Carsten Maschmeyer: My fight against pill addiction and the darkness

Carsten Maschmeyer: My fight against pill addiction and the darkness

Carsten Maschmeyer, a well-known entrepreneur and investor worth billions, has dealt with a dark side of his life over the years: his years of addiction to sleeping pills. In a candid conversation at the Red Sofa, as [ndr.de](https://www.ndr.de/ Fernsehenen/senderen/das_rote_sofa/unternehmen-und-investor-carsten-maschmeyer,sender-31520.html) reports, Maschmeyer describes his struggle with this addiction, which led him to the brink of self-destruction.

“I was barely responsive and could no longer walk properly,” is how he describes the dramatic effects of his medication addiction. It all started with the first time he took a sleeping pill after breakfast, which he gradually increased to 50 a day. This sharply increasing dose was not a happy coincidence, but a result of his excessive ambition. He only felt valuable when he was good and hard-working, and this attitude eventually led to a deep abyss.

The path to recovery

The addiction lasted for years and the consequences were devastating. Maschmeyer experienced physical and psychological decline and commuted between bed and kitchen. A burnout that began with sleep disorders was the decisive trigger for his worst relapse. “I had the impression that sleeping pills were the solution to my problems,” he explains. But it soon became clear that this medication only increased our addiction.

After an urgent conversation with a doctor who warned him of irreparable brain damage and a possible death from the pills, Maschmeyer made a decisive decision: he had himself admitted to a psychiatric clinic. There he began his physical withdrawal and dealt with the psychological causes of his addiction. “Loneliness and the feeling of not being loved are fears that have accompanied me since my childhood,” reflects the entrepreneur about his past. He can look back on this fight today: He has been clean since July 4, 2010.

A new understanding of life

The support of his wife, actress Veronica Ferres, played a crucial role in his healing process. Maschmeyer appreciates her influence and likes to describe how she helped him take this difficult path. In his current business, he attaches great importance to ensuring that his founders and employees also take themselves into consideration. “True productivity counts more than working time,” he criticizes the general call for more working hours, which he sees as backwards.

Maschmeyer sees a positive development in the current Generation Z: They want to get involved on their own terms and think differently. He has chosen a different path in raising his children, free from punishment and violence, and is happy about their development. His personal journey and the lessons he learned from it are not only a testament to his resilience, but also a call to others to confront their own fears and challenges.

Maschmeyer's story is more than just that of a successful entrepreneur; it is also that of a man who returned from a deep darkness to a life of light. He shows that it is never too late to accept help and reinvent yourself. In a world that is often characterized by hectic pace and stress, he encourages you to pay attention to your own health and to take care of yourself in your professional environment.