© Magnific
August 1, 2026
Christine Bürg & Marianne Waldenfels
ADHD isn't just a childhood condition. More and more adults are being diagnosed, often after years of uncertainty. Psychiatrist Prof. Andreas Menke explains how to recognize ADHD, which treatments can help, and why the condition can also come with unique strengths.
An interview with
Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Menke
Find a DoctorSearch the network for suitable specialists and contact them directly
ADHD was long considered a classic childhood condition. Today, more and more adults are receiving the diagnosis — often only after years of uncertainty. Has ADHD actually become more common, or is it simply being recognized more effectively? How can it be identified, and which treatments help? Prof. Dr. Andreas Menke, Medical Director of the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at Medical Park Chiemsee, explores these questions.
Professor Menke, more and more people are openly talking about their ADHD diagnosis. Is this a trend, or is ADHD simply being better recognized today?
It might seem like ADHD is having a moment right now. Far more is being said and published about it than ever before. But that's actually a good thing, because many people still know surprisingly little about the condition — and many who have it don't even know it.
For a long time, ADHD was only recognized in children, and there was a widespread assumption that it simply went away at age 18. That, of course, is nonsense. It is only in recent years that we have come to understand that ADHD affects adults too. As a result, significantly more people are now receiving the correct diagnosis and the treatment they need.
What exactly is ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a characteristic set of symptoms, including difficulties with attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity — though hyperactivity is not equally pronounced in everyone affected. Mood swings are also frequently present.
People with ADHD are often easily distracted, tend to start several things at once, and have difficulty seeing tasks through to completion. Staying organized requires a great deal of effort, and planning and structure are frequent challenges. Their minds are constantly racing — just not always in the direction that's needed in the moment.
Stress resilience is another important factor — it is often lower in people with ADHD. At the same time, ADHD tends to cause people to generate additional stress for themselves. The combination of heightened external stress, self-generated stress, and reduced resilience is, needless to say, far from ideal.
ADHD isn't just a childhood condition. More and more adults are being diagnosed, often after years of uncertainty. Psychiatrist Prof. Andreas Menke explains how to recognize ADHD, which treatments can help, and why the condition can also come with unique strengths.
Christine Bürg & Marianne Waldenfels
An interview with
Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Menke
Will artificial intelligence replace doctors? Digital health expert Prof. Dominik Pförringer explains which tasks AI will take on in the future, where its limits lie, and why the personal doctor-patient conversation remains irreplaceable.
Christine Bürg & Marianne Waldenfels
An interview with
Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Dominik Pförringer
What are the most common causes of ADHD?
ADHD is highly heritable — heritability is around 80 percent, meaning the cause is predominantly genetic.
The remaining roughly 20 percent is attributable to environmental factors, which can play a role primarily during pregnancy — such as smoking, alcohol consumption, or exposure to certain environmental toxins.
One important point, however: ADHD does not develop because someone experiences an unusually high level of stress during their lifetime. Unlike depression, for example, ADHD does not first emerge in adulthood. Either the genetic predisposition is there or it isn't.
Do the symptoms differ between children and adults?
The core symptoms are fundamentally similar, but they can look quite different in practice. In children, hyperactivity is often the most prominent feature — the classic image of the restless, fidgety child. In adulthood, that physical restlessness tends to ease somewhat, while difficulties with attention, organization, and structure typically persist.
ADHD also tends to present differently in girls than in boys. Girls more often show primarily inattentiveness and are therefore more likely to be seen as dreamy or unfocused rather than disruptive. As a result, ADHD in girls is frequently overlooked and may not be diagnosed until adulthood.
Does ADHD also increase the risk of other conditions?
Yes. People with ADHD have, among other things, a higher risk of addiction disorders, because they frequently seek out the next thrill. Many parents therefore worry that ADHD medications could be addictive. In fact, the opposite tends to be true: medication actually lowers the risk of developing an addiction later on.
Additionally, depression is one of the most common co-occurring conditions. People with ADHD must expend enormous energy just to stay organized, while also having lower stress resilience. This sustained burden can eventually lead to depression as well.
ADHD is often associated with creativity. Is there truth to that?
Absolutely. ADHD is not without its advantages. Given that the condition is more than 80 percent genetically determined, one might ask why it hasn't simply been weeded out over the course of evolution. That alone suggests ADHD carries genuine positive traits.
Many people with ADHD are particularly creative, curious, and quick to grasp new ideas. They often think not just along established paths, but well beyond them — which can spark original ideas and unconventional solutions. We also frequently observe a strong sense of justice in those affected.
Of course, ADHD brings real challenges in everyday life. At the same time, we see time and again that these very qualities can be a tremendous strength across a wide range of professions and areas of life.
If I suspect I have ADHD, who should I turn to?
The best first step is to see a psychiatrist or a licensed psychological psychotherapist. A thorough conversation can clarify whether the criteria for ADHD are met.
ADHD is a clinical diagnosis, meaning no single test is definitive. Standardized assessment tools are used as a supplement, and part of the evaluation involves determining whether symptoms were already present in childhood.
ADHD doesn't necessarily have to be viewed as an illness — it can also be understood as a different way the brain develops and functions. That said, if the symptoms are causing significant distress, there are now very effective treatment options available.
What treatment options are available?
For severe ADHD symptoms, guidelines generally recommend starting with stimulants such as methylphenidate or amphetamines.
This may seem counterintuitive at first, since these medications are generally stimulating in nature. In people with ADHD, however, the effect is quite the opposite. They become calmer, can organize their thoughts more clearly, feel more structured, and manage daily life more effectively.
How long medication should be taken cannot be answered in general terms — it always depends on the individual situation. Treatment can also be paused at times, for example on weekends or during vacations.
It is also important to recognize that medication is just one component of treatment. Socio-therapeutic measures, coaching, and psychotherapy all play a valuable role as well. There is now good research showing that psychotherapy can further enhance the effects of medication.
What would you like to leave those affected with as a final thought?
Above all, that getting assessed is worth it. In our clinic, we regularly see patients who come to us primarily because of depression, only for us to discover in the course of treatment that there is more going on — and to additionally diagnose ADHD.
Many of these patients say afterward: now I finally understand why I am the way I am. For many people, that realization alone brings enormous relief.
With the right treatment, we often see very rapid progress. This is a notable difference from antidepressants, where you often have to wait three to six weeks for the effects to kick in. With ADHD medications, the response typically comes much faster, and many patients report within a short time that they are managing their daily lives much better.
That is why we have established ADHD as a dedicated focus area in our clinic. We offer a specialized psychotherapy group for people with ADHD and combine it with medication treatment. The response has been very positive, and it reinforces how important it is to recognize and specifically treat ADHD in adults as well.
