My name is Liza and I’m a mum, partner, employee of DCS and fully fledged ADHD’er. I’m also a friend, avid reader, and coffee snob, but I digress...
Being diagnosed with the same thing “energetic little boys have” as a thirty-something year old woman is pretty weird, to be honest. It triggered an emotionally charged stroll down memory lane to all the moments I had defined as “failures” and a tick-box exercise in all the personality traits I’d been convinced were “wrong.”
Like the time I missed a week of work because I was catatonic in bed. Maybe it was your stock-standard depression, but more likely I was suffering from ADHD burnout - I ended up being fired from that job for too many absences. Or like ordering 6 different notebooks and diaries, convinced each would be life-altering, only to forget I ordered them until they all arrived on the same day. Enter; Embarrassment and Shame – my most reliable companions. They have shown their ugly little faces every time I’ve interrupted someone so I wouldn’t forget my point, done something impulsively or been overwhelmed by simple tasks. I had carried these two around for so long I barely remembered a time before them.
Surprisingly though, Embarrassment and Shame weren’t present the day I got diagnosed, my new besties Relief and Acceptance were there instead. I couldn’t believe it – I was not completely, entirely, and utterly useless! I called my partner, texted my sister and pinged my work bestie, I wrote LinkedIn posts and talked about it at every opportunity until it became a running joke, but I didn’t care. I finally had an explanation.
“Getting diagnosed with ADHD as an adult is like getting a map to your brain with a colourful guide and an ornate key – but getting it after you’ve already been blindly searching for the treasure for decades.”
I have had some incredible opportunities, that without my ADHD I never would have had, including the opportunity to share my story with you today. I have met the Secretary, had intimate conversations with some of our most senior leaders and appeared in a professionally produced video for the “Let’s Rock NSW – Rethink Disability” event. Most importantly though, has been the community who have welcomed me with open arms, the people who have reached out to say how grateful they were to read my story, and the acquaintances who have sought out their own diagnosis and started their own journey of self-acceptance.
I won’t sugar-coat it. Some aspects of ADHD are absolutely debilitating and I'm still a Work in Progress. I’m not ashamed anymore though, my brain just works differently. I’m an epic problem-solver, can think and write creatively, and I am deeply passionate about making people feel accepted for their beautiful, authentic selves in the hopes that nobody struggles the way that I did.
DCS has been a game-changer for me. The Neurodivergent community we have are the kindest, smartest, and funniest folk I have ever met and it’s invaluable being able to share the highs and lows with people who “get it”. We also often have conversations about digital accessibility, and what it means. I always thought it was normal to use plain English and include lots of white space on a page, but it turns out I was instinctively trying to make sure everything I did was accessible – even if it was only for me. Digital accessibility is one of those things that if you do it well, you don’t even notice you’re doing it (which is how it should be). For example, I will often request written instructions after a verbal discussion to help me remember and ensure I have understood a request. While this might seem trivial, it can make the difference between me completing my work or staring at my screen blankly for an afternoon. ADHD is one contradiction after another – sometimes I completely freeze and have nothing to say, other times I have so much to say I can’t get the word-vomit to stop and often struggle to articulate myself, so I rely heavily on technology to communicate effectively.
We are human, and so are our colleagues and leaders. By speaking about the human experience (the good, the bad and the ugly) we begin to normalise the conversation and by simply being ourselves, we can cultivate a safe space for even one other person to follow suit. Picture the “ripple effect” - your ripple might end up impacting people you’ve never even met. If you feel like you need support, or if you’re going through the process of getting a diagnosis of your own, please reach out (I have a fairly uncommon name so it shouldn't be hard to find me) and while I’m not an expert, I love a chat and can be a great sounding board.
You can also become a part of the Ability ERG or check out the Neurodiversity group I mentioned – we'd love to have you!
And finally, my parting advice for everyone (ADHD or not) is:
- Tell your team and your leader if you’re having a tough day, but also tell them how they can help you – and leave the guilt at the door. Their turn will come, and you can repay the favour.
- Block out “meeting-free” times in your calendar – every day if you can. Use these times to work distraction-free or to give yourself space to breathe.
- Binaural beats. I use an app called “Endel.”
- Schedule in a 15-minute walk, 5-minute stretch session or some eye exercises, every day if you can. Especially on the days you can’t think of anything worse.
- Join the ERG’s* that feel relevant to you. The feeling of inclusion and belonging is unparalleled.
*ERG stands for Employee Resource Group and is a committee run by employees, for employees with a targeted focus on different minorities and groups).
For more information on ensuring your workplace is inclusive, check out the Accessibility and Inclusivity Toolkit. Within it, you can find the resources, tools, and training needed to help you meet accessibility guidelines and ensure that your products and services are accessible to everyone, regardless of abilities.