First I would read "Women with ADD" by Sari Solden. I think she talks about a lot of things that you go through. Next I would look for something to pay the bills in the mean time. Babysitting.Can you make up a flier and pass it out to neighbors and friends. I am a stay at home Mom and I will make about $50 babysitting for another family. Lawn Care, Snow removal or a paper route. Paper Routes are a lot of hard work these days but because the morning addition comes so early it done by adults. I would also look at selling some things you could get rid of Ebay is good. I have been using Craigslist which is a lot easier for bigger items. I've made $1500. Old pictures, clothes, tools, you could sell anything and most of us have too much stuff anyway.

Next I would really examine if your line of work is right for you. (the book will help with that) Most of us have been fired at least once. Myself included. Some more then once. So throw yourself into ways to make extra money. Consider a room mate if you don't have one or even a less expensive place. I know you need to do some soul searching about whether it is the right career but earn a few bucks in the mean time. It will make you feel better about yourself. And just because your next job is in your current field doesn't mean you have to stay in it. You can get a job as an assistant then change in a couple of months as you figure more things out about yourself.

Hope all this helps. Good Luck. and I am always amazed at what people can do to earn money when necessary. Have faith.

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I'm so sorry about your job. I work in an office too and thought I was going to be fired for the last few months. My boss (a friend first) was so upset with me (with everything actually) and the stress was making the ADD worse. I got behind on everything - hadn't closed the books since August. I know my attitude was bad and didn't know how to get out of it. I was fired from my last job 12 years ago and was afraid it was happening again. I was afraid I would sink into depression again. I had been diagnosed long ago and tried Ritalin and Strattera later so it was fairly easy for me to get back on meds, this time Adderal. Talk about night and day! I am caught up on my bookkeeping, things are getting done at home, my mind is actually clear and I feel hopeful for the first time in years. I couldn't get a follow-up MD appointment within 30 days so I have had to miss some doses on weekend days. That's when I can really tell the difference.

I've been reading everything I can get my hands on lately about ADD, especially about work. I'm learning what about the jobs makes them easier or harder for us. I signed up for ADDclasses.com and that has really helped a lot (you can listen or download the speakers) and have gotten some books from the library.

BTW, can you collect unemployment? Had you told them about the ADD? Is it any better on Adderal?

I usually don't write anything on forums but my heart went out to you today. The only thing I can say is try to stay in today and don't let what happens on your job define your worth. You are so much more than an employee. May God bless you and help you find out who He created you to be.

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I wish I had an answer, since I'm going through the same thing now. I was just diagnosed about two years ago, and my last job was a job I thought would be perfect. I also let HR know about my ADD--the first time I've ever done this--because after years of bad jobs, I knew that I had to cover myself.

Sure enough, about 7 or so months into it I was in trouble--making mistakes, missing deadlines. I "came out" to my boss (a lovely woman who I still see), and she helped make sure I got as much accommodation as they could "reasonably" give; indeed, they were more reasonable and tried harder than I ever thought they would. But in the end, the accommodations I needed were more procedural, and the dept. head didn't think that would work, so the let me go (so I could get unemployment).

So I've been looking since July. I've changed direction a couple of times, and now I'm (finally) going with my gut instinct, which is it's better to have two part-time jobs that are mildly interesting than one full-time job that very interesting but not flexible. I haven't found anything yet, which is very stressful since my unemployment ends next month.

I've read zillions of articles about how to find jobs you love when you have ADD; I've taken many workshops about job seeking. But what I want is an agency or directory that lists ADD-friendly employers specifically, not just a vague list of job titles.

I'll probably end up doing temp stuff, unexciting but fairly steady, until I either find something part-time or my husband starts making more money, whichever comes first. The pressure on me to make enough for my health insurance is almost unbearable.

It's funny that the most successful job I've had so far is administrative assistant. I know why now--there was a lot of change in the department, everything from personnel and mission to office location--and my boss let me take a lot of classes and was supportive of me taking on larger projects. He was also the most direct boss I've had since I left New York--Boston seems to be the passive-aggressive epicenter of the universe. If there was a list of places where people with ADD should NOT work, Boston would be right up there.

So I've digressed and it's been mostly about me--but I hope that you see that there are others who are just as frustrated, sad, annoyed as you. Doesn't help with the bills, but at least you know you're not crazy--everyone else is. (If you haven't read any of Edward Hallowell's books, I'd highly recommend them, especially "Delivered from Distraction" and "CrazyBusy").

