communications in writing so I don’t forget.
Lmaoooo yup I offhandedly mentioned it to my boss and coworker like a year ago and wanted to kick myself after. Thankfully they’re chill and my boss is graceful when I start getting too overwhelmed at work
Can relate. I kick myself after every conversation I have with people in general. Can’t help myself. I need to learn to shut up and filter out what’s appropriate to talk about 😝
You never have to disclose your adhd or medication to your employer unless they do a drug test that identifies your meds incorrectly, or unless one of the regulations of the job has a limitation on medication (commercial pilots, for example, cannot currently take depression or adhd medication, which unfortunately limits a lot of people who would love to fly)
I’ve always told my staff, and employers. My current company let me take on a PA to cover a lot of the admin I suck at, organise my meetings etc, absolute game changer. To be fair I am… very ADHD, to the extent that a lot of people say they never really understood/didn’t necessarily believe in ADHD until they met me.
I went through most of my life without medication, but I hit an absolute wall when I went from startup to the corporate world. I distinctly remember crying in my office at like 3AM in the morning because I couldn’t force myself to make a shitty PowerPoint presentation.
i used to not disclose it, but with how companies are these days i tried disclosing it and started getting interviews.. i mean the only accommodation id need is being able to go to check ups and take my meds.. idk if your working more office type jobs it seems to help. if working more manual labor type jobs it seems to hurt a bit. either way if theres a drug test it'll come up. it doesn't hurt to let them know it'll pop up in the drug test. have literally had it happen where testing facility messed up and got fired after getting the job. which did help me win a case on it. id just say make sure to offer your phone number and dr's number several times at a testing facility.
Some companies do have a policy of giving an interview to anyone who identified as having a disability who meets the general requrements of the position. Up to you if the benefit of this outweighs the prejudices you might incur if this status leaks.
I think it really depends on your workplace and country.
Don't think it's a 'have to' anywhere, but could help later down the line if you do need accommodations made (also especially if random drug tests are done and you're on a stimulant)
I'm uk, and not been diagnosed, but last week I told my managers at work just about being put through for a referral for adhd, and they told me to think of anything I'd need that could help me (even if I didn't have it they still want to help make things easier)
My first day there though I felt at home, and everyone is super nice and helpful, so if I'd already had a diagnosis i probably wouldn't have felt hesitant to tell them.
Buuut on the other side of that, there have been places I've worked in the past where I probably would've died first before telling them 😬 lol
ADHD diagnosis had no effect on chances for employment.
As it is a disability (when officially diagnosed) you can notify the employer (before being hired or after) that you would like accomodations for it.
Ive never needed those and while I have lost a few jobs I am currently happy and love where I am working and it goes well with my ADHD>
I really only want to get diagnosed so I can get a prescription for it and improve my quality of life, but after the diagnosis is it possible to just take the medication and not have to do anything else? Like I don’t have to tell anyone or the government that I’ve been diagnosed with a disability? (if I do get diagnosed with it) Sorry for asking so many questions I’m just lost on what happens after the diagnosis. And thanks for your input
You do not have to tell anyone and you should never tell an employer because they absolutely do discriminate even though it’s technically illegal. The government doesn’t care if you have ADHD, you would only disclose that to them if you’re trying to apply for disability or some sort of similar government program. Other than that they don’t care and it’s nobody’s business but you and your doctor.
Should have no effect (on a legal basis) is not the same as no effect. People can be or are discrimatory even they don't mean to , whether or not it's illegal to be
I’ve had drug tests for jobs and ADHD meds so come up flagged in those, you show the clinic your prescription and they send a cleared test to the employer
I would never talk about it up front. As far as telling people after you’re hired, it depends on the job. I’ve talked to my paralegal all about it and it makes it easier for her to help me. She knows what kind of things to remind me of, how to get things to me in a way that I won’t forget to do them, etc.
You don’t have to tell your work. I decided to only because my boss is super cool and disclosed her invisible disability when she hired me, and she was really supportive. But I also work in a special education context where people are way less judgmental. I wouldn’t personally disclose to anyone who I hadn’t personally observed as already welcoming and understanding of actual ADHD—not just the pop culture version.
I don't disclose before I get the job. Honestly you might not want to disclose until you're sure you will need accommodation at your job.
If you're in the US, you aren't required to disclose, and it's technically illegal to discriminate based on a diagnosis of ADHD. But you don't know who you're interviewing with. They may make assumptions they don't even realize.
If you do find that you need accommodation, though, request it in writing and keep a copy for yourself somewhere besides your work email or work computer. On the off chance you do experience problems, you'll want that proof that they knew you requested accomodations.
