People with ADHD Likely to Die up to 11 Years Earlier, Study Says

An alarming new study says that adults with ADHD die up to 11 years earlier due to a lack of appropriate support and treatment.

An exhaustive study of more than 30,000 adults with ADHD found a reduction in life expectancy for men between 4.5 and 9 years, and for women, between 6.5 and 11 years, according to a statement released on the study, which was published Jan. 23 in the British Journal of Psychiatry. 

The reason for the “reduction in life expectancy” however, “is unlikely to be because of ADHD itself,” the study’s authors said. The loss of years is instead caused by “modifiable factors” — specifically, smoking, drinking alcohol, and “unmet mental and physical health support and unmet treatment needs.” 

ADHD — the abbreviation for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder — is characterized by patterns of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. As the study points out, ADHD “has a direct negative impact on academic, occupational or social functioning,” leading those who struggle with the disorder to face a host of risk factors that directly impact health, like unemployment, financial problems, sleep disorders, alcohol and substance use, and smoking.

Adding to the risk is what the study describes as “self-management of ADHD/associated mental health challenges” — where those with the disorder turn to “substance use, smoking, excess risk-taking or compulsive behavior” which “may increase the likelihood of premature death.”

“People with ADHD have many strengths and can thrive with the right support and treatment,” the study’s senior author, Professor Josh Stott, University College London Psychology & Language Sciences, said in the statement. 

“However, they often lack support and are more likely to experience stressful life events and social exclusion, negatively impacting their health and self-esteem.”

“The findings illustrate an important inequity,” the study says. “The evidence that people with diagnosed ADHD are living shorter lives than they should is extremely concerning, and highlights unmet support needs that require urgent attention.”

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