‘Masking only works for so long’: Working with ADHD

Being a lawyer with ADHD is far from easy due to widespread misconceptions about the condition but there are ways to offer support, says Lisa Mueller of Casimir Jones.

What springs to mind when you think of the word ‘diversity’? For many, the word is a broad term that includes several factors and characteristics. Some are visible, such as age, gender, ethnicity, race/skin colour, and physical disabilities.

Others are invisible, eg, educational background, political views, religion, socioeconomic background, value systems—and one of particular importance to me– neurodiversity.

Brain differences

Neurodiversity refers to a group of neurodivergent individuals, and the term ‘neurodivergent’ is used to describe an individual whose brain differences affect how his or her brain works.

Neurodivergent individuals have different strengths and challenges than neurotypical individuals whose brains don’t have those differences.

Neurodivergence includes autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder and Downs syndrome to name just a few.

I am neurodivergent—I have ADHD. You wouldn’t guess it by just looking at me because it’s not something you can see: it’s invisible.

Some might be wondering: “Isn’t ADHD something that just affects kids, typically boys?”  No, that is a common misconception. Many adults have ADHD, and in fact, most don’t know they have it. Statistics show that less than 20% of adults with ADHD are aware that they even have it.

Many misconceptions

Another common misconception is that ADHD is overdiagnosed. The truth is that while boys are often misdiagnosed with ADHD, girls and women are more likely to be undiagnosed—with up to 75% of all girls with ADHD remaining undiagnosed.

I remained undiagnosed up until four years ago. If you are wondering whether I struggled in school or had disciplinary issues growing up, that’s another common misconception.  And the answer is ‘no’.

I was on a high honour roll at high school, the Dean’s list in college, and graduated magna cum laude from law school. I never caused a problem in school, in fact, I’ve never had a problem with discipline.

There are a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes about ADHD, as there are about other types of neurodivergence. ADHD, like other types of neurodivergence, comprise a spectrum, with no two individuals experiencing the exact same symptoms.

‘A terrible name’

While I may suffer from a poor working memory but am five minutes early to all my appointments, another individual with ADHD may have an exceptional working memory but is consistently late to their appointments.

As mentioned earlier, ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder—a terrible name, which isn’t even helpful or even accurate. ADHD is not a deficit of attention– it can in fact, produce a surplus of attention, particularly when an individual is interested in something, allowing us to  become hyper focused on an event, task, or topic.

When I am hyper focused, I can write a complex patent application in a day or two or finish an amendment in just a few hours. In other words, not everyone who is diagnosed with ADHD is externally hyperactive. For example, many women with ADHD are able to sit still, but can’t stop moving internally due to their never-ending thoughts.

Also, ADHD is also not a ‘disorder’ and those of us with ADHD are far from defective.  Our brains are simply different—we require an alternative owner’s manual to operate properly.

Creative minds

In fact, ADHD has nothing to do with intelligence. While individuals with ADHD may struggle with disorganisation, procrastination, meeting deadlines, or have a poor working memory, that doesn’t mean we aren’t smart. Far from it. Studies have shown that individuals with ADHD are intensely creative, think outside-of-the-box, are persistent, and love to learn. In addition, many thrive under pressure.

When coupled with a strong passion for justice and fairness, it makes perfect sense why individuals with ADHD would choose a legal career. However, those of us with ADHD often compare it to an iceberg.

Above the water, at the top, the world sees all our symptoms—our forgetfulness, procrastination, missed deadlines, the messy office and/or home, etc. But what you don’t see—what is under the water—is the learned helplessness, the imposter syndrome, the need we feel to be perfect to make up for our ADHD, and the misconceptions and stigma associated with having ADHD.

We tend to be hard on ourselves and mask our ADHD at work. But masking only works for so long.

Lawyers more likely to have ADHD

According to a recent study by the Journal of Attention Disorders, the prevalence of ADHD among lawyers is estimated to be around 8-25%, which is higher than the prevalence in the general population.

Being a lawyer with ADHD is not only challenging but isolating because of the widespread misconceptions, shame, and stigma associated with having ADHD.

Additionally, studies have shown that over time, the pressure of being an attorney can exacerbate ADHD symptoms causing individuals to struggle with tasks that aren’t urgent or intellectually stimulating, such as logging-in time or reviewing pre-bills.

What can you do to help your colleagues with ADHD in your firms and corporations?   You can be an ally.  Work to create a culture where your colleagues with ADHD feel welcome and included and take the time to work with them to help them be successful at their jobs.  Examples of how you can be an ally include:

• When conducting a meeting that includes ADHD colleagues, make certain to schedule periodic breaks. Long meetings are extremely challenging for individuals with ADHD. The longer the meeting, the more likely an individual with ADHD will become distracted and/or have trouble sitting still.
• Schedule meetings in rooms that encourage movement or standing. Consider eliminating laptops and/or cell phones to reduce the number of distractions and/or interruptions.
• When working with ADHD colleagues on deadline-driven projects, set milestones and check in with your colleagues to make certain they are focused on relevant deadlines. Consider repeating calendar reminders to help reinforce deadline dates.
• Encourage note taking to remember tasks and to stay engaged, and provide distraction free work areas and encourage your ADHD colleagues to request any necessary accommodations such as noise-cancelling headphones and/or timers to avoid distractions.