“For a long time, I didn’t even know I had ADHD,” says Professor Ana Bastos. “I was only diagnosed three years ago, which was a huge relief.” Finally, there was an explanation for why she had felt ‘different’ for so long. Since her teens, she had struggled with sensory overload, sleep disorders, exam nerves and even depression – to the point of attempting suicide. “By and large, the education system is not designed for people like me,” says the researcher. She says that sitting still for hours on end, following a set timetable and learning things in a more or less predetermined way that she couldn’t prioritise herself was terrible for her. “It made me so angry that I had panic attacks, was afraid to go to class and had to repeat a year of school.” She ended up skipping classes and instead studied subjects she enjoyed in a café. Since her teachers were worried about her, they let her carry on. “But it didn’t occur to anyone at the time that I might have ADHD,” says Bastos. She now knows that her brain “simply works differently to other people. I can accept myself as I am,” she says. It took her a long time to get to this point.
Inclusion and diversity in science
Becoming a professor with ADHD: Professor Ana Bastos
Recognising ADHD in others, and possibly in yourself, and how best to manage it is a topic that is currently attracting a lot of attention. The German magazine SPIEGEL has even dedicated a cover story to it in its latest issue. Dr Ana Bastos has been a professor of land-atmosphere interactions at Leipzig University since May 2024. The 38-year-old from Portugal is open about having ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Isn’t ADHD a reason not to pursue a career in science? Not necessarily, says the award-winning researcher in our university magazine. It can be a strength – if you can overcome the challenges. Her advice to students struggling with ADHD? “Don’t give up.”
Created by: Birgit Pfeiffer / Translation: Matthew Rockey
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