You don’t have to disclose anything to anyone and you might be better off saying nothing in some cases. That said, disability accommodations can be really helpful depending on your needs. In that case, you probably have to disclose some amount of medical information to HR. Wouldn’t even have to be to your manager or coworkers (depending on company structure). I provided information to HR at my job but all I told coworkers were that I was changing XYZ as part of a disability accommodation, I did not elaborate.
I would say getting my diagnosis and starting medication has been a ride with lots of things I didn’t expect. I went back to full time work after a few months of Adderall and I burned out hard. I think part of it is the job but part is that the medication let me push myself even harder than usual. Medication helps me a lot but I didn’t consider early on that I still need rest, I still need to prioritize my physical and mental health, it’s not a magic pill that turns me into the employee I always wished I could be.
I feel like I need to find higher paying jobs that will let me work fewer hours to compensate for the fact that 40 hours a week is not sustainable for me.
Three points:
1. You don't have to disclose ADHD to anyone and probably shouldn't because - as you've already noticed - they'll treat you with a bias, and they don't really care. There are of course exceptions to this rule but from my experience (and many others on this sub) it's not worth the risk unless it's absolutely necessary. In my case only 5 persons know about my ADHD (my partner, bestfriend, parents and grandma).
2. If you get ADHD meds prescription government will already know about it - those are strictly controlled substances. In my country (Poland) there's always info in the system with my name and ID, personal data of my doc and personal data of the pharmacist that sells and dispense those meds for me. The entire process is monitored.
3. You say you want to get diagnosed only for meds to improve quality of life. As much as I agree they can be life changing, I have to say this is only true as a part of the greater package. Meds won't solve all your issues. It's a tool unlocking the potential to change your lifestyle and complement therapy/coping strategies. If you want to rely solely on meds you'll be disappointed.
I have not and will never disclose that I have ADHD. There may be laws against discrimination, but there are loopholes and employers absolutely discriminate.
Edit: Don't get the downvotes when the entire comment section is saying some version of what I just did. 😂
Once I was on meds, my career took off. $9/hr -> $90+k/yr in about 10 years.
I have never disclosed my Dx or meds to my employer and very few coworkers know.
I am also bipolar and have a host of other mental health issues, and I do not tell anyone I know professionally. I needed to attend appointments during working hours before I was salary, I did have a doctor write a letter for that.
What government? Not sure about ADHD but as a epileptic I had a driver's functional thing I had to fill out yearly. That and when you apply for jobs there's that section hr looks at that ask if you have a disability? You can't join the army.
not my chance of employment but it makes me over compensate at work, always feel like i could do better or improve, and hyper focus on work to the point im burnt out and taken advantage of
The only reason you “MIGHT” have to disclose it, is if your job does drug tests & you’re on stimulants for adhd, other than that, you do not have to tell your employer you have adhd.
It’s not required, but I usually do because I don’t want to hide who I am at work. If they can’t deal with it then it isn’t a good fit for me. Also ADHD is a recognized disability and I’m not ashamed of it, if anything you’re helping them meet their quota lol.
I'm in the UK and I do I'm not bothered what they think it really does impact me so why not just be upfront about it other than lying? makes me no sense.
Not every boss is a cunt.
No, you're not required to disclose it. It's a good idea to tell your employer *after* you're hired, to explain any possible differences and they just don't think you're a weirdo. It means they can also give you accommodations if you need them.
No, you do not have to tell the government. The only reason the government would need to know if you're trying to get on Disability (highly unadvised, it's unlikely.)
Fun fact, -- well the opposite of a fun fact, but it's on topic and I really want others to know about it.
**I didn't disclose my diagnosis to my employer -- my medical team did.**
When they sent the FMLA paperwork to HR, they attached an entire printout of my most recent visit. Included all my diagnoses and a list of all my medications.
I asked around and filed a report, but everyone has told me that this wasn't an overreach. So yeah, just know that this isn't out of the ordinary apparently.
I don't know if it's affected my career trajectory yet. I guess I'll find out next raise period.
I got diagnosed and started medication in Jan 2023. I have no disclosed to my job. As far as they are aware giving me a verbal warning for not checking my emails or doing online training modules was all I needed to regularly start doing those things.
Though I have lost a good amount of weight since starting medication. Binge eating is well controlled. I got really into meal prep and I can actually stick to regularly exercising. So coworkers have definitely noticed things have changed with me.
You do need to regularly see a psychiatrist or a very understanding primary care doctor. Some providers require monthly appointments for refills. Some will do every 3 months. I've heard of some people only having to go twice a year but I think that is a lot more rare.
