Since we don’t have as much dopmaine floating around in our brain as non ADDers and are consequently understimulated, ADD adults seek out jobs that will give them extra stimulation either consciously or unconsciously. If they don’t find a highly stimulating job, they risk self-medicating in unhealthy ways to boost their levels of dopamine, i.e., through tobacco, alcohol, drugs, gambling, impulsive spending which all raise dopamine levels in the brain.
If ADHD adults don’t find a highly stimulating job, they risk self-medicating in unhealthy ways to boost their levels of dopamine, i.e., through tobacco, alcohol, drugs, gambling, impulsive spending which all raise dopamine levels in the brain.
This gives an example of what might be the perfect job for many understimulated ADHD Adults.
Can you think of a more stimulating job for an ADHD adult?
I could see myself doing a job like that if I didn’t have a family at home.
Currently my work is no where near as dangerous but it does help me to cope. I work as a field operator in a high pressure sour gas field, which both gives me risky situations to deal with and the flexibility to do my routine work when I am able to. This is also compounded with the fact that I was a software developer before and I have no related experience in this type of work so there is a lot that is new to me.
I know at some point I will not be able to do this work anymore once it does become too routine, but for now I’m very happy with it.
yes, that kind of job would be a hard to sell to the wife. Risk and flexibility are definitely good things to have for someone with ADD.
One thing to consider, if a job becomes to routine, try and change up the routine to reduce boredom.
Well, you know. A job like that would be great for about a month… maybe 6 months at MOST. After that it would get boring. “eh, another day on the hotwire”. And that would be a job that you WOULDN’T wanna get sloppy on, else you would end up, quite literally, sloppy. Or maybe toasty.
I think, as someone who has coped with ADD for 37 years, that we do best with jobs that change weekly. A job where you gradually master the requirements. Maybe someone who is account executive at an ad agency. Sure they have some things that they do time and time again, but every client has their own dynamic; their own requirements. You might have to learn about audio recording, video production, print techniques, font choices, the latest color pallets, media outlets, how to handle good clients, how to handle bad ones. You could probably go years before you finally got bored with it.
I remember once I had to work on a technical project involving IVR hardwear and troubleshooting. That one project required me to bounce between learning more about computer power supply requirements, POTS lines, digital and analog phone switches not to mention everything else between the clients handset and our system. It was an ADD Geeks dream job! (until I found the solution… then I quit and got a job somewhere else).
winning the lottery is not really a great strategy to rely on. Meds can help but you also need to develop self awareness and skills and pills don’t teach skills. but they can make it easier to learn the skills.
so use meds as part of the solution but you need other parts as well perhaps coaching, professional organizer, financial planner etc
I have to agree with thearticle I started out my career in emergency medical services due to the adrenaline rush. Following that career I transferred into the law enforcement field. As I was approaching my 30’s I realized I should take a safer route so now I’m an entreprenuer, consultant, and soon to be doctor and author. But in my mind I still miss the public safety field it was extremely exiting not knowing what was going to happen.
Josuhua
well as an entrepreneur I can say you won’t always know what’s going to happen next. Some ADDers are serial entrepreneurs and that helps keep them from being bored:)
I’m 52 yo ADD dude, ex Canadian army, ex airborne, ex EOD and going to college to become a nurse. Gotta say, ” way cool job and ditto on the disregard of fears of height and women folk.
The video does not work. AAARRRRRGHGHGHHGHGHG
thanks for the heads up on the dead link, video got switched to spam one. The internet changes a lot, so link rot is an unfortunate part of the net.
This time I was able to hunt down the video and posted in another version of it have a look
Pete
For me I just want to be able to do something successfully for once. I’m tired of going from job to job
What about comedian? It’s risky in a sense you might get embarassed so it’s good kind of risk and it’s flexible, but I think you have to be really funny to break into the biz.
this was the first opportunity i found to comment on your work. i just wanted to let you know that you are doing a really good job of reassuring people with adhd that there are other people that think and act the same as they do, and there are reasons behind doing so. thank you for your work, it definitely gave me a dopamine boost. Godbless from the uk. jonny.
Thanks Jonny, I appreciate it.
Both sides of my family ADHD runs strong. And the most successful of us run our own businesses. I found that I love the jobs that I get to move my body but it’s hard on the body and I’m not using my mind enough. What the heck kind of job can I get where I’m moving my body but also using a lot of my mind? I know so many different things in the world of being a human and there’s nothing I can’t learn. One thing I can share is I’m glad I was diagnosed at 6 years old and again in high school and college. I’m grateful I’ve gone through psychiatrist and counselors that taught me different tools such as cognitive behavioral therapy.
has to be something YOU find interesting + add enough value people will pay you, because we ADDers have a interest based nervous system. You might find some ideas here.
202 Careers Of ADHD Adults I’ve Coached Since 2003
https://addcoach4u.com/careers-of-adhd-adults-coached/