This book explains, in engaging language, the emotional experience and possible behavioural patterns of ADHD on the bases of its neurobiological function, with a focus on the opportunities and obstacles faced by those with ADHD in professional education as well as in the course of a professional career.A number of conceptualization concerning the central traits of ADHD such as negative hyperfocus, unusual learning curve, questions of selfesteem and emergency-benefits are unfolded for the first time in detail, combined with actionable explanations on how to deal successfully with these traits.In consideration of readers with ADHD, the text is carefully written in a way that grabs your attention with: short sections, numerous illustrations, mini case histories and additional facts as extras.The book is meant for persons with ADHD and their families, for employers and HR responsibles and last but not least for physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other professionals who want to understand in depth the functioning and emotional experiencing of ADHD and how to deal with it in practice.

Connects neurobiology, pathophysiological developments and secondary coping mechanisms

1. Introduction.- References.- 2. One Person's ADHD is not the same as Another's.- 2.1. ADHD can make work more difficult and make it easier.- 2.2. "Unusual Management of Information and Functions".- 2.3. Personality.- 2.4. Environment.- 2.4.1. Focus on people.- 2.4.2. Focus on structures.- References.- 3. The Functional System of ADHD.- It's not that ADHDers think too little - they just think too widely.- 3.1. Information: weighting and filtering - the filter model.- 3.2. Functions: controlling & dosing: the control model.- 3.2.1. Reduced control in the area of focusing functions: concentration.- 3.2.1.1. Concentration and distraction.- 3.2.1.2. Hyperfocus: positive and negative is possible.- 3.2.1.3. Negative hyperfocus: quantitative.- 3.2.1.4. Negative hyperfocus: qualitative.- 3.2.1.5. Alleged compulsion problem.- 3.2.2. Reduced regulation in the area of input functions: perception.- 3.2.3. Reduced regulation in the area of output functions: impulse control.- 3.2.4. Reduced control in the area of organisational functions.- 3.3. Coping: profit, side effects & misunderstandings.- References.- 4. fundamentals of ADHD in the World of Work.- 4.1. To come out or not?.- 4.1.1. Don't be over hasty: beware of prejudices.- 4.1.2. How to do it: problem-free coming out - initially without "ADHD" label.- 4.1.3. Honesty is not the same as oversharing.- 4.2. ADHD: Who am I at work?.- 4.2.1. Be careful with one-sided generalisations about ADHD.- 4.2.1.1. Distracted by external stimuli.- 4.2.1.2. Distracted by internal stimuli.- 4.2.2. How does my ADHD function & how do I myself handle it (= coping).- 4.2.3. Hierarchy, office politics and apparent naivety.- 4.2.4. Are there questions to be answered here?.- Suggested solutions to dealing with questions.- 4.2.4.1. About the rough estimate.- 4.2.4.2. About the differentiated assessment.- 4.2.4.3. Choosing a possible reaction.- 4.2.5. Social life and small talk at work.- Suggested solutions if you find small talk troublesome.- 4.2.5.1. First step: emotional.- 4.2.5.2. Second step: cognitive.- 4.2.6. Sleepless "offside" at work.- 4.2.6.1. Exciting and/or annoying chains of association when falling asleep. Suggested solutions for ADHD sleep.- 4.2.6.2. Non-pharmaceutical stimulation for falling asleep.- 4.2.6.3. ADHD-independent tips on sleeping.- 4.2.7. A top career is not compulsory.- 4.3. A person is not only ADHD.- References.- 5. Directly Job-related: ADHD Works!.- 5.1. Starting a new job: the special ADHD learning curve.- 5.1.1. Important to know: an advantage in the long term but limiting in the short term.- 5.1.2. Suggested solutions when changing jobs.- 5.1.2.1. Before changing your job.- 5.1.2.2. Starting in a new place: dealing with yourself.- 5.1.2.3. Starting in a new place: dealing with your superiors and colleagues.- 5.1.2.4. A banal but important distinction.- 5.2. ADHD and chronic stress - burnout.- 5.2.1. Overload owing to unchecked thinking.- 5.2.2. Uncertainty in the flood of data: "fog of anxiety".- 5.2.3. Coping and its possible stress side effects.- 5.2.3.1. Contrasting pair: "overcompensating" versus "intuitive-figurative pattern".- 5.2.3.2. Contrasting pair: "overcompensating" versus "doing nothing".- 5.2.4. More ADHD-typical behaviour that can wear you down.- 5.2.5. Suggested solutions for chronic stress.- 5.2.5.1. Job description and list of duties.- 5.2.5.2. Using a routine to "stop thinking".- 5.2.5.3. General orientation in situations.- 5.2.5.4. Overview of the relevance of the tasks to be completed.- 5.2.5.5. Budget for work projects with passion.- 5.2.5.6. "Guilt-free time pockets".- 5.2.5.7. Cultivating relationships consciously (without bootlicking).- 5.2.6. Burnout-protective factors of ADHD?.- 5.2.6.1. Capacity for enthusiasm.- 5.2.6.2. Jobs that you can highly identify with, and those with a strong structure.- 5.2.6.3. Shorter perception duration.- 5.3. Acute stress - emergency benefit with ADHD.- 5.3.1. Advantage.- 5.3.1.1. Short version.