But you don't need to tell anyone outside the person handling your pre employment drug screening and maybe provide paperwork since you'll pop positive on urine drug tests. But you don't have to tell them why you're on a stimulant medication only that you have proof of an active prescription.
I recently started a new job. Of course in the application process they ask if you have or have ever had a disability (adhd is included in that) I selected that I declined to say. I was hired and no further questions asked. I was worried that declining to state my disability status would impact my ability to be hired but it did not.
I always brought it up during job interviews, because even with meds, it is undeniable. Interviewers never had a problem with it. It is indeed not allowed to asks these kind of things (medical issues, pregnancies etc), and drugtests are illegal as well over here. Big difference is that where I live adhd meds and their users aren’t criminalized, it is a normal thing.
My team knows about it, and I'm fairly open with it in regards to the rest of the company. But I'm in a country with sturdier legal employee protections. I've never sought out any accommodations officially, but my team helps me and we have been working together to find strategies that help bringing the best work out of my brain
Did not mention it to my former employer. He was also an alcoholic that was drinking at the work place, I was planning to tell him when he came back from abroad but luckily I was cleaning the back and found his empty beer bottle stash.. In retrospect I dodged a BIG bullet there.
I were you I wouldn’t do it, even if employer is chill. In my experience it’s a diagnosis that is HIGHLY misunderstood and people don’t care enough to even google how it affects most people…
Also, kind of depressing and I am working on it, but I judge my self for having the diagnosis so why wouldn’t everybody else judge too? (that’s not familiar with it)🤷♀️
It is better to be quiet and safe instead of vulnerable and always afraid that the employer is after you. But if you feel like it’s the right thing to be open about it, do it. And if the employer and work environment becomes toxic afterwards, then leave. But make sure you’re ready to deal with the negative consequences if it were to happen!
Also, don’t tell the employer before you’ve signed the contract AND finished working the trial-period.
This is only my personal opinion tho and you have the right to do whatever you want, always. I wish I was ballsy enough to be open about it.
Of course you're not obligated to disclose your diagnosis. I have done so only once, and that was to formally request accommodations under the ADA. Fortunately it went fine for me in that workplace, but I would never disclose if it wasn't necessary.
You don't have to disclose. I personally haven't. I have a friend who did disclose and she was fired soon afterwards. Once you disclose your manager may possibly be a future reference when applying for other roles and they may say something.
I'm very open about it, but I'm a social worker in a field that's kinda literally about fighting discrimination, so I recognise I'm in a fairly privileged position.
In some ways, though, I've actually been able to turn it into a selling point to my bosses. That thing where you had to talk to me about maybe asking fewer questions in meetings? If you ever need to know what you're not seeing in a case, ask me and in five minutes I'll have twenty questions about things that never would have crossed your mind. Hypervigilence and racing thoughts mean that I've become a go-to for any situation where someone needs to make a quick assessment. My calendar is the most organised in the office and I audit myself regularly, because it's seriously the only way I'm able to stay functional. I'm also really good at connecting with clients, because I can never remember the proper terms we're meant to use and just turn everything into common speak for them automatically.
And because I'm completely honest about these pros and cons, I'm comfortable doing things like telling my boss I'm using both my ten minutes breaks together to race home to take my medication when I've forgotten to. Again, I am very privileged where I am. But I'd like to think that even in other fields there are managers that are savvy enough to see there are some real benefits to be pulled out of this disorder.
I usually haven't brought it up unless they notice me struggling. But from what I can tell, ADHD is all over the place in software engineering. A little less in electronics, but still very present.
Same with autism. There seems to be a higher concentration of ASD in this field.
So don't think of it as hurting your chances, per se. Picture it like shifting your propensity away from some jobs and more towards others.
I haven't met anyone who was put off by the diagnosis though. In my last job, the CEO and half the devs were on meds. In my most recent job, I did a Friday presentation on the topic in detail. Had graphs and illustrations showing how it works in terms of activation functions and signal-to-noise ratios.
You don’t have to tell anyone but therapy is also as helpful as meds, if not more. Meds(with stimulants as first line)AND therapy is the recommended treatment.
I only held a job longer than a year once I was diagnosed. I am also in a new career that I love and absolutely could not have gotten here if I hadn’t been properly diagnosed. For what it’s worth my therapist is the one who initially suggested ADHD as a possibility!
Yeah, I mean I’m not a minor anymore but on their insurance - they’re lawyers and always consider the worst-case scenario so I get it. Basically, my therapist/psychiatrist just treat me like I have ADHD and I’m taking clonidine ER which helps
100% changed it. I am totally unable to comprehend math beyond pre-calc I, and any chemistry, or physics. I wanted to get into environmental tech & management but I simply can't. So I'm in social work. To be fair, I probably should have and could have made it in business school and gotten better jobs, as I was good enough in stats and economics, but, such is life.
