Does anyone else feel a degree of imposter syndrome with work, like it’s only matter of time until you can’t work around your ADHD enough to avoid problems and everything falls apart?

I’m currently provisionally diagnosed with ADHD, pending further testing. I managed to get a degree and was working for a few years when someone recommended I get tested where I proceeded to finally pass this one test with flying colors…

My experience with work is that in the beginning, my attitude and enthusiasm to learn tends to give my bosses the impression that I have so much potential.

Then, cue the slow car crash that is me failing to meet that potential, then the cracks starting to show due to disorganisstion or task paralysis in my work, eventually putting me in a position where my competency is questioned and I’m falling behind on work because I’m struggling to meet (imo) great expectations that might seem realistic to neurotypical people, but is a struggle for me.

Then I jump ship to a new job, and the cycle restarts.

I thought I had a handle on my latest job. Stayed for just over a year. I thought this was it, I wasn’t an imposter, I was finally fitting in. Then cracks, and everything fell apart and I’m now at risk of losing my job again. I tried my best, and I just feel disappointed in myself, like even I can’t trust myself to do things right even at max effort.

This sucks.

  • Cyrus Draegur
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    4 months ago

    i’ve been here at my job for almost six years and the only way to defeat my imposter syndrome was to recognize that all my job really asks of me is to

    1. be here (i am here ✅)
    2. have a pulse (just checked, have a pulse ✅)
    3. answer phone when it rings (when it rang, i answered it ✅)

    all the stuff i know about my industry stopped seeming like it was worth a damn once i knew it
    after all - i’m worthless so anything i know is worthless too right? 🙃

    they literally called me in to work overtime tonight,
    who the fuck am i to challenge their judgment?
    how fucking dare i even dream of possessing the hubris to question their willingness to pay me?

    it’s basically a form of radical acceptance.