- 5.3.1.2. Detailed version.- 5.3.2. Possible side effects of the emergency benefit.- 5.3.2.1. Emotional rollercoaster leads to self-doubt and professional resignation.- 5.3.2.2. Adrenalin junkie at work.- 5.3.2.3. Adrenalin junkie in private life.- 5.3.2.4. Private passivity and resignation.- 5.3.3. Suggested solutions for the side effects of the emergency benefit.- 5.4. Innovation advantage of ADHDers - with possible side effects.- 5.4.1. Factor 1: positive effect of the ADHD learning mode (learning curve).- 5.4.2. Factor 2: highly trained ability to extrapolate.- 5.4.3. Factor 3: positive hyperfocus (positive tunnel vision).- 5.4.4. Which prerequisites intensify the risk potential?.- 5.4.5. Suggested solutions for side effects of the innovation advantage.- References.- 6. The Curse of Negative Hyperfocus (negative tunnel vision).- 6.1. The absolutely worst ADHD cowpats.- 6.2. First and second wave of negative hyperfocus.- 6.3. Suggested solutions: preventing negative hyperfocus (negative tunnel vision).- 6.3.1. Percentage of own self-regulation.- 6.3.2. Percentage of pharmaceutically supported self-regulation.- 6.4. Suggested solutions: what do I do if I get into negative hyperfocus?.- 6.4.1. First step: learn to recognise negative hyperfocus yourself.- 6.4.2. Second step: actively get out or sit it out?.- 6.4.3. Third step: methods to get out of negative hyperfocus.- 6.4.3.1. Active unspecific: maintaining cognitive orientation.- 6.4.3.2. Active unspecific: distraction.- 6.4.3.3. Active specific: restoring emotional orientation (contact to the sense of one's own value).- References.- 7. The Self-Worth Issue.- 7.1. Career sabotage: ADHD-specific self-perception falsification.- 7.1.1. Development of ADHD-specific self-perception falsification.- 7.1.2. Suggested solutions for ADHD-specific self-perception falsification (self-underestimation).- 7.1.2.1. Compare yourself consciously with others!.- 7.1.2.2. My external sensor is a person I trust.- 7.1.2.3. Unnecessary fear: reality doesn't make you arrogant.- 7.2. "One-two-three-too much" or the Mount Everest Syndrome.- 7.2.1. Suggested solutions for the Mount Everest Syndrome.- 7.2.1.1. Stopping misperception of an alleged sense of inferiority.- 7.2.1.2. Simple tactic to prevent trigger situations.- 7.3. My personal no-goes.- 7.3.1. What am I sure I won't do, even if I could?.- 7.3.2. No-goes and professional self-employment.- 7.3.3. Suggested solutions in respect of personal no-goes.- References.- 8. ADHD Medication and Job.- 8.1. Purpose of possible medication.- 8.2. Clarify possible occupational restrictions.- 8.3. Demand detailed, plausible information about possible medication.- 8.4. ADHD medication on business trips.- 8.5. Major occupational significance of a common medication error.- References.- 9. Transition: Growing up with ADHD. Adolescence, career choice, education and further training.- 9.1. Often forgotten: what ADHD in adolescents also means.- 9.1.1. Delayed maturing of the brain.- 9.1.2. Importance for social and emotional development (growing up).- 9.1.3. ¿-Male ADHDers in puberty/adolescence.- 9.1.3.1. The rather extrovert proactive daredevil.- 9.1.3.2. The rather introverted idealising romantic.- 9.1.4. ¿-Female ADHDers in puberty/adolescence.- 9.1.5. Significance for school and education.- 9.2. Career choice.- 9.2.1. Take gap year to mature, if necessary.- 9.2.2. Take time and develop a system to aid clarification.- 9.2.3. Trial working (taster day) is doubly as important: practical rather than theoretical.- 9.2.4. Own choice or in the slipstream of a friend?.- 9.2.5. How much should I say when applying for an apprenticeship/trainee position?.- 9.2.5.1. Disclosing at an early stage.- 9.2.5.2. Disclosing at a late stage or not at all.- 9.2.6. Are there legal limitations regarding ADHD in particular professions?.- 9.3. Education/training.- 9.3.1. Summarised overview of apprenticeships and higher education studies.- 9.3.2. Learning and swotting for exams with ADHD.- 9.3.2.1. Generally applies: learning to understand is not the same as learning for exams.- 9.3.2.2. Realistic learn planning.- 9.3.2.3. Learning curve.- 9.3.2.4. Table of contents as a structure.- 9.3.2.5. Personal experiences and specific examples as orientation structure.- 9.3.2.6. Group learning as structure.- 9.3.2.7. Technical aids.- 9.3.3. Possibilities, boundaries and pitfalls of compensation for disadvantage status.- 9.3.3.1. Fundamental comments on compensation for disadvantage status.- 9.3.3.2. Compensation for disadvantage status for everyday situations during apprenticeship and higher education study.- 9.3.3.3. Exam-related compensation for disadvantage status.- 9.3.4. ADHD-basics for surviving the day of your exam and passing it.- 9.3.5. Planning and completing written work on time.- 9.3.5.1. Purpose of the paper to be written.- 9.3.5.2. Type, scope and structure of the paper to be written.- 9.3.5.3. Overview of time available.- 9.3.5.4. People as important aids to orientation and organization.- 9.4. Procrastination in further training, career planning and other job projects.- 9.4.1. Living appointment calendar.- References.- 10. Quintessence.- Index.- About the author.