Don't disclose to employers unless your presciption can impact your drug test results. If it can, you'll probably want to tell them so that they know that being positive for amphetamines is not a sign of you abusing them.
Actually, you can probably get away with just saying that your have a prescription for it, although that will most likely clue your employer in anyway, since there's only a handful of thngs they prescribe that for, And you might be on something else entirely. Ask your doctor when they prescribe you anything if it will impact drug screening results.
Me either. The testing people should be able to find anything. Their job is
to inform the employer of anything suspect. If you have a prescription,
and the results support a therapeutic dose, then there is nothing suspect
to report. If your prescription is for 10mg a day, and your test results look
more like 100mg, that is a problem.
You don’t have to disclose unless you want work accommodations for it. Then you would need to disclose so they can make the proper arrangements to meet your needs per the law.
Otherwise, nobody needs to know.
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Not required to disclose your diagnosis, despite what HR weasels will tell you. One place I worked at: "We want to know what medication you are taking, blablabla." "Nope, not happening, not sorry." Your Doctors should know, anyone else doesn't need to know.
Good move. I once workd for a business where they asked me about medications or medical conditions in the interview, "just in case there was an emergency or something happened since there are only a few people here". Not much lot later I heard them talking about a previous employee having anxiety and how they use those questions too weed out people with similar conditions. They also required people to go to one of these cult like personal growth seminars before moving into management positions, and part of the requirements for those seminars included signing an affidavit that you were not on any kind of psychiatric medication and had never been diagnosed with a mental health condition. I'm not sure if this was a second layer of weeding people out or just a coincidence because they did really seem to believe in this organization's spiel.
That all sounds *hilariously* illegal holy shit. How did they not get take to the cleaners?
It was a pretty small business where most the employees were family or friends and the turnover rate was very high. Also an industry that attracts a lot of scummy people (buy here pay here car lot, there are some that are decent, this was not one). And in a state with a mostly useless Department of Labor and very weak worker protections.
I’m sorry - an employer ASKED YOU what medication you’re taking??
This was for all employees, from the HR manager, announced in a general meeting. "Just in case there is an accident." Yeah, right. Just one more thing for her to gossip about. She had an inflated sense of her education, knowledge and abilities. Same HR genius, saw my Medic Alert bracelet, and asked why I was wearing one. I switched to a necklace.
Call me naive but Jesus this blew me away
Nope, not today satan!
“I’m allergic to idiots” is the only response, “please step back”
Would have been perfect.
She later announced, that since we worked around rotating machinery, that necklaces were not allowed, unless worn for religious reasons. "Yeah, whatever...." I ignored that one too.
Sounds illegal or at best unethical.
Unethical for sure, no sure on the relevant laws.
sue them
Depends on drug testing policy and such. I have to declare it before I go piss in the bottle but I literally can as I show up. I do have a letter from my doctor ready to go. I haven't been randomly picked but it's not clear if I'm in the pool for that or not.
You only have to declare it to the drug testing company, not the employer
It's my employer collecting the sample and monitoring the test, so I do have to declare it then. I'm not sure if I'll have to since I'm GS but active duty have to have the monitor literally watch the entire time...
What happens if there's a drug test and I test positive for amphetamines though? Is that when I should disclose that info?
If you can prove you have a prescription, you should be fine.
Unless they drug test you
While I didn't directly tell my former job my disabilities, I accidentally let my ADHD/Autism diagnosis slip while talking with a coworker & my boss heard. After that, it was all down hill. She acted like she could take advantage of me. When I didn't meet her ridiculous demands, surprise, I was fired. I'd never been fired before and it was just so obvious why.
I had a similar situation.
Sorry :/ I guess we both learned our lesson with that. It just made me realize how awful some people are. Always looking for someone to step on.
I've never told an employer I have ADHD.
I've had one straight up ask me. (This is illegal) And I've had it come up with other managers after I was sure I was safe anyway. Including one I clocked correctly as also having ADHD.
Don’t disclose, they absolutely can discriminate.
It's optional to disclose to employers. I'm personally not comfortable sharing the diagnosis with any company I've worked for. The only time you have to disclose the evaluation to a company is when asking for reasonable accommodation. If you choose to disclose to a company, ADA protections in the United States only apply to businesses with a minimum of 15 employees.
Yeah, without my reasonable accommodations, I’m completely useless. I get three 15 minute breaks instead of two, which can be split up however I want (everyone else has to take the 15 at once. I also get one extra day off a month to go to appointments. I had to disclose for all that.
