ADHD, Anxiety, And The Struggle To Cope At Work
Anxiety is one of the most common co-morbidities of ADHD with about half of individuals with ADHD also having an anxiety disorder. Together, they can be a vicious cycle with each feeding the other. One of the most common places for this cycle to rear its ugly head is at work.
ADHD and anxiety also share many similar or related symptoms, although they are caused by different things. When ADHD is initially diagnosed, it is after anxiety is ruled out. This can of course be a problem for those who are seeking a diagnosis as adults when the results of living life with ADHD or other life experiences have also led to anxiety. Trouble focusing or remembering deadlines and the self awareness of these struggles often lead those of us with ADHD to developing anxiety.
Masking
When it comes to coping, what many of us are actually doing is “masking”. Masking is when someone who is neurodivergent tries to cover up symptoms and behavioral differences by copying the behaviors of the neurotypical individuals around them. This type of behavior might include forcing yourself to have a “normal amount” of eye contact during a conversation or sitting still in your seat despite the urge to move and fidget.
Masking can also be the copying of what is considered socially acceptable or expected behavior that may fall outside someone’s typical behavior without being related to neurodivergence. Many of us have heard of or have joked about being a “different person” when working customer service or having a “customer service voice”. This performative behavior is a form of masking. Masking can make it seem like we are coping, but it is not an actual coping mechanism and only hides or even worsens the potential problem.
Working
I have often found myself struggling to cope with my anxiety and ADHD when working. There are days when I can’t focus on the things I need to do, and others where I am so anxious about making a mistake or being misunderstood that I can’t send a simple email without rereading and rewriting it a dozen times. I want to be perfect and efficient and yet I also know that I can move too fast or try to do too much and end up making a mistake.
When I have an “oh yeah I need to do that moment” it is often accompanied by a flash of heat and momentary panic where I have to quickly sort through my brain and make sure I haven’t waited too long or forgotten something and caused everything to come crashing down. If I happen to have that moment mid-conversation, you can bet that the whole conversation has been at best, momentarily derailed as I try to make a note of whatever task I remembered.
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One of the biggest fears for those of us struggling with ADHD, anxiety, or any neurodivergence is that admitting a struggle could lead to further problems. We have been taught since we are children how to disguise the way we function and to “act normal”. Kids with ADHD are often labeled as the problem children and aren’t expected to make high marks or be as successful as those who don’t have ADHD. Additionally, the fact that we most often talk about ADHD in the context of childhood and school leads to a lack of resources and understanding of life long impact.
Anxiety
The last thing anyone with ADHD, especially those of us struggling with additional anxiety conditions, wants is for it to be used against us or as an excuse. The constant focus on it as it pertains to childhood can lead to infantilization and the general expectation that those with ADHD will not be as successful can lead to workplace discrimination.
This very realistic fear can become a self fulfilling prophecy especially as we internalize these expectations. As a result, many of us default to masking so that we may appear to be functioning as expected rather than finding true coping mechanisms that allow us to work successfully within our neurodivergent framework.
We can’t train out neurodivergence, it is a fundamental part our how our minds and bodies function. Instead, it is time we work with these differences and allow the benefits of neurodiversity to shine through.
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Meet The Writer!
Hi! I’m Madeline Jefferson. I am a freelance writer, editor, and designer who has a wide breadth of experience and knowledge on many subjects including: fiction writing, religion, law, politics, history, literature, chronic illness, and mental health. I have a B.A. in Religion and Middle Eastern Studies from Washington and Lee University. As a freelancer I offer services such as: blog writing, copywriting, ghostwriting, manuscript editing, and print and digital design. You can find me on: LinkedIn; Twitter, Instagram; and on my website: https://www.madelinejefferson.com/.
