So I was diagnosed with ADHD in my late thirties and before that I was a mess, job to job etc. then got lucky and worked for a company that afforded me the chance to study for my dream job without work pressure.

I am now a software developer and although I went from being the smartest person in the groups I roamed to the dumbest person at work I still have half a foot in my old life of drugs and poor decisions (although the usage has dropped by 95% and I’ve got a good routine and go to bed early).

I feel like a pretentious dick when at a party and someone asks what I do for work, I kinda feel ashamed saying I’m a software developer. Like a fraud I guess.

How to stop this?

  • Throbbing_Banjo@midwest.social
    ·
    8 months ago

    Fellow adult with ADHD here, welcome to the club! What you're feeling is referred to as "imposter syndrome" and it's one of the more pesky symptoms of our particular affliction.

    Just knowing it's a symptom of ADHD has been a huge help to me... When those thoughts creep in, I just remind myself how hard I've had to work to get here.

    I know for a fact that I had to study for some of my licensing exams three or four times longer than some of my coworkers, for example. Those coworkers don't know that, and I wouldn't care if they did, but I know how hard I've had to work to get where I am and I'm proud of it.

    • dependencyinjection@discuss.tchncs.de
      ·
      8 months ago

      I had heard of imposter syndrome before, but I wasn’t sure if this was it or not.

      It’s good to be aware of I guess, and although my mind can be quite irrational with these kind of things I will try to keep it in mind.

      Thanks.