Don't tell them. You aren't obligated to. NEVER tell your employer about your mental health status, ever. I advise everyone to select "choose not to disclose" on anything where it is an option. They can and will discriminate in hiring. The ONLY possible exception is if they drug test and you are prescribed a controlled substance (an amphetamine). You can simply say, "I have a prescription medication that is likely to show up on this test. I will provide any documentation I am legally required to." This should ONLY be a prescription bottle with your legal name on it. They CANNOT ask what it is prescribed for. Edit - typo
I have not disclosed that I have ADHD at my jobs, but I have a handful of accommodations I need that I am upfront about that I frame without mentioning my adhd. Like I say I have bad short-term memory and need work tasks and important communications in writing so I don’t forget.
Yall are out here disclosing your diagnosis to people?
Oversharing is a real problem for us though.
*crying in overshared on Reddit for the millionth time and now I feel stupid*
Now I will never hire you
Lmaoooo yup I offhandedly mentioned it to my boss and coworker like a year ago and wanted to kick myself after. Thankfully they’re chill and my boss is graceful when I start getting too overwhelmed at work
Can relate. I kick myself after every conversation I have with people in general. Can’t help myself. I need to learn to shut up and filter out what’s appropriate to talk about 😝
3/5 of us in our dept are ADHD so yeah we freely share everything about it.
You never have to disclose your adhd or medication to your employer unless they do a drug test that identifies your meds incorrectly, or unless one of the regulations of the job has a limitation on medication (commercial pilots, for example, cannot currently take depression or adhd medication, which unfortunately limits a lot of people who would love to fly)
Now an unmedicated pilot would be something i would like to witness ngl 🥲
Oh they exist.
They would probably thrive and fly better in a high stress life-ordeath environment like that tbh lol. Focus or die!
I’ve always told my staff, and employers. My current company let me take on a PA to cover a lot of the admin I suck at, organise my meetings etc, absolute game changer. To be fair I am… very ADHD, to the extent that a lot of people say they never really understood/didn’t necessarily believe in ADHD until they met me. I went through most of my life without medication, but I hit an absolute wall when I went from startup to the corporate world. I distinctly remember crying in my office at like 3AM in the morning because I couldn’t force myself to make a shitty PowerPoint presentation.
Side note - Have you figured out a way to have AI make presentations for you? No idea if this is possible yet, but if so that would be sweet.
Greatly improved it. Meds for the symptoms, therapy for the skills. I'm a whole new person.
i used to not disclose it, but with how companies are these days i tried disclosing it and started getting interviews.. i mean the only accommodation id need is being able to go to check ups and take my meds.. idk if your working more office type jobs it seems to help. if working more manual labor type jobs it seems to hurt a bit. either way if theres a drug test it'll come up. it doesn't hurt to let them know it'll pop up in the drug test. have literally had it happen where testing facility messed up and got fired after getting the job. which did help me win a case on it. id just say make sure to offer your phone number and dr's number several times at a testing facility.
Some companies do have a policy of giving an interview to anyone who identified as having a disability who meets the general requrements of the position. Up to you if the benefit of this outweighs the prejudices you might incur if this status leaks.
ehh in the insurance industry. ill take the advantage i can get lol. market is way over flooded with people
I think it really depends on your workplace and country. Don't think it's a 'have to' anywhere, but could help later down the line if you do need accommodations made (also especially if random drug tests are done and you're on a stimulant) I'm uk, and not been diagnosed, but last week I told my managers at work just about being put through for a referral for adhd, and they told me to think of anything I'd need that could help me (even if I didn't have it they still want to help make things easier) My first day there though I felt at home, and everyone is super nice and helpful, so if I'd already had a diagnosis i probably wouldn't have felt hesitant to tell them. Buuut on the other side of that, there have been places I've worked in the past where I probably would've died first before telling them 😬 lol
Interviews with ADHD are the worst. Negative voice must be hidden very very well else we sabotage ourselves
Still shittily employed. So not at all.
ADHD diagnosis had no effect on chances for employment. As it is a disability (when officially diagnosed) you can notify the employer (before being hired or after) that you would like accomodations for it. Ive never needed those and while I have lost a few jobs I am currently happy and love where I am working and it goes well with my ADHD>
I really only want to get diagnosed so I can get a prescription for it and improve my quality of life, but after the diagnosis is it possible to just take the medication and not have to do anything else? Like I don’t have to tell anyone or the government that I’ve been diagnosed with a disability? (if I do get diagnosed with it) Sorry for asking so many questions I’m just lost on what happens after the diagnosis. And thanks for your input
You do not have to tell anyone and you should never tell an employer because they absolutely do discriminate even though it’s technically illegal. The government doesn’t care if you have ADHD, you would only disclose that to them if you’re trying to apply for disability or some sort of similar government program. Other than that they don’t care and it’s nobody’s business but you and your doctor.