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I've been there a few times now over the years. And now, after having a good retail job that I loved go belly up when the company folded, I'm out of work again and this time its not even my fault! Also, I've been married nearly a year and been looking for work all this time. My husband doesn't accept the fact that I have ADHD and is getting more and more frustrated that I don't want (am really scared about even trying that again) a better paying office job rather than retail. I have been looking for an office job but don't have all the new Microsoft Office skills needed these days. I was a receptionist/secretary/office assistant (and did it well) back in the day of Selectric typewriters. I'm pretty terrified to even think about learning Excel (I'm terrible at math) or any of the other Office things so much that I can't make myself learn them. I just freeze up. I could do any number of at home things like teaching piano or doing craft things like starting a gift basket business as I'm great at those things but those take time to make any money at and we don't have time apparently. Sorry to not be any help but thanks for letting me commiserate and vent.

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Have you thought of trying retail sales? I assume you worked in the office of a retail business? Anyway, I sold furniture for several years, and made a pretty good living at it for awhile. If you are creative and aritstic, working in the home furnishings industry might be a good place to get your feet on the ground while you figure-out a new plan. ...As for your husband, keep trying too help him to understand, but don't let it distract you from YOU. You are valuable- just like you are, and have many special skills and talents. Don't you ever forget that!!

Best of luck to you! C

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I was diagnosed with ADD/Depression over 15 yrs. ago (age 35). I have had more jobs than I can count (credit, collections, administrative assistant, data entry, etc.). Up until the last few years, I would be very successful in quickly obtaining a new position (after being fired, laid off, etc.). But recently it is becoming very difficult , after applying for a job opening and submitting my resume) to get any type of response from the hiring company regarding possible employment. The feedback from past employers is that I have excellent written and verbal skills. I also type over 100 wpm accurately. But due to being incredibly unorganized, despite trying to change old habits, I always wind up with another job termination. My depression causes me to be overly sensitive to negative remarks regarding my job performance. The combination of the ADD and depression cause me to focus on past failures rather than the task at hand. My therapist believes my career would be far more successful if I could obtain a "work from home" position. She feels this type of employment would eliminate most of the "office politics" and I would then be able to focus on assigned job duties. I totally agree. Would anyone have any ideas/suggestions regarding possible employment that do not involve internet scams? I have spent the last few months trying to find a position, working from a home based office, while utilizing my job skills. Any and all feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.

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If I must consider administrative assistant work again, I think I would look for work for one person, maybe two, not a team of 12 I once was consdiered for. Too pressured. For me, working for someone like a Chief Fianncial Officer would be the kiss of death. Just typing made my chest get tight.All those spreadsheets and numbers, and graphs. Yuck. But, marketing director or publisher where the life of the job was not just numbers. That might be a bit better.

I sat down over the weekend and basically wrote down step by step the process of my job. My pyschiatrist is not into computers. I was doing it to help him understand where the meds had helped and not. In so doing, I realized the very place in the daily work where I messed up was not touched my the medication. I cannot handle a fast pace call ringing environment, fillout the computer forms tickets, emails, do it right move on to the next quickly. Just not capable. Not my strength, Actually my weakness. So, I won't look to be a receptionist with a 12 line phone unit in the short term either.

At 57, I was just recently diagnosed with ADHD. What drove me to if was my supervisor's constant criticism of me on the job.Got trained like everyone, but did not catch on as fast. Of course I am smart. Got written up as once, then again 10 months later. I was good but fast. But mystified at my own slowness to grasp things. So I explored it further. Found out I was ADHD. The whole job was wrong for me. But I stuck it out. But on a computer Help Desk answers calls all day long, 8 hours filing out tickets, I made mistakes. Adderall changed much of my recoall of systems information to help callers faster. But the bottom line was the quickness needed to answer the phone, type up the findings, assign to the correct next group and pass it on to the right stage were just not something I could do consistently with speed. So they forced me out on an LEAVE OF ABSENCE. I consider it a blessing in disguise. I have taken the Myers Briggs assessments along with the STrong inventory. I am know working on crafting a resume to aim me more towards something using my natural skills. May have to compromise along the way for the short term. I really like the suggestions of selling things on Craigs list as a way to make some fast cash in the interim. Takes two incomes in my household to meet the mortgage and keep us afloat. I have two friends who used the list successfully. What I learned about using Craig's list is this, if an item does not move in a week. Pull it down and relist new each week. Old items just drop out of peoples view. Photos do enhance the sale. Finding the forum is a wonderful support for me. Have been feeling very alone myself. My resume is also very very long. Now that I know I am ADHD, much of my past work history begins to make more sense. And I rewriting a new resume replacing words of the past with more of my planning, creating, enterprising characteristics so that comes out of the professional accomplishment section. Not the list of meet the bill jobs. Just remember a cover letter and resume are tools to get you a chance to get you in the door to sell yourself. They are marketing tools you need to compete, the goal is the meeting. Don't lie, but boost your success. Finally, I am going to walk around the house tonight with the camera and pad to start a list of things I can sell for easy cash. Thanks for the help. And thanks for being out there. We are not alone.

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