Max (not his real name) falls into a deep hole when he fails a continuing education exam he needs for his job. A childhood trauma awakens. His school career was marked by failure, fear of failure and self-doubt. Although he worked hard, he continually failed exams, having to take and repeat exams numerous times.
He always thought about the question: why can’t I get it done?
At the age of 55, he is back at the same point. He feels like a failure, a good-for-nothing. Feelings of shame and guilt do not leave him. How should he explain this to his employer? Existential fears plunge him into depression.
He immediately seeks medical help – and is unexpectedly diagnosed with ADD.
It is not unusual for those affected to receive their diagnosis in this way. Because: Diseases such as depression and anxiety disorders are common comorbidities in AD(H)D. On the one hand, psychological comorbidities can be explained by the fact that people with attention disorder or hyperactivity disorder need an enormous amount of energy in daily life and often feel exhausted. On the other hand, many people with ADHD suffer from reduced self-esteem. They strive to conform to social norms. Often they fail – and are rejected and criticized. It is therefore difficult for them to recognize their strengths.
When Max receives the diagnosis, he is surprised. At the same time it is also a relief for him. She helps him understand himself better.
“I finally understood why I always failed at school, why I didn’t pass this or that exam, why I am so forgetful, why it is so difficult for me to concentrate and why I always fall into bed exhausted at night,” says Max, who was diagnosed two years ago. He speaks without periods or commas. In addition to the attention deficit, a strong urge to talk is a typical symptom of ADD. However, he is not hyperactive. Even as a child, he wasn’t a “fidget,” as people used to describe hyperactive children.
There is a notebook next to Max. He suffers from disorganization and has to write down all appointments and tasks and cross them off when they are completed. “Sometimes I can’t remember even the simplest things or I assume I’ve already done them,” says Max. This has repeatedly led to discussions and bad reviews in his professional life.
He is not alone in this. People with ADHD often forget appointments and routine tasks, get stuck easily, or jump from one job to another without finishing what they started. Lack of perspective is related to the constant overstimulation that occurs in people with ADHD.
Millions and millions of sensory impressions are processed in our brains every second. A filter ensures that we consciously perceive only some of these impressions and protects us against sensory overload. In people with ADHD, this filter is disrupted. They are constantly overloaded with information and have difficulty distinguishing between what is important and what is unimportant.
Max knows this too: “If I have to emphasize the most important thing in a text with a highlighter, everything turns yellow for me.” This is due to the imbalance of the messenger substances dopamine and norepinephrine, which are present in people with AD(H)D. These so-called neurotransmitters are important for the transfer of information in nerve cells.
The constant sensory overload not only prevents people with ADD from concentrating properly, it also costs a lot of energy.
“At work, my hard drive is full by 11:30 am,” says Max. The open office with high noise levels and all kinds of distractions makes his work life even more difficult. He rarely looks at his cell phone or reads the news. “There are too many stimuli, my brain can’t process it.” During his lunch break he retreats to fill his energy tank. He calls this ‘consciously shielding stimuli’. “Relaxing nature sounds help me get through the second half of the day,” says Max.
For about two years he has been taking a new medication that supports him in daily life: Ritalin. The drug increases the concentration of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine and is usually used to treat ADHD. The stimulant, to which the Narcotics Act applies, is controversial because it is feared to be addictive. However, studies have shown that a therapeutically effective dose does not lead to dependence.
Not all those affected need medication. The use of Ritalin is recommended for Max. The fact that Ritalin is abused in the drug scene as a substitute for amphetamine initially had a deterrent effect on Max. “My first thought was: Oh God! It’s a narcotic. “Pharmacists get that from the safe,” Max remembers.
At first he only took half a tablet at a time. But that is of no use. He now takes Ritalin once a day, except on weekends and holidays. Then it doesn’t need that much energy. He is not addicted to the stimulant. “I worked without a prescription for three weeks – no sweat, no tremors, no withdrawal symptoms.” Still, he fears supply bottlenecks. Because: “Ritalin helps me against the extreme fatigue that occurs in the afternoon due to the constant overstimulation. I also have more drive and can concentrate better.”
Once Max leaves work, the active ingredient usually wears off. “My battery is still about eight percent after work. The way home, which is accompanied by chaos, crowds and noise, robs me of the last of my energy. When I get home, I fall dead on the couch from tiredness and exhaustion,” says Max. If he then wants to do something else, he exceptionally takes a second Ritalin tablet.
Max has now overcome the depression. He failed the test that first brought him into crisis and which later led to his most important insight a second time and which he must take a third time. His employer has shown more understanding since the diagnosis. «Life has become easier. I can laugh at myself and my mistakes. Before, I was constantly blaming myself and putting pressure on myself.”
He deals calmly with his diagnosis. What especially helped him was the offer of ADHS20+. The advice center supports people with AD(H)S in adulthood and has, among other things, set up a self-help group. Max agreed. “We are like brothers and sisters,” he says.
The person portrayed, whom we call Max in the article, wants to remain anonymous because of his employment.
source: watson
I’m Maxine Reitz, a journalist and news writer at 24 Instant News. I specialize in health-related topics and have written hundreds of articles on the subject. My work has been featured in leading publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Healthline. As an experienced professional in the industry, I have consistently demonstrated an ability to develop compelling stories that engage readers.
