Not only children have ADHD. In adults, the disease is rare and has a different face. Some of the Affected benefits, says a researcher: “The illness leads to prison, the other on the podium.”
As Bernadette got the diagnosis of ADHD, she was 28 years old. "I was totally geschockt", reported the Years of 30. As a child, your behavior was never brought with the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – it seemed more like the opposite of the zappel Philipp syndrome. Slowly, she was dreamy, uncertain, clumsy.
In the study grew their problems: you got anxiety, was depressed, was because of a Professor of a nervous breakdown. "I can organisieren" incredibly bad;, you told. Your apartment is messy, your life will be an eternal construction site. Today, the Eva is 30 years old and still in search of their way.
Work until total exhaustion
On a short-term goal, they can concentrate extremely well. "I can wear myself out totally, but I can’t take a step after the other tun", you told. If you plugged in a thing, it works up to the point of total exhaustion. You will be interrupted but, she finds the strength to start anew. Then something else strikes your attention in the spell.
"I’m always under incredible internal pressure." You notice that Bernadette is Fresh, she speaks fast and a lot. Motor is quieter than before, and her extrovert manner and funky look are not as pronounced. She works in an artistic profession, since their way of " fit;to Bild", she says. "With the Crazy artist myth you can talk to the own beautiful."
Two years ago a psychiatrist suggested to make an ADHD-questionnaire: it was a typical case. ADHD in adults looks different than in children, explains Prof. Andreas Reif, Director of the clinic for psychiatry of the Frankfurt University hospital. In Würzburg, he had directed the clinical focus for ADHD in adulthood. As he moved in the summer of 2014 to Frankfurt, and moved his whole group with him.
Restlessness, impulsivity and difficulties in attention and mood to regulate
Three main symptoms is called Mature: to regulate inner restlessness, impulsivity and difficulties in attention and mood. In this case, the pendulum can lay on both sides exclusive: patients are extremely easily distracted, or you "überfokussieren" a Detail. In some areas, it may even be helpful, for example, in sports, like swimmer Michael Phelps, the ADHD Patient.
"Many are looking for the Extreme, the Kick. Who is able to take advantage of the positive to give maximum performance fähig", declared to be ready. "One can say that These patients bring more to our society." But also with prisoners, you will find a disproportionately high number of people with ADHD. "The illness leads to prison, the other on a pedestal, depending on what hinzukommt" on life history and biology are still;, the psychiatrist provocatively formulated.
Only 15 percent have symptoms of illness value
About half of the ADHD children, the disease disappears to grow. The majority of the other half retains the individual symptoms, without being this sick. "Only 15 percent of the symptoms of the disease. This corresponds to about one percent of the Bevölkerung", calculates Ripe.
In adults, hiding ADHD often have accompanying diseases, says top doctor, Sarah Kittel-Schneider. Many adult ADHD patients have disorders of depression, anxiety disorders or addiction and therefore sought help. The connection: "You consume a lot more power to lead a normal life, and being diagnosed with a higher risk of other mental disorders."
People with ADHD have a lower life expectancy and twice the risk of premature, shows a Danish study just in the magazine "The Lancet" was published. Søren Dalsgaard of Aarhus University compared in the study, the life cycles of almost two million Danes with those of 32 000 ADHD patients. Result: a higher than average number of those killed, such as after accidents.
"I’ve always thought that I’m lazy, I can’t, I’m the Depp"
Bernadette gets Fresh today, a mixture of drugs and psychotherapy. To know alone that a metabolic disorder was the cause of their personal problems, has helped her enormously. "I’ve always thought that I’m lazy, I can’t, I’m the Depp", she says. She takes a drug with the Ritalin, active ingredient methylphenidate, which inhibit your appetite, you but made a quiet and helps her to regulate their attention better.
For "absolute Humbug" Prof. Mature the widely held view that ADHD is a made-up Fad, or a Marketing idea by the pharmaceutical industry. "These are prejudices that are not backed by facts. The disease, there is really no doubt about it in scientific medicine. It leads to significant Suffering, but can also be treated well."
"Want to neuro-biology behind the disease verstehen"
The all physicians not. Many colleagues would not recognize ADHD in adults, says Kittel-Schneider. "Older colleagues do not recognize the disease as such." Also Affected are therefore not always open to the diagnosis. "Some see this as a part of their personality – that is, of course, in Ordnung", Kittel-Schneider says. "You do not need to call it a disease, if people are to get along in life reasonably."
Also because of the difficult diagnosis basic research is important. "We want the neuro-biology behind the disease verstehen", called Ripe a target for his group. ADHD have "with the highest genetic component of all psychiatric Erkrankungen" – the need to use, such as for new drugs. His group is also looking for "Biomarkern", to make the diagnosis faster and safer. In the research " was;still air after oben".