[AquaGuy]

The main symptoms of ADHD have been present in me from the age of 3, my 'parents have noticed it, teachers in school and college noticed it and my friends can also verify it.

Looking in the DSM-V, it has to be present in 2 or more settings, and it affects every are of my life so that's a yes.
I have severe concentration difficulties, I am a very bad (not so extreme anymore) procrastinator, I have very bad short-term memory, I am extremely impulsive and am highly hyperactive.

I know the condition is far more complex than going down a list of symptoms and characteristics and saying I have something based on that, but people who are trained to spot things in children mentioned many times I should possibly be tested for ADHD during school and college, and I meet every single characteristic in the DSM-V to a very high degree and always have.

Now I work and it is affecting me very badly there as well. In a warehouse with forklift trucks is dangerous because I nearly get run down countless times because I lack focus when picking and packing, even if they press the horn directly behind me and people shout to me to move it takes me a while to hear them because I'm so absent-mindedly doing work.
I also make tonnes of really stupid, careless mistakes (sounds like my entire life in one sentence. Haha) and am constantly getting shouted at because they think I do it on purpose. I try incredibly hard to pay attention, I even meditate which does help a lot but because my concentration and inattention has always been severe it hasn't noticeably improved as of yet to anyone but myself (but I expect it'll take years of mediation for other people who aren't in my head to notice).

Here is the thing...I cannot say anything because I technically have no diagnosis of anything, not even ADHD, so all I can do is put up with the moaning from them and make up random excuses off the top of my head even though I don't know how else to explain it other than I have poor concentration and very, very short attention span (except when hyper-focusing but I have never learned how to consciously control that).

Is there absolutely any way, any at all, (I'm planning on going to get tested sometime this year, somehow, hopefully) I can tell them I potentially have undiagnosed adult ADHD and use that as a valid reason and not an excuse? I would rather not use it as an excuse (or reason) but some people only understand something when you have a label unfortunately, especially in the workplace.

Thanks. Peace.

EDIT: here is my response from the ADHD screening test on this forum:

Based upon your responses to this adult ADD/ADHD screening quiz, you have replied in a way similar to people who have symptoms of moderate to severe attention deficit disorder. People who have answered similarly to you typically qualify for a diagnosis of ADHD or ADD, and have sought professional treatment for this mental health concern.

If you were diagnosed with ADHD, it would likely be of the Combined presentation, as you indicated significant symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.

You indicated that several of the symptoms were present before age 12.
You indicated that the symptoms occur in two or more settings.
For ADD or ADHD to be diagnosed by a mental health professional, usually the symptoms must occur in at least two different settings (like school and home, or work and home), and they must have lasted at least 6 months. Symptoms typically worsen in situations that require sustained attention or mental effort, or that are boring.

[VernonJenkins]

If I was in your position...

I'm going to get tested for ADHD. I'm also going to look for a new job.

[seesaw]

I'm unclear what you think telling them you have ADHD will mean. Disclosing your disability will not mean you are allowed or excused from making mistakes. The only thing it will do is ask you for a reasonable accommodation, which would be basically assistance in doing your job properly. They won't change the entire job for you, because that's not what a reasonable accommodation is.

Regardless if you have a disability or not, an employer is not going to allow mistakes on the job. If you cannot perform the work properly, with or without a reasonable accommodation, then perhaps it is not the right line of work for you?

It's possible that with a diagnosis they can provide you with some accommodations to do a better job, like a work coach who can provide you with direction or instruction. Or helping you manage tasks in a more timely manner. But a disability diagnosis or MI diagnosis doesn't get you off the hook with making mistakes.

Seesaw

[Shazerac]

Telling the people at your job that you might have an undiagnosed mental illness is a BAD idea. Also even if you get a diagnosis of ADHD that doesn’t excuse you from doing your job correctly and not spacing out and getting run over by a fork lift.

If you actually do have ADHD and get the proper treatment and therapy, it may help you do your job well with fewer mistakes and risk of injury.

[erkekchojuk]

Originally Posted by AquaGuy

but some people only understand something when you have a label unfortunately, especially in the workplace.

Wow this is so true, I couldn't have said it better myself. I have noticed that people get bullied and made fun of for showing behavior that comes with disorders(ADHD, autism, social anxiety, etc.) but when someone is "out of the closet" as having one of these disorders, people are more sympathetic. I remember once I was being criticized for something and I mentioned I think I may be on the autism spectrum. The person responded with something like "if you have autism then you need a proper diagnosis from a doctor, otherwise you can't just diagnose yourself." It felt like they were saying "if you want my sympathy and understanding, you're gonna need a doctor's note."

[bluecloud]

I also want to add one thing. Employers in general don't like to hire people with disability, even if they say they don't mind, and even if there are laws to prevent them from discriminating people with disability. Like others have said, you may want to look into treatment only if you want to tackle your ADHD symptoms, and not for this specific reason.