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Is a lack of concentration a sign of ADHD? Is a spell of feeling down actually depression? In Good Shape looks at mental health and neurodiversity.
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00:06Does this sound familiar?
00:08You're at home and go into another room and then have no idea why?
00:12Don't worry, it's a perfectly common phenomenon that scientists call the doorway effect.
00:18How about when you just can't concentrate and completing that big project seems impossible?
00:24Is that normal or a sign of something more?
00:26And is preferring to be left alone in peace a sign of depression?
00:31Things are rarely black and white in the world of neurodiversity.
00:35Welcome to In Good Shape.
00:50Imagine being able to know a book off by heart after reading it just once, like this man could.
00:56Kim Peek was a savant, someone with extraordinary abilities in a very specific area.
01:02In his case, memorizing the content of every book he'd ever read.
01:07Peek would read two pages at the same time and in just 14 seconds.
01:12But he could also memorize everything from dates in history to telephone area codes and the entire U.S. road
01:19network.
01:21Researchers are still trying to work out exactly how the brain is capable of such feats.
01:28In many other areas of life, however, people with savant syndrome may face limitations, from autism to below-average IQ.
01:38Do I know this person?
01:40That's a problem affecting people with prosopagnosia.
01:45Our brains normally recognize faces in a fraction of a second.
01:49They remember features like the forehead or the shape of the mouth and nose.
01:54People with prosopagnosia don't have that ability.
01:58They see faces, but can't store them as individuals they know.
02:04Instead, they might identify someone based on the way they walk or their voice or clothes.
02:10One famous person with prosopagnosia is actor Brad Pitt.
02:14And it's more common than you might think.
02:17Two to three percent of the population is affected.
02:22Then there are people who can taste the numbers or see sounds.
02:26Synesthesia involves a crossover between different sensory perceptions.
02:31Among celebrities identifying as synesthetes are musician Billie Eilish and movie soundtrack composer Hans Zimmer.
02:39They perceive tones not just acoustically but visually too.
02:43As a kaleidoscope of colors where each sound and melody has its own distinct tint.
02:49A big help when composing music.
02:52Synesthesia is believed to be genetic, which explains its prevalence in particular families.
02:57Some visual artists have it, except the other way around.
03:01Abstract painter Vasily Kandinsky was supposedly able to not just see but also hear colors.
03:06And reproduced melodies on canvas with dynamic or softer swirling shapes and tones.
03:14Exceptional artistic flair, creativity, and curiosity are all characteristics exhibited by people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
03:25It's usually associated with children, but plenty of adults are also affected.
03:30People with ADHD have quick minds and are spontaneous and perceptive, and can often find unusual and instantaneous solutions to
03:39a problem.
03:40But ADHD is classified as a psychiatric disorder with less positive attributes including chaotic behavior, irritability, impulsiveness, and an inability
03:51to sit still.
03:52Sometimes leading to big problems at school or at work, but not always.
03:59Inside the mind of Tania Stefani, things are rarely quiet, and are sometimes downright chaotic.
04:06The artist moves through life at a fast pace.
04:10Sitting still while illustrating children's books is a challenge.
04:14But still.
04:17It's my absolute dream job.
04:21I've always loved building new worlds and creating new settings.
04:31She's currently working on a book for a major publishing house.
04:42It's been four years since Stefani was diagnosed with ADHD.
04:47It's a condition that often makes her work a challenge.
04:58I can't sit still.
05:00I have to do everything all at the same time.
05:03Doing my laundry, the cleaning, going downstairs and doing other things too, like pruning trees.
05:11All doable.
05:12That's what it does to me.
05:15She's illustrated 10 books over the last few years, which means having ideas but also following rules and meeting deadlines.
05:23ADHD has been both a curse and a blessing.
05:26It's an amazing tool when you don't have to function in the normal world.
05:33More people have ADHD than previously thought.
05:36Many are already adults when they discover why some things have always been hard.
05:42The head physician at a psychiatric center for young adults in the Swiss city of Thun
05:47has observed the rise in the number of people being diagnosed.
05:54The data shows that Ritalin prescriptions have gone up
05:57and additional patient groups are now being recognized, such as women or adults.
06:06And that's a crucial development, because we know that ADHD is not a childhood disorder.
06:14Tanya Schlefani is among the many patients who are prescribed the standard medication, Ritalin,
06:19which she keeps in her emergency box.
06:21She takes it once or twice a week.
06:25I take it when I need to do stuff that involves concentrating all day long,
06:29something a bit annoying that I prefer to put off.
06:35It might be an entire day at the office,
06:37or revising my homepage,
06:39or spending a lot of time on an illustration.
06:43The funny thing is,
06:44I don't need it if I'm painting something for myself,
06:47but that is a big help.
06:50As are animals, when she needs to calm down.
