23-year-old handball star announces a career break-because of ADHD

Thomas Arnoldsen is still at the beginning of his handball career. In the summer of 2023, the back room player switched to the top club Aalborg Håndbold. In the same year he debuted in the national team and was already acted as the Scandinavian by some experts. But now the world champion and Olympic champion is forced to make a difficult decision: Arnoldsen takes a handball break indefinitely. The reason: an ADHD diagnosis.

Shortly after moving within Denmark from Skanderborg to Aalborg, the player was on sick leave, due to physical and mental exhaustion. The course of the disease Arnoldsen prevented almost two seasons from playing full -time handball. Now he fails again indefinitely, his club says in one.

Arnoldsen speaks very openly about his condition in it. “I was examined in the following six months and I was diagnosed with ADHD. I also received a number of aids from the club’s medical team and the associated resources to deal with it,” he is quoted.

At first his condition improved and he was able to play handball again. However, the symptoms have never completely disappeared and “were gradually getting worse again this season,” reports the 23-year-old. “That’s why I started taking medication against my ADHD in spring, which subsequently led to an inlet phase in which I had to stay away from both training and the games.”

Accordingly, the medication does not yet work completely, according to Arnoldsen, according to his own statement. It is currently not possible for him to “exercise his beloved sport”.

Together with the club, the player decided to “pull the plug for a while”. You want to get the situation under control so that Arnoldsen could again become part of the team and make his contribution on the handball field. “Fortunately, things are progressing and I see this as one step forward on my further way,” says the Dane.

His club shows understanding for the situation of the 23-year-old. “For Thomas, of course, this is a frustrating and annoying situation, but also something that we have great respect about and that must be treated correctly and with the necessary time,” emphasizes Aalborg director Jan Larsen. The association supports the player and do everything possible to create a positive turn. A performance psychologist has been accompanying Arnoldsen since he was playing for the club.

With forecasts for a possible return, however, the handball star and the Aalborg managers are still holding back. The main focus is to “help Thomas Arnoldsen as well as possible so that we can solve his problems.”

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