Talk at the DHS Addiction Conference on stress, ADHD symptoms and stigma: my talk on performance-related substance use

During the 65th DHS Fachkonferenz Sucht in Essen (27–28 October 2026), themed “Public Space & Hidden Worlds”, I shared insights from our nationwide ENHANCE panel study in Forum 103, titled “In the Shadow of Efficiency”. The forum focused on how addiction issues at work often go unnoticed and how counseling and prevention can effectively reach those impacted.

My findings reveal that approximately 2–3% of employed individuals in Germany had used prescription drugs or illegal substances in the past year specifically to enhance their mental performance. Increased emotional, cognitive, and quantitative job demands elevated stress levels, which in turn was linked to more frequent substance use. Undiagnosed ADHD symptoms were also correlated with higher stress and a greater propensity to use prescription drugs. Experimental results further suggest that using substances to manage work pressure is met with little social acceptance. Therefore, prevention should focus on both working conditions and individual needs.

I was accompanied by Frank Bleßmann (Caritasverband Hannover), who shared insights from counseling practice. The discussion was moderated by Nicole Adon (Suchtkooperation NRW).