'My purpose is to support marginalized communities. Realizing this changed so much'

Misconceptions about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, can leave adults with little support given its association with impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention. It is also a condition often perceived as a childhood disorder reserved for young boys.  

Rochelle Lamoureux, 2009 graduate of a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Drama at the University of Calgary, says it was this misinformation that shaped her early understanding of ADHD. Having learned to embrace ADHD, the University of Calgary alum is clear that her ability to embrace who she is has helped her to find an accessible and fulfilling career.  

'ADHD was something you grow out of'

Lamoureux thought ADHD was supposed to be temporary. This was what she was told when she received her diagnosis in elementary school. Lamoureux explains that while she was able to her symptoms recognized while young, this isn’t always the case for women of colour. While she appreciates this early intervention, she was also deeply impacted by the misinformation surrounding ADHD.  

"I was lucky enough to be one of very few women who were diagnosed as a child. I just always assumed that the reasons I was struggling as an adult and especially as a women and mother was, frankly, because I sucked," says Lamoureux. 

Due to these early misconceptions, Lamoureux navigated her neurodivergence without much compassion or understanding about how ADHD impacts young girls. Without knowing how she could be best supported, her adolescence was spent feeling less and less welcome in the classroom. This was despite her lifelong love of learning. 

As a Black, queer, disabled woman, Lamoureux had to learn how what she was told about ADHD applied to her lived experience of it.  

“ADHD, especially, is still so stereotyped toward young boys, and hyperactivity. I have had to search so hard and far to understand how I connect to that narrative and how to see myself in that picture.” 

Despite the early challenges she faced, Lamoureux discovered the unique strengths of having ADHD while pursuing her undergraduate degree. As a BFA student in Drama, she thrived in her creative pursuits with her out-of-the-box thinking, honed her communication skills on the stage, and greeted novel challenges with enthusiasm. But Lamoureux acknowledges the way ADHD has helped her to shine while also making space for the struggles she faced. 

“I couldn’t make myself start an assignment until 11 p.m. the night before it was due. I was constantly stressed. And while I knew what I was doing, I couldn’t make myself focus during tests. I was obsessed with time passing during exams, looking at the clock, distracted whenever someone cleared their throat.”  

It wasn’t until one of her professors noted the gap between her skills and her exam scores that she was referred to Student Accessibility Services to access formal accommodations. A separate area with minimal distractions as well as extra time to complete her exams made all the difference for Lamoureux. 

'I have no choice but to be authentic about my hot mess-ness'  

By the time Lamoureux completed her degree, she learned to utilize the unique strengths of having ADHD in school, but her experience in the workplace required learning a new skillset. Lamoureux accepted a remote position that predominantly required executive functioning skills like time management, working memory, and task initiation; all skills that can be impacted by ADHD. She found that full time work that exclusively required skills that did not come naturally to her was detrimental to her mental health and self-esteem. Eventually Lamoureux left this position to find work that better suited her strengths. 

“The stress of having to squash how I naturally worked was hard for me in a way I didn’t see before. I know now that it was burn out from trying to fit into a system that wasn’t working for me.”  

Lamoureux explains that without support in the areas she found challenging, she couldn’t access the rewarding parts of her ADHD like her ability to hyper focus and her speed in learning new skills.   

“The world benefits from people who think differently. You can’t unlock those benefits however, if those people are drowning and struggling just to survive their day-to-day life. I have no choice but to be authentic in my hot-mess-ness.”

'This is where my story gets better'  

After years away from the workforce to become a mother, Lamoureux found that she was her best self with greater variety and the freedom to focus on her special interests. 

Following her passion for social justice, she returned to the University of Calgary as a student advisor and equity, diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility (EDIA) practitioner at the Haskayne School of Business. Justice orientation, Lamoureux explains, is a common trait shared by neurodivergent people in which they are less willing to accept the status quo and are passionate about equity. Lamoureux is now pursuing an interdisciplinary Master of Education degree to advance her EDIA leadership skills.  

“My purpose is to support marginalized communities. Realizing this changed so much. There will always be parts of a job that I don’t like and I really need this purpose and passion behind what I do to get me through those parts.”

Lamoureux encourages students to reflect on what interests inherently drive them and to seek out work that fits most naturally to them. In doing so, she advises students to pursue work that adapts to them rather than the other way around. Flexibility, she explains, cultivates the best outcomes for both the individual and the work. With this approach to work, one thing is most clear to Lamoureux: “this is where my story gets better.”  

Want to share your story? Help us celebrate neurodiversity across campus. We especially encourage those from equity-deserving groups (women, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to share their experiences. 

Email us: nd.wil@ucalgary.ca

Connect with the UCalgary neurodivergent community throughout Neurodiversity Celebration Week (March 17 – 21). Find events here.