Title pretty much says it all. For those of you that have ADHD/ADD and work in high finance do you feel that it puts you at a disadvantage? a possible advantage in some cases? How does it affect your daily work life?
I thought a discussion like this would be interesting since I myself am medically diagnosed with ADHD and currently work for a hedge fund. I have to say its hard sometimes, especially when it comes to just sitting down at my desk and reading spread sheet after spread sheet etc..
Feedback appreciated!
drugs.
We had a discussion about this a while back involving a bunch of certified users who were pretty high up in the food chain at their respective firms. It came down to people who don't have ADD/ADHD saying that it's bull shit and you should power through it, and people with or who know people with the affliction saying that medicine and tons of discipline did it for them.
I personally believe that it can be worked around, but it shouldn't be ignored as some kind of made-up thing. People change along with technology, habits, culture, etc., and we shouldn't disregard the fact that some conditions will become more common as time goes on.
First, I appreciate the response. I agree that it can be worked around, however I think with regular visits to a therapist it can be managed. I personally don't like to take my medication (Adderall) when I'm at work because it puts me in such a different pace. Yes I am more focused and less hyper, but I feel like the more I use it at work, the more I'll depend on it. I will say however that a perk of my ADHD is that it adds a little kick to my sociable personality, which definitely helps because everyone at my firm is an extravert.
If you're not going to take your medication at work than when are you going to take it? This doesn't make much sense to me.
I'll also add, people who are ignorant enough to think that ADHD/ADD is bullshit really annoy me. If only they could experience the feeling for one day and sit through a 2hour lecture hall, then they'd understand.
Persevere Adult with ADHD (Originally Posted: 07/02/2018)
Hi, I am working in a marketing company, I tried my 101% to give the best output in my work but my illness is hindering me to achieve my goals/task. I am diagnosed with ADHD but I didn't lose hope, I still continue to work despite my situation. I know that this is not easy but with the help of the professionals (health), I started to get better.
Hi Shaterecer60, the silence is deafening, sorry about that.... Any of the threads below helpful?
Calling relevant pros to the rescue! rglaser CreditInvestor jmac634
If those topics were completely useless, don't blame me, blame my programmers...
This is much appreciated. Currently, I am with my medication and I'm planning to have a therapy to overcome this hump. Thank you so much
harness it, you're creative, but less productive on getting ideas done, find a way/someone to work with who's the opposite and make the team better than sum of the parts.
If you're medically diagnosed, you should have a prescription... if you don't, you should look into getting one.
No medical facts to base this on and purely anecdotal evidence but I suspect that a LOT of people who think they have ADHD/ADD do not, it's one of the most over-diagnosed conditions.It seems that a worrying amount of people on this board rely on Adderall / other medications. Unless WSO / finance attracts an unhealthy proportion of ADHD people (which I doubt), then a lot of people are taking stuff they don't need.
Again, no medical basis and purely anecdotal thoughts.
I once met an Accounting major some years ago who was saying she was prescribed with ADD and she had the medication to prove it. But my buddy, a chem major who actually sold Adderall on the side, checked out her pills because he didn't believe her based on the way she was acting told me it was some BS sugar pills. That said, I have also met someone with real ADHD so I know that a lot of people who think they have ADHD don't actually have ADHD like you say. When you get to know someone with ADD/ADHD you can easily distinguish people who actually have it and people who are lying about it. The character of those people with real ADHD are just really distinct and I ended up understanding that it's a real and serious condition.
It's just that certain kinds of people want an excuse to feel better about their actions and that in some way it's not actually their fault. Those people cheapen the problem that is ADHD/ADD to something that can be boiled down to lack of motivation.
I once heard a good anecdote for ADHD from a friend who has it. He said that it is incorrect to think of it as a binary condition, as in you have ADHD or you don't. Rather think of it as a spectrum, like near-sightedness.
Everyone falls somewhere on the spectrum. The question is does it negatively impact your life. I would imagine medication can help, but also believe in the reality that others may have certain jobs they will just never excel at.
Agree with this sentiment. I think this goes for a lot of other conditions as well and that they also regress and/or develop as you age.
I'm not qualified to speak about it on a scientific level, however my brother is diagnosed with it and over the years it has gotten much better than he was as a young child (or he has learned how to cope with it better, idk).
That's a good way of putting it, mirrors what I've seen in myself and friends. I have ADD, but it doesn't keep me from functioning completely. I'd say when I'm not on meds I'm at 70% functionality. I've got a friend who takes three times as much adderall as I do and when he's not on it, it's like dealing with a highly intelligent monkey.
Bingo bango. With my severe ADHD I need to be challenged at work. If I'm not challenged then getting through the task is almost impossible. I used to work in municipal finance investment banking for a top firm. The material was so easy that I mastered it in weeks and was bored as sin for the rest of my tenure.
Started a new job about 3 weeks ago that finally really challenges me and I'm really excelling at it.
That's awesome, congrats man! Sadly haven't had the opportunity to put hyperfocus to work at any traditional job. Luckily I've got some side projects that give me the opportunity
Sounds like bullshit, who wouldn't be sick of paying attention after 2 hours in a lecture hall? It's called boredom.
