I was diagnosed with ADD about 9 months ago at the age of 31. I’ve always been relentlessly optimistic, even after the diagnosis and the brief meltdown that the dx and drugs caused. My boss knew about the ADD and was extremely supportive. She read books and made a major effort to help me cope. She knew how much I loved my job (reporter) and thought I was good at it. I made mistakes but they were dealt with constructively and I got better and better at coping with my deficits.

Then I got transferred. No, first I got layed off, then I was offered a job with the company in another city and given 1 week to move (no, not a week off to prepare and move, a week where I was expected to work and prepare to move). I knew that I was being treated badly by the company but moved anyway because the economy didn’t seem like one I’d want to be unemployed in. I arrived to the most difficult situation I’ve ever been in with a boss who barely qualifies as human.

He likes to berate people and I got to be his favorite target! Now, a job that I used to love feels like the inner circle of Hell and all of my optimism is gone. He takes great joy in making me feel like dirt and letting me know that he thinks I suck at my job. Then he tries to pretend that he’s not trying to make me feel bad or stomp on my confidence, really, I just misinterpret what he says and if I could just share his low opinion of me then all would be well. I disclosed the ADD and it was a HUGE mistake. I wish I had read some of the posts here first. Like some you my disclosure had the effect of placing a huge target on my *** and gave my boss carte blanche to treat me like an idiot who has Alzheimer’s instead of ADD. The HR hag is trying to make me fill out forms and submit documentation even though I explained to both her and my boss that I’m not asking for any accommodations. The small things my previous boss did (putting documents in my chair instead of in my box, communicating through email…) were helpful and if my current boss would do it it would be great. But he’s so resistant to even doing that much I don’t want to make him act like even more of a jerk because he’s told to help me out. He want’s to fire me (documenting it every time I blow my nose) and I actually really want him to. I’d rather collect unemployment and look for a new job than stick around here being spit on and belittled. The problem is I’m so ****ed off that there’s no way I’d give him the satisfaction of screwing up. He’s the worst manager and even the other reporters think he’s insane and that his communication skills are horrible but I’m the only one who made the mistake of asking for clarity. Others just complain behind his back. I know this is a rant but I just needed to vent, this situation is making me physically ill. And of course I don’t dare take sick time.

I was diagnosed with ADD about 9 months ago at the age of 31. I’ve always been relentlessly optimistic, even after the diagnosis and the brief meltdown that the dx and drugs caused. My boss knew about the ADD and was extremely supportive. She read books and made a major effort to help me cope. She knew how much I loved my job (reporter) and thought I was good at it. I made mistakes but they were dealt with constructively and I got better and better at coping with my deficits.

Then I got transferred. No, first I got layed off, then I was offered a job with the company in another city and given 1 week to move (no, not a week off to prepare and move, a week where I was expected to work and prepare to move). I knew that I was being treated badly by the company but moved anyway because the economy didn’t seem like one I’d want to be unemployed in. I arrived to the most difficult situation I’ve ever been in with a boss who barely qualifies as human.

He likes to berate people and I got to be his favorite target! Now, a job that I used to love feels like the inner circle of Hell and all of my optimism is gone. He takes great joy in making me feel like dirt and letting me know that he thinks I suck at my job. Then he tries to pretend that he’s not trying to make me feel bad or stomp on my confidence, really, I just misinterpret what he says and if I could just share his low opinion of me then all would be well. I disclosed the ADD and it was a HUGE mistake. I wish I had read some of the posts here first. Like some you my disclosure had the effect of placing a huge target on my *** and gave my boss carte blanche to treat me like an idiot who has Alzheimer’s instead of ADD. The HR hag is trying to make me fill out forms and submit documentation even though I explained to both her and my boss that I’m not asking for any accommodations. The small things my previous boss did (putting documents in my chair instead of in my box, communicating through email…) were helpful and if my current boss would do it it would be great. But he’s so resistant to even doing that much I don’t want to make him act like even more of a jerk because he’s told to help me out. He want’s to fire me (documenting it every time I blow my nose) and I actually really want him to. I’d rather collect unemployment and look for a new job than stick around here being spit on and belittled. The problem is I’m so ****ed off that there’s no way I’d give him the satisfaction of screwing up. He’s the worst manager and even the other reporters think he’s insane and that his communication skills are horrible but I’m the only one who made the mistake of asking for clarity. Others just complain behind his back. I know this is a rant but I just needed to vent, this situation is making me physically ill. And of course the mental girl has to be careful with those sick days or it'll be viewed as being to lazy to come to work. ARGGGHHHH