07:01At the same time,
07:03therapies tailored to the individual
07:05are assuming an increasingly important role in ADHD treatment.
07:12We want patients to become experts in their own conditions,
07:15so they know whether something helps or is more of a struggle,
07:19and then adjust their lives as necessary.
07:27When someone only takes medication twice a week,
07:31because they know when it's going to get tough,
07:33and manages the other five days without,
07:36for me, that's a very welcome development.
07:46Tania's daughter has come to visit her today.
07:49Following her mother's diagnosis,
07:51Loretta had a test done for ADHD,
07:54which also came back positive.
08:00I'm in therapy too now,
08:01which really helps me to deal better with certain things.
08:04In my case, perfectionism.
08:07I used to tear up so many things
08:09because I thought everything I did was stupid.
08:13And now I'm learning to say to myself,
08:15hold on, just take another look later.
08:19That's a further symptom of ADHD.
08:24Loretta Stefani is now a tattoo artist.
08:29But she didn't go to art school
08:31until first training as a cook.
08:35In the process, she says,
08:36she met plenty of people diagnosed with ADHD.
08:42People like being diagnosed with something.
08:45It's like a crutch to lean on,
08:47because it makes them special.
08:49The danger is when that turns into a trend.
08:52For people who genuinely suffer from it,
08:55it means they won't be taken seriously anymore, right?
08:59There is now growing awareness and open dialogue
09:02around the subject of ADHD,
09:04which is a positive development,
09:07says psychiatrist Stefan Kupferschmidt.
09:13Talking about it helps with destigmatization.
09:17Concentration involves a spectrum.
09:19It isn't something you either have or you don't.
09:22We all have a certain ability to concentrate.
09:26And we all face situations where it's difficult.
09:31That's why we need proper evaluations
09:34and accept that some people say
09:36they have some ADHD traits,
09:38even if they're not actually diagnosed.
09:46I'm really happy.
09:48Sure, everyone has their moments,
09:50but I'm incredibly grateful.
09:55Art and ADHD can be a very productive combination.
10:00In my experience,
10:02people with ADHD are often able to find new paths,
10:05to question things and come up with creative solutions.
10:09So those parts work well.
10:18Tania Stefani has worked hard on creating a world
10:21where she can thrive on her own rhythm
10:25and where her husband Hannes playing along is a big help.
10:31She's found just the right mix in life,
10:34tuned to what works for her.
10:42Medication prescribed for ADHD only tackles the symptoms,
10:46which is why professional guidance
10:48and behavioral therapy are so important.
10:51Online, you'll find people who recommend treating ADHD
10:55with the amino acid L-theanine
10:57or omega-6 and three fatty acids,
11:00although studies have yet to show any significant effect.
11:03Other studies say sports can help,
11:05especially skateboarding and rollerblading.
11:09Exercise is also a help with depression,
11:12apparently as beneficial as medication and psychotherapy.
11:16Depression typically involves long periods of apathy
11:19and a lack of drive,
11:21but there are other forms too.
11:24Doctors at the University Hospital of Münster
11:27are studying and treating high-functioning depression.
11:30It's a condition that has similarities to burnout.
11:34Psychiatrist Benhard Bauner
11:35has conducted extensive, insightful research on the illness.
11:46It includes cognitive symptoms
11:48or symptoms affecting a patient's mood.
11:51They might have a restricted emotional state,
11:54feeling down, sad and exhausted,
11:56but also exhibit high functionality.
11:59So these individuals are still very active
12:02when at work or studying or in their daily lives
12:04and in many cases strive for perfection.
12:08High-functioning depression
12:10is a description with no precise definition yet,
12:13but there is growing evidence
12:15that it's a distinct condition.
12:17The German research results confirmed a U.S. study
12:21in which patients exhibited a heightened level of anhedonia,
12:24which involves an emotional numbness
12:27and the inability to feel joy.
12:29Both symptoms can remain concealed for years
12:32if an individual functions well in everyday life.
12:37Anhedonia should not be confused with dysthymia,
12:40an already recognized and similarly chronic condition
12:43with milder symptoms.
12:48Research into high-functioning depression
12:50also includes monitoring brain activity.
12:58I see you're all wired up.
13:00And if you just now close your eyes, please.
13:04In particular, measuring brain waves.
13:08When the patient closes their eyes,
13:11the alpha rhythm appears,
13:12the primary background activity of the brain,
13:15with a nice 8 to 12 hertz or oscillations per second.
13:20We know that this activity is altered
13:22in patients with depression,
13:24and that's one of the things we're investigating.
13:28In patients with depression,
13:30some synapses have impaired connectivity,
13:32making it difficult for them to plan or to carry out plans.
13:36In many cases of high-functioning depression, however,
13:39this only happens after many years,
13:41and then very suddenly.