I imagine true ADD makes kids unable to concentrate on tasks such as playing Call of Duty or looking girls up on the web. On anedoctal evidence that doesn't seem very common.
I think that I need to explain myself a little more. I'm interested in hearing from those who are diagnosed with ADHD/ADD, like myself, about how they manage through their workday. Do certain quirks add value to some parts of your job or do they just make it more difficult?
actually I DO find it difficult to pay attention even to enjoyable pursuits like games and chicks. Mind just wanders and cannot be kept to task.
People don't realize that ADHD is actually an advantage at work. If you like your job and are passionate about finance then ADHD allows for "hyperfocus". I have pretty severe ADHD that I purposely don't treat. I'm pretty passionate about my job so when I sit down to do my work I absolutely rape the material.
Last week I was given a pretty intense assignment. Sat down for 8 straight hours (with a lunch break) for 5 straight days. Started Monday morning at 8 am and turned in a fantastic work product 6 pm on Friday. My co-workers I think thought I was being kind of a jerk, but I was just hyperfocused. I hardly came up for air for 5 straight working days.
That's the elephant in the room with those who claim ADHD is holding them back at work. If you like your job and like finance then you should be able to sit down and crush the spreadsheets with no issues. On the other hand, if ADHD is harming your ability to excel at work, ADHD can be an incredible insight into what you are truly passionate (and not passionate) about.
Remember, ADHD is a tool that our ancestors used as a benefit when they would hunt. It's a trait most commonly found in males since males used ADHD to hyperfocus during intense hunts. It's a positive trait with some negative fallout. But focus on the positive.
BTW, I'm aware that I used like 4 puns in this brief write-up.
weird. I don't think I've ever been able to hyper focus on anything. Maybe yours is a different form of ADD than the norm
I have ADD and this article changed my life:
http://elitedaily.com/money/entrepreneurship/how-add-is-actually-necess…
ADD is not a disease, it is just a different way of thinking. ADD has hurt me when I had to sit down for hours and do mundane tasks but when it comes to doing things I am passionate about I feel that ADD is helped me. I have learned to channel my energy towards positive things. I have several friends with severe ADD but they are actually very smart people and are currently pursuing very successful careers.
Bankers are amongst the most rigid, conformist, and least willing to acknowledge differences. I can tell you from my experiences that if you tell a banker you have dyslexia, they just think you're retarded and its bullshit you get more time on standardized tests. They have near zero capability to see things beyond themselves (which is btw a trait of narcissism) or see that most of these "disorders" have pluses and minuses.
Nature saw it fit to keep all these thinking styles around for a reason. Zucker has ADHD, Steve Jobs was dyslexic so is Richard Brandson. Most entrepreneurs have something "wrong" about them. In most cases the traits that make them great are things we call a "disorder". This is also why you see tech companies fail when you get a standard business guy come in. You cant teach ADHD, dyslexia, etc.
So honestly, you're just going to have to do what you can to make it work or find another company that use your strengths better. I've worked in companies where my dyslexia was causing me problems based on how they worked and freaked out about a missing comma. And ive worked in companies that found my dyslexia useful since i easy came up completely novel solutions no one has thought of at the company but thought it was rofl when i then proceeded to misread an email. You need to find a place that lets you use the strengths of ADHD while mitigating the weaknesses.
I've also learned to be upfront about it with people since it manages expectations so they cant be super pissed when it happens.
I've been diagnosed for a while. Originally, I did it cynically because ADD meds are a great study aid for everyone and I believe in maximizing competitive advantages. I also wanted to increase the amount of time I could go without sleep to have more time to do everything in college.
I still dislike sleeping as I view it as a waste of time. However, looking back on it, I think I did probably have clinically significant ADD throughout most of my life, I was just so smart nobody ever noticed and if they noticed it didn't matter.
If you want to say that's bullshit, fine with me. I don't really care.
In terms of impact on my job, I think the fact I can take pills that will keep me awake and focused on a model indefinitely is helpful. I also find that I can be very creative relative to most of my coworkers, but I'm not sure how much of that to attribute to a neurological disorder.
I think the spectrum of ADHD and ADD is a very good analogy. At the same time I think WAY too many people that are doing boring work they dont enjoy and cant concentrate on say "I must have ADD" when in reality the work just isnt interesting. Although I would never tell someone else how they feel, I was diagnosed with this when I was younger. I took all the drugs like Ritalin and Adderall because I just didn't know any better and I just figured I was supposed to take em since a doctor prescribed them to me. Once I was in my junior / senior year of HS I quit taking all that garbage (I played QB in HS and felt like it hindered me and would really mellow me out which obviously presents a problem in a contact sport) and instead decided to just change my attitude towards school. I honestly have never really felt the urge to take any of that stuff since, about 6 years later. I'm also really big into health and clean eating and I just dont feel like those pills can be good for your body, especially for kids at 11-14 years old... My best friend used to take it as well and it was almost creepy how much of a different person he was... It got to the point where people were telling him and his mom to quit giving him those pills cause he would go from a hilarious / exciting person to literally a zombie. Some people swear by the stuff but in my honest opinion I think with a real mindset change and work on diet and lifestyle you can really improve your concentration and not have to rely on some drug to get you through your career. I still do find myself fidgeting in class a ton, even in college but I cant tell if thats from ADHD or that I'm 6'3'' and the chairs are normally too small for me (serious.).