That sounds like a horrible situation, I am sorry to hear that is so hard for you. Hang in there and keep your eyes open for something better. It makes me think of a speech that Winton Churchill gave at a school, it was a short but good speech:

"Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."
Sir Winston Churchill, Speech, 1941, Harrow School

Here is another:
"You will find that silence or very gentle words are the most exquisite revenge for insult."
~Judge Hall

I hope your situation improves for you.

thanks, tomorrow is another day, as long as I drag my butt through this one. this is just a really tough day

Hang in shelly I had a similar sutuation and I walked off the job

It cost me 6 months of my life to recuperate from it all

you just quit? I SO want to do that!! how long did it take to find another job? How did you afford your medication in the meantime?

I"m sorry you are going through all of this too.

Since they already know that you have AD/HD make sure you fill out all the right paperwork.

Since you said your boss is now documenting everything YOU do, maybe you should start documenting what he does. It sounds a lot like verbal abuse.

What are the chances of getting transferred back to the place you originally were with the boss you liked and who liked you? Or is that naive on my part? (or at least enlist this woman's support?)

My job was eliminated at the old office. Two co-workers were laid off and I was transferred so there's no going back. My old boss is still supportive, she gives me advice on my current situation and assures me that it really is my boss that's insane and not me. Although he's still my supervisor technically he's not acting as my editor right now because things were just so bad between us. The distance from his disdain for me is helping a bit. I do document EVERYTHING and I'm going to turn the paperwork in to HR but I'm not asking for accommodations. I don't need much and he'll resent me more if he's forced to do anything he doesn't want to do. I'd rather he just fire me.

In the meantime I'm looking around for another job since in my profession the things that help me cope with ADD at work are pretty much the way all reporters work. My boss here is just a control freak but luckily he's a rarity in the business. Most don’t care how you get things done as long as you get them done.

Thanks for all of the feedback, yesterday was really rough. Do any of you suffer from physical health problems in times of stress? I just can’t seem to get well which is certainly not helping. Consistent eating and all of that is extremely hard when I’m stressed and I have infections in my inner ear and sinuses that won't go away. Before that it was a never-ending cold. I’d love to hear suggestions from people who have that problem. Thanks

If all the reporters hate his guts, maybe there's a chance you could band together and write a letter to his superiors documenting his excesses. This would also strengthen your position in that if he were to fire you, you might be able to sue for wrongful termination. And he sounds like the kind that fires for self-satisfaction and to reinforce his power over the remaining employees.

Unfortunately, with your ADD, he probably has documented lots of little slipups which MIGHT be firable, but the government seems to just love going after anyone who discriminates against the disabled, so your position might be stronger than you think.

WARNING; my opinions are worth what you're paying for them, I've no idea what the legal situation is, but I just thought I would give you some advice that you could do further research on if it interested you. Hope this helps!

Unfortunately I seem to be the only one willing to complain about his behavior. Part of my ADD experience is that I have a very hard time lying even when I want to. Push hard enough and I'll call it like I see it. I'm not rude but the honesty impulse is hard to control. Also, I have a tough time with the office politics thing because it's hard for me to guess the unspoken rules and know that when he says one thing, he really means something else and it's OK to ignore him so long as you're sneaky about it. It's called "Handling Your Boss" and I suck at it. I read a book to try to help me out and got in major trouble because it suggested that I be honest with him. FYI HONESTY IS VERY BAD IF YOUR BOSS HAS A HUGE EGO.
thanks for the advice though, I have been checking on my legal recourse but I think I can find another job or find peace before I get fired. I haven't actually screwed up so much as ****ed him off by suggesting that he did.

Honesty is generally bad in business. I'd recommend "The Dilbert Principle" for an eye-opening and humorous read on how duplicitous some people are concerning their careers.

I too have problems with honesty, and am only learning at this advanced age that keeping my mouth shut may be the wisest thing possible.

[i]I too have problems with honesty, and am only learning at this advanced age that keeping my mouth shut may be the wisest thing possible. [/B]

the only way I can comment on this is to be honest

It ****es me off so much when you can't just speak the truth

And "Call The Kettle Black"

I find it very hard to Lie about anything

This could turn into a very long post

So I will end it Now