13:43The researchers are looking for possible causes
13:46for that impairment
13:47by testing patients' memories,
13:49logical reasoning,
13:51and problem-solving abilities,
13:52as well as analyzing heart activity
13:55and the composition of exhaled air.
13:59And for research and later for clinical practice,
14:02it's important to identify subgroups or biotypes
14:05so that we can say
14:07one person suffers from this form of depression
14:09while another person has similar symptoms
14:11but a different form,
14:13allowing us to tailor the treatment.
14:15And that's where the research comes in.
14:21Claudia Koczyuki functioned for over 40 years
14:24without a clear diagnosis.
14:26For her, these scenes from her childhood
14:29are early indicators of her illness.
14:31She had a strict upbringing with little or no love,
14:35where discipline and achievement were paramount.
14:37When she later joined a volleyball team at university
14:40and they won a game,
14:41she felt a void inside her for the first time.
14:48The crowd was roaring,
14:49and even when I played a good ball or won a point,
14:52I couldn't feel happy about it.
14:55Yeah, I won a point,
14:57but it felt fake,
14:58as if I were pretending.
15:09It's fake.
15:10Eventually, she became unfit to work.
15:13Tailored therapies have only been developed
15:15as doctors learned more about the condition.
15:21There's medication and psychotherapy,
15:23but other biological treatments are important too,
15:27which we call neuroplasticity.
15:31Impulses are applied to the brain
15:33to support new synaptic connections.
15:37And they can resolve cognitive deficits
15:40and other impairments.
15:43Claudia Koczyuki benefits from being active.
15:47She volunteers with the Depression Support Group,
15:49and in a major step forward,
15:51she no longer feels ashamed
15:53or feels a need to function every single day.
15:59Stress and noise can actually increase
16:01the risk of depression and anxiety.
16:04And the louder the sound,
16:05the greater the impact.
16:10How about turning down the volume for a few minutes
16:13to relax and lift your spirits?
16:16Silence can help lower your stress hormones,
16:19blood pressure, and pulse,
16:21but it's not always easy to find.
16:25Hamburg is a big, bustling,
16:28and normally noisy city,
16:29but in the center of town
16:31is an island of tranquility,
16:32the Church of Silence.
16:36It's where city dwellers come together
16:38who are actively seeking peace and calm
16:40in a special meditation course.
16:45Birgit Hartmann-Paul has been running
16:47relaxation and silence courses for 20 years now.
16:52Silence enables people
16:54to find a deep inner peace.
16:56Their hearts open up,
16:57and they report feelings of space,
17:00calm and serenity,
17:02and a more intense perception
17:04of their environment.
17:06Basically, their senses open up.
17:22For the first exercise,
17:24participants simply sit still and breathe.
17:27That's when the mind springs into action,
17:30doing things like making lists or plans.
17:32And it's not easy to ignore.
17:37Physically, I was fine,
17:39settling into the silence,
17:40but there were still loads of thoughts in my mind.
17:45Seeking out moments of silence has benefits,
17:48as psychotherapist Eric Pfeiffer knows.
17:52There's extensive research from the World Health Organization,
17:55clearly showing that constant noise
17:57is not healthy for us as human beings.
18:02Physically, as well as emotionally,
18:04and psychologically.
18:07The brain reacts immediately to sounds,
18:10even when we're asleep
18:11and our consciousness is taking a break.
18:15Unfamiliar sounds or non-stop noise
18:17activates the amygdala,
18:19the part of the brain
18:20that triggers fear and alarm systems.
18:25These then flood the bloodstream
18:27with stress hormones
18:28like cortisol and noradrenaline.
18:32They cause the heart to beat faster.
18:35Blood pressure rises and muscles tense up.
18:38Over time, noise can make us clinically ill.
18:47If too much noise is harmful,
18:50then silence is the opposite.
18:51Stress hormones drop,
18:53the pulse slows,
18:54and the body shifts from high alert
18:56to relaxation mode.
18:59What effects this has
19:01on our emotional well-being
19:02are laid out in Eric Pfeiffer's studies.
19:07Among our findings
19:09was that after periods of silence,
19:11participants felt significantly more relaxed,
19:14their mood improved,
19:15and their emotional arousal decreased.
19:21And we also saw a significant decline
19:24in negative thoughts
19:25about events in the future or past
19:28in favor of focusing on the present.
19:34For those who have trouble sitting still,
19:37there's also walking meditation.
19:39This exercise can help you concentrate
19:42on the moment
19:43and calm your thoughts.
19:49Our thoughts tend to be off
19:51somewhere in the future or the past.
19:54Daydreaming, judging, analyzing,
19:56but not in the here and now.
19:59To calm down the mind,
20:01she recommends that while walking,
20:03you focus on how your feet feel
20:04and your toes
20:06and how you roll your feet
20:08with each step.