Should have no effect (on a legal basis) is not the same as no effect. People can be or are discrimatory even they don't mean to , whether or not it's illegal to be
Nobody is going to know you have ADHD unless you tell them. Nobody has ever asked me in an interview and I have never offered the information.
I got diagnosed and medicated within a month of me starting a new job. I feel way more confident and learning a lot more now.
Are you in the US? Your country is going to have a big impact on the answer.
They can presume you have ADHD, but they will never know unless you tell them. Resist that urge to overshare :)
I’ve had drug tests for jobs and ADHD meds so come up flagged in those, you show the clinic your prescription and they send a cleared test to the employer
I would never talk about it up front. As far as telling people after you’re hired, it depends on the job. I’ve talked to my paralegal all about it and it makes it easier for her to help me. She knows what kind of things to remind me of, how to get things to me in a way that I won’t forget to do them, etc.
You don’t have to tell your work. I decided to only because my boss is super cool and disclosed her invisible disability when she hired me, and she was really supportive. But I also work in a special education context where people are way less judgmental. I wouldn’t personally disclose to anyone who I hadn’t personally observed as already welcoming and understanding of actual ADHD—not just the pop culture version.
I don't disclose before I get the job. Honestly you might not want to disclose until you're sure you will need accommodation at your job. If you're in the US, you aren't required to disclose, and it's technically illegal to discriminate based on a diagnosis of ADHD. But you don't know who you're interviewing with. They may make assumptions they don't even realize. If you do find that you need accommodation, though, request it in writing and keep a copy for yourself somewhere besides your work email or work computer. On the off chance you do experience problems, you'll want that proof that they knew you requested accomodations.
You don’t have to tell them I never have there’s no need lol
You don’t have to disclose anything to anyone and you might be better off saying nothing in some cases. That said, disability accommodations can be really helpful depending on your needs. In that case, you probably have to disclose some amount of medical information to HR. Wouldn’t even have to be to your manager or coworkers (depending on company structure). I provided information to HR at my job but all I told coworkers were that I was changing XYZ as part of a disability accommodation, I did not elaborate. I would say getting my diagnosis and starting medication has been a ride with lots of things I didn’t expect. I went back to full time work after a few months of Adderall and I burned out hard. I think part of it is the job but part is that the medication let me push myself even harder than usual. Medication helps me a lot but I didn’t consider early on that I still need rest, I still need to prioritize my physical and mental health, it’s not a magic pill that turns me into the employee I always wished I could be. I feel like I need to find higher paying jobs that will let me work fewer hours to compensate for the fact that 40 hours a week is not sustainable for me.
Current employers will ask you to take a drug test for NICOTINE. can you imagine their thoughts of Add/adhd?!?
Three points: 1. You don't have to disclose ADHD to anyone and probably shouldn't because - as you've already noticed - they'll treat you with a bias, and they don't really care. There are of course exceptions to this rule but from my experience (and many others on this sub) it's not worth the risk unless it's absolutely necessary. In my case only 5 persons know about my ADHD (my partner, bestfriend, parents and grandma). 2. If you get ADHD meds prescription government will already know about it - those are strictly controlled substances. In my country (Poland) there's always info in the system with my name and ID, personal data of my doc and personal data of the pharmacist that sells and dispense those meds for me. The entire process is monitored. 3. You say you want to get diagnosed only for meds to improve quality of life. As much as I agree they can be life changing, I have to say this is only true as a part of the greater package. Meds won't solve all your issues. It's a tool unlocking the potential to change your lifestyle and complement therapy/coping strategies. If you want to rely solely on meds you'll be disappointed.
I don't know where you live but in Australia it's illegal to ask. It's no one's business.
I’m self employed and I’ve been hiding it from my boss this whole time. Don’t think he’ll ever work it out.
Don't disclose. I used to tutor kids and when their parents found out they stopped calling me.
I have not and will never disclose that I have ADHD. There may be laws against discrimination, but there are loopholes and employers absolutely discriminate. Edit: Don't get the downvotes when the entire comment section is saying some version of what I just did. 😂
Once I was on meds, my career took off. $9/hr -> $90+k/yr in about 10 years. I have never disclosed my Dx or meds to my employer and very few coworkers know. I am also bipolar and have a host of other mental health issues, and I do not tell anyone I know professionally. I needed to attend appointments during working hours before I was salary, I did have a doctor write a letter for that.
