Can I become a Social Worker with ADHD?

dear adhd, i believe that you can not become a social worker. this reason? people with adhd cannot pay attention.

thank you.

anonymous.

10/21/13

I beg to differ. Dr. Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction, is forthcoming about his own struggles with ADHD. A well respected clinician out of Ohio, Tiffany DeSilva, MSW, has a very successful social work practice and she speaks publicly about her ADHD.

I am a social worker who has severe ADHD. The secret to my success has been finding the right combination of meds and making sure I'm processing with a therapist of my own.

There are times when ADHD can be an asset in this field. Speaking from personal experience, I find that my ADHD helps me to connect with some of my clients better than a neurotypical person would. I also find that my ability to hyperfocus serves me very well during individual and group sessions.

This job is never boring, which also plays to ADHD strengths. Every client is a new puzzle. Just when you think you've got a client pegged or know what to expect, something will come up that is completely unexpected.

The paperwork can be a challenge, and in my agency, if I don't hand in my paperwork, I don't get paid. Spreadsheets, alarms, and scheduling apps help me stay on track of that stuff as well as I can.

So yes. You can totally be an ADHD social worker, so long as you do whatever work you need to do to keep your own stuff in check.