20:13It's like pulling in
20:14our outward antennae.
20:17We direct our awareness
20:18more toward ourselves.
20:21And that creates a moment of calm.
20:26And after that preparation,
20:28participants move on
20:30to the final exercise.
20:3220 minutes of silence
20:33aimed at creating inner tranquility.
20:47Once your mind has calmed down,
20:50a sense of profound relaxation
20:51can take over.
20:57When you have a stressful daily life,
20:59it's a real challenge
21:00to consciously sit down,
21:02take the time,
21:03and actively breathe.
21:06So how can we find
21:08that often elusive silence
21:09in everyday life?
21:11One obvious option
21:13is to visit naturally quiet places
21:14like parks or the countryside.
21:18Earplugs and noise-canceling headphones
21:20can also help.
21:25You might be sitting in your car
21:27and for once decide not to turn
21:29the radio on.
21:32Or you're at a red light
21:33and instead of being annoyed
21:35that it's already the 10th one today,
21:38you use that for a moment of silence.
21:44It's up to each of us to find the right balance
21:47between noise and tranquility.
21:49But taking time to create and enjoy
21:52little islands of silence
21:53has proven benefits for the body and the mind.
22:00It might be blissfully quiet all around you,
22:03but not inside your mind.
22:04It takes around the same amount of power
22:06to drive a laptop as it does the brain.
22:09But an overactive mind
22:11can mean the opposite of inner peace,
22:13leaving you nervous,
22:15constantly fretting,
22:16and unable to sleep.
22:18Sometimes it's a thyroid problem,
22:20but in most cases,
22:22stress and strain are to blame.
22:24Even schoolchildren can suffer from it,
22:26but calmness can be learned.
22:30The start of this lesson
22:32sees these 11th graders
22:34gathering their moments of joy
22:36from the previous few weeks,
22:37because this is a very special kind of subject,
22:41happiness class.
22:45So today,
22:46a nice colourful mix of different things.
22:51Teacher Michaela Schmitz
22:53wants to give the teenagers strategies
22:55for leading a more content life.
22:58First,
22:58they write down things
22:59that have made them happy.
23:02It doesn't have to be something major,
23:06a nice chat with my dad in the car,
23:08or a delicious meal made by my mom.
23:12That can be enough.
23:15Things are going great in school right now,
23:18and I've been getting good feedback.
23:21A personal little treasure chest
23:23packed with emotional highlights.
23:27And in moments when life maybe isn't so wonderful,
23:30you can grab your happiness jar
23:31and remind yourself of all the positive things
23:34that you've enjoyed.
23:3718-year-old Maya Weber
23:39is now in her second year of happiness classes
23:42and says they've been a big help.
23:47It's really made me think a lot.
23:50I started thinking about who I am
23:52and what's going on in my life,
23:54what drives me.
23:58It's good to reflect on who you are
24:00and what's happening.
24:04On the agenda for today's lesson
24:06is talking about strengths and weaknesses.
24:10You have a completely different outlook on life
24:12when you think,
24:13these are my positive qualities and abilities,
24:15and this is what I can give to the world.
24:18That naturally creates a lot of confidence.
24:21Happy people are usually pretty self-confident
24:24and have a very healthy sense of self-worth.
24:31Sometimes a few simple factors can make you happy,
24:34like having people you can count on,
24:36listening to your favorite music,
24:37or going dancing
24:39and enjoying the little things in life.
24:42The next task for the pupils
24:44attending the happiness class
24:45is to find an animal
24:47to represent the strengths
24:48they've identified.
24:51I'm looking for something
24:53that is curious and mindful and open,
24:56and I chose monkeys
24:58because they always want to discover things
25:00and inspect them.
25:04The happiness teaching schedule
25:06comprises 38 lessons
25:08with no exams or grades.
25:10This class is about life skills,
25:12not performance.
25:15It makes me really happy
25:17to see them taking in
25:18what I'm trying to pass on.
25:21They reflect and recognize things
25:23about themselves,
25:24about others,
25:24in relationships.
25:26They talk to each other
25:27and realize that others
25:28feel the same way they do.
25:32Every school needs happiness classes
25:33because they're really good for the pupils.
25:38And you can even smell happiness.
25:40Grapefruits and oranges
25:41are mood boosters,
25:42but for Maya,
25:43the scent of lavender
25:44triggers nice memories of her mom.
25:47Another experience to savor
25:48and perhaps save
25:49in the happiness jar.
25:53Did you know cleaning
25:55and tidying up
25:56reduce anxiety
25:57and help you relax?
25:58Question is,
25:59are they as good a pick-me-up
26:01as in good shape?
26:02See you next time.
26:06Switch?
26:07Switch.
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