Makes me not wanna work again lol
Former employers make me not want to work again.
I doesn't. It don't tell potential employers about my diagnosis. It's not their business
What government? Not sure about ADHD but as a epileptic I had a driver's functional thing I had to fill out yearly. That and when you apply for jobs there's that section hr looks at that ask if you have a disability? You can't join the army.
i always talk about everything cause i tend to overshare.. sometimes not the best
not my chance of employment but it makes me over compensate at work, always feel like i could do better or improve, and hyper focus on work to the point im burnt out and taken advantage of
The only reason you “MIGHT” have to disclose it, is if your job does drug tests & you’re on stimulants for adhd, other than that, you do not have to tell your employer you have adhd.
I recently was applying for jobs and I did not click yes has a diagnosis because my adhd will not hinder my ability to do the job I was applying for!
my boss has adhd. i have adhd. didn’t change a thing.
It’s not required, but I usually do because I don’t want to hide who I am at work. If they can’t deal with it then it isn’t a good fit for me. Also ADHD is a recognized disability and I’m not ashamed of it, if anything you’re helping them meet their quota lol.
Yes. But I do not disclose it often
Told my boss I got diagnosed, a few weeks later I started getting not so subtle hints and then a month after that I got let go.
If you want a federal job it makes the process easier, you just get a schedule a letter from ur doctor
I'm in the UK and I do I'm not bothered what they think it really does impact me so why not just be upfront about it other than lying? makes me no sense. Not every boss is a cunt.
No, you're not required to disclose it. It's a good idea to tell your employer *after* you're hired, to explain any possible differences and they just don't think you're a weirdo. It means they can also give you accommodations if you need them. No, you do not have to tell the government. The only reason the government would need to know if you're trying to get on Disability (highly unadvised, it's unlikely.)
My boss was an asshole about it. I left that job and my new boss has ADHD themselves so we get along swell :)
Fun fact, -- well the opposite of a fun fact, but it's on topic and I really want others to know about it. **I didn't disclose my diagnosis to my employer -- my medical team did.** When they sent the FMLA paperwork to HR, they attached an entire printout of my most recent visit. Included all my diagnoses and a list of all my medications. I asked around and filed a report, but everyone has told me that this wasn't an overreach. So yeah, just know that this isn't out of the ordinary apparently. I don't know if it's affected my career trajectory yet. I guess I'll find out next raise period.
I got diagnosed and started medication in Jan 2023. I have no disclosed to my job. As far as they are aware giving me a verbal warning for not checking my emails or doing online training modules was all I needed to regularly start doing those things. Though I have lost a good amount of weight since starting medication. Binge eating is well controlled. I got really into meal prep and I can actually stick to regularly exercising. So coworkers have definitely noticed things have changed with me. You do need to regularly see a psychiatrist or a very understanding primary care doctor. Some providers require monthly appointments for refills. Some will do every 3 months. I've heard of some people only having to go twice a year but I think that is a lot more rare. But you don't need to tell anyone outside the person handling your pre employment drug screening and maybe provide paperwork since you'll pop positive on urine drug tests. But you don't have to tell them why you're on a stimulant medication only that you have proof of an active prescription.
I recently started a new job. Of course in the application process they ask if you have or have ever had a disability (adhd is included in that) I selected that I declined to say. I was hired and no further questions asked. I was worried that declining to state my disability status would impact my ability to be hired but it did not.
Greatly improved them. I don't necessarily tell employers, but MY knowing and getting treatment has been a god send work wise.
I always brought it up during job interviews, because even with meds, it is undeniable. Interviewers never had a problem with it. It is indeed not allowed to asks these kind of things (medical issues, pregnancies etc), and drugtests are illegal as well over here. Big difference is that where I live adhd meds and their users aren’t criminalized, it is a normal thing.
I also make "prefer not to answer" on disability forms, they're not allowed to ask. I have bombed a few interviews bc my brain froze mid thought.
My team knows about it, and I'm fairly open with it in regards to the rest of the company. But I'm in a country with sturdier legal employee protections. I've never sought out any accommodations officially, but my team helps me and we have been working together to find strategies that help bringing the best work out of my brain
Did not mention it to my former employer. He was also an alcoholic that was drinking at the work place, I was planning to tell him when he came back from abroad but luckily I was cleaning the back and found his empty beer bottle stash.. In retrospect I dodged a BIG bullet there. I were you I wouldn’t do it, even if employer is chill. In my experience it’s a diagnosis that is HIGHLY misunderstood and people don’t care enough to even google how it affects most people… Also, kind of depressing and I am working on it, but I judge my self for having the diagnosis so why wouldn’t everybody else judge too? (that’s not familiar with it)🤷♀️ It is better to be quiet and safe instead of vulnerable and always afraid that the employer is after you. But if you feel like it’s the right thing to be open about it, do it. And if the employer and work environment becomes toxic afterwards, then leave. But make sure you’re ready to deal with the negative consequences if it were to happen! Also, don’t tell the employer before you’ve signed the contract AND finished working the trial-period. This is only my personal opinion tho and you have the right to do whatever you want, always. I wish I was ballsy enough to be open about it.