From someone whose just about to graduate college (Obviously don't know about HF life) I would suggest: -Eating very clean, no gluten, no fast food, not carb loading yourself at 7AM so you have a huge insulin spike and are dying of hunger by 8:30, etc. You should try some bulletproof coffee in the morning it gives amazing energy and concentration. (Although the beans are a ripoff you can find similar beans online for much cheaper, same with the MCT oil.) I'm generally a big fan of fasting for 12-16 hours a day and only eating for 8-12 hours a day. -Taking fish oils, multivitamins, creatine, etc. -Consistent working out.
Disclaimer: I don't know your exact situation just explaining what worked for me and how I get around it. Also I feel like these "diseases" are so over-diagnosed its not even funny.
Anyways hope I helped you in some way. Feel free to PM me with any questions etc.
Edit: Just take it to the next level and try something like Nuvigil if you want a smart drug lol, and obviously I'm very anti-medication.
Got a friend who told me he no longer uses Adderall because, while amazingly effective, it can permanently F up a person's metabolism and he was becoming pretty fat. Is there truth to that?
I've never heard about adderall messing up a person's metabolism. The only thing it does in that regard that I know of is curbing your appetite when you're on it. Of course, I'm not a doctor, so maybe the guy should talk to his doctor before making assumptions? I've had plenty of smart friends tell me things they thought they knew, but really heard it once and believed it (including one friend that thought having ADD means you can't get addicted to anything).
A couple of things to think about here (assuming the guy took it and is now off of it):
1) When you're on it, it's easy to keep weight off because you're not hungry. When you go off of it, it's much harder to regulate what you eat.
2) A lot of people go on it in their mid-teens to early 20s when it's still easy as shit not to put on weight. Think about it like this:
-you never had trouble keeping the pounds off until you were 18 -went to college -got an addy script -stayed on it until you were 25 -went off of it
What happened in the meantime? You got older. You skipped the normal period when most people's bodies aren't able to keep up with the food and drinks they're putting in it (freshman 15).
i had/have ADD, i think its bullshit to be honest
when you're truly interested in something or "flowing" ..it goes away.
I worked as a data analyst and spent alot of time looking at spreadsheets and doing shit that required intense concentration. If im into it, my concentration is laser sharp
if im sitting in a lecture with some feminist man hating cunt spewing garbage my attention span is about as good as a gold fishes
Yea, 100% with you there. The problem I get is if I'm doing something I like but I have to deal with people that are going too slow, I check the fuck out.
You nailed it. Basically exactly how I feel and I think most people that are doing insanely boring work try and say its ADD or ADHD.
I have it but never really experience anything I would call "symptoms" when I'm in a class I like..
do you take meds? when did you start with them and have you ever had a therapy?
Are you hot? Do you live in the tri-state? ;)
But to be serious, I used too but stopped awhile ago because I grew out of adderall. It used to calm me down and make me focus but it started to make me hyper and I would freak out and go nuts over stupid shit, get mad for no reason, etc
No right or wrong way to deal with "ADHD", just depends on who you are and what works best for you. If drugs help, drugs help. If exercise works, run with it (no pun intended).
ADD gets a bad rep because probably something like 75% of the people that are on meds shouldn't be. It's way too easy to get a script, it essentially can be diagnosed during an interview where the "patient" makes up symptoms. I had friends in college that abused the system and got scripts. If one doctor said "but you succeeded all throughout high school and are now at a good school... you don't need Adderall" they would go to another doctor.
I do think ADD is real. I volunteered at a sleep-away camp as a counselor once and was in charge of a group of 10-yr olds. Anyway, 1 kid was absolutely full of energy and couldn't focus his attention on anything. He would crash hard by 8pm though. And his mom was the type of parent that was against medicine.
But yea, how do you differentiate the gray area from being bored to actually having a medical problem?
I actually think that the real problem is that it's too hard to get the meds. I genuinely believe that everyone should be able to get adderall or provigil or whatever they want without seeing a doctor. No obvious reason why those things should be rationed unless they have negative long term side effects (in which case nobody should be taking them).
By way of analogy: We don't object to people drinking coffee. Why do we object to them taking pills to accomplish a similar goal?
It's too strong to be OTC. Something like Adderall is very addictive and ppl will start increasing their dosage to get the same results. It can lead to heart complications and other problems.
Supposedly adderall gives you a similar euphoric high as speed/meth. I hate the War on Drugs and adderall has far more negative consequences than something outright illegal such as marijuana.
1.) Don't become a quant. 2.) Dont work anywhere that has CNBC playing in the background. 3.) If you must work where CNBC is in the background, go home before Jim Cramer.
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