ADHD manifests differently in women, with less hyperactivity and more internal struggles, leading to delayed diagnoses. A diagnosis revealed patterns of confusion and symptoms that impact daily life and academic work, especially during the isolating pandemic. The author and another graduate student formed a support group, which grew as they opened up about their struggles. Their community expanded as others shared similar experiences, indicating a widespread silent battle among academics with ADHD.
The diagnosis illuminated a lifetime of confusion: why simple tasks felt insurmountable, why brilliance arrived in unpredictable bursts, and why I could hyperfocus but forgot to pay rent.
Isolated in my apartment during the pandemic, I watched my ADHD symptoms spiral out of control. My dissertation research stalled, and my coping mechanisms crumbled.
I had been thinking about creating a space specifically for academics with ADHD. My courage to speak openly came from a successful professor discussing their own diagnosis.
Our community grew as private messages trickled in from students across departments, each one a confession of silent, similar struggles.
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