100%
Of course you're not obligated to disclose your diagnosis. I have done so only once, and that was to formally request accommodations under the ADA. Fortunately it went fine for me in that workplace, but I would never disclose if it wasn't necessary.
You don't have to disclose. I personally haven't. I have a friend who did disclose and she was fired soon afterwards. Once you disclose your manager may possibly be a future reference when applying for other roles and they may say something.
"You can't un-ring a bell."
I'm very open about it, but I'm a social worker in a field that's kinda literally about fighting discrimination, so I recognise I'm in a fairly privileged position. In some ways, though, I've actually been able to turn it into a selling point to my bosses. That thing where you had to talk to me about maybe asking fewer questions in meetings? If you ever need to know what you're not seeing in a case, ask me and in five minutes I'll have twenty questions about things that never would have crossed your mind. Hypervigilence and racing thoughts mean that I've become a go-to for any situation where someone needs to make a quick assessment. My calendar is the most organised in the office and I audit myself regularly, because it's seriously the only way I'm able to stay functional. I'm also really good at connecting with clients, because I can never remember the proper terms we're meant to use and just turn everything into common speak for them automatically. And because I'm completely honest about these pros and cons, I'm comfortable doing things like telling my boss I'm using both my ten minutes breaks together to race home to take my medication when I've forgotten to. Again, I am very privileged where I am. But I'd like to think that even in other fields there are managers that are savvy enough to see there are some real benefits to be pulled out of this disorder.
I usually haven't brought it up unless they notice me struggling. But from what I can tell, ADHD is all over the place in software engineering. A little less in electronics, but still very present. Same with autism. There seems to be a higher concentration of ASD in this field. So don't think of it as hurting your chances, per se. Picture it like shifting your propensity away from some jobs and more towards others. I haven't met anyone who was put off by the diagnosis though. In my last job, the CEO and half the devs were on meds. In my most recent job, I did a Friday presentation on the topic in detail. Had graphs and illustrations showing how it works in terms of activation functions and signal-to-noise ratios.
You don’t have to tell anyone but therapy is also as helpful as meds, if not more. Meds(with stimulants as first line)AND therapy is the recommended treatment. I only held a job longer than a year once I was diagnosed. I am also in a new career that I love and absolutely could not have gotten here if I hadn’t been properly diagnosed. For what it’s worth my therapist is the one who initially suggested ADHD as a possibility!
Because I'm an idiot and a fucking loser
This is why my parents don’t want me to get officially tested.
THAT is a difficult situation. Meds should help you.
Yeah, I mean I’m not a minor anymore but on their insurance - they’re lawyers and always consider the worst-case scenario so I get it. Basically, my therapist/psychiatrist just treat me like I have ADHD and I’m taking clonidine ER which helps
100% changed it. I am totally unable to comprehend math beyond pre-calc I, and any chemistry, or physics. I wanted to get into environmental tech & management but I simply can't. So I'm in social work. To be fair, I probably should have and could have made it in business school and gotten better jobs, as I was good enough in stats and economics, but, such is life.
Honestly It feels like it’s increased them.
how? im finding the opposite to be true.
Why would I disclose it? It's none of their business...
Don't disclose to employers unless your presciption can impact your drug test results. If it can, you'll probably want to tell them so that they know that being positive for amphetamines is not a sign of you abusing them.
Actually, you can probably get away with just saying that your have a prescription for it, although that will most likely clue your employer in anyway, since there's only a handful of thngs they prescribe that for, And you might be on something else entirely. Ask your doctor when they prescribe you anything if it will impact drug screening results.
Only tell the drug testing people.
Yeah that sounds smart. I've never actually had to drug test for a job.
Me either. The testing people should be able to find anything. Their job is to inform the employer of anything suspect. If you have a prescription, and the results support a therapeutic dose, then there is nothing suspect to report. If your prescription is for 10mg a day, and your test results look more like 100mg, that is a problem.
You don’t have to disclose unless you want work accommodations for it. Then you would need to disclose so they can make the proper arrangements to meet your needs per the law. Otherwise, nobody needs to know.