I’ve just turned 20. I finished high school about two years ago, and I have been lost since then. I was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder when I was five, and it has been a struggle since then. My mother stayed home to take care of me full time. Through her effort, I thrived. I was in the gifted program from the first grade to high school. I started taking ADHD medications when I was 11. I quit taking them after I graduated high school. I suffered from severe depression to the point that I attempted to hurt myself three times. The only reason I’m still living is because of my mom. She loved me unconditionally, no matter what. I’ve had jobs here and there, but I always ended up getting fired. I now live independently, sort of, with my friends. Most of the time, my mom pays for the rent. I have a girlfriend who I get along with, and I think we are pretty solid. I am applying for jobs, but I hate being with people. I hate being in school; I think it is a colossal waste of money. 

My sister is a nurse. She is my mom’s star kid- accomplished and successful. My only accomplishment is my car- I love working with my car, although it’s older than me and it cost a lot of money to fix. I love driving it because I feel free when I am driving. I love playing video games, too. It’s a community that never leaves you, and I feel a great sense of belongingness with them. I can be myself when I am playing with my friends. It’s an escape for me -an emotional vacation. However, I am turning 21 soon. The pressure is getting to be too high for me to be financially independent. I don’t know what to do, where to start, or even how to start. That’s the reason why I am here. 

Why might Alex be finding it particularly difficult to find a job?

Alex regards himself as a lost person. What are the factors that you believe have contributed to him feeling this way?

1. Please write about the following: What parts of Alex’s story reminds you of your own experience in your adolescence or emerging adulthood years?
2. How do general theories of human growth and development relate to a young person like Alex?
3. What effect might Alex’s ADHD have on his development?
4. What concepts of human growth and development are relevant to him?