Thanks for sharing your stories, guys. I don’t really want to tell people off as much as I have this urge sometimes to vindicate myself. There are a trail of people in my past that really don’t get me at all. I live in Arkansas, which is practically one big small town and the community of professionals and college and grad school professors I’ve had all know each other. Typical of ADDers, some of them would give me a glowing reference if asked and others think I’m lazy or scatterbrained. 
wish so much that I’d run into two of my undergrad classmates again. I saw them a few years back at a conference and they made no attempt to hide their shock that I actually graduated and have a job. They said, “Oh Martha, we were always pulling for you!” then they felt the need to remind me and inform MY COWORKER who was with me about how I used to be late or miss class all the time and show up in sweats. I hadn’t been diagnosed yet, so I just stammered something out about how nice it was of them to remind me, and tried to cover with my co-worker so she wouldn’t find out what an “imposter” I was. For the rest of the conference, I thought about how it was just a matter of time before I’d screw up again.
I can totally relate to what y’all are saying about your job performance being evaluated based on your ADD symptoms and not your strengths! I know, trust me on this, that I am an exceptionally good Speech-Language Pathologist. Anyone who’s seen me in therapy and seen the results will back me up. I’m a really good therapist and I feel comfortable tooting my own horn here. In fact, some of my ADD characteristics are a great strength in therapy–especially with kids. HOWEVER, my bosses have never seen me in therapy nor have they read any reports or talked with anyone who has. So, on what do they base their perception of my performance? Paperwork–specifically whether or not my charge sheets are accurate and turned in every Friday and at the right time at the end of the month. That’s it. When I asked for a raise last year to bring my hourly rate up to what they’re paying the new graduates with 10 years less experience, I was rejected and told they’d reconsider if my ability to submit my charge sheet on time improved. I was so hurt. This year, I was “perfect” with sending in my time sheets until this past month. Now, I’m afraid to ask for a raise because I don’t want the rejection again.
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