ADHD and Life Expectancy

So the long and short of it is…🦒

A recent UK study has found that adults diagnosed with ADHD may live on average between 4.5 and 11 years less than those without ADHD.

When I first read that, my initial reaction was shock, but when you think about the daily challenges many of us face such as sleep problems, higher stress levels, co-occurring conditions, and the struggle to access timely support, it does start to make sense, even if it is still (understandably) hard to hear.

But this is not a reason to panic - it is a reminder of why early diagnosis, proper treatment, and everyday self care matters so much. It is also why we need to keep breaking down the stigma that still surrounds ADHD and making sure people can get help without years of waiting.

For anyone living with ADHD, please remember that looking after yourself isn’t a luxury, it is a necessity.

Now on a lighter note, I need to remember why I have been walking around holding this giraffe for the past 20 minutes! The joys of juggling parenting and self employment in the summer holidays!

The link to the study should you wish to read it is here:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/life-expectancy-and-years-of-life-lost-for-adults-with-diagnosed-adhd-in-the-uk-matched-cohort-study/30B8B109DF2BB33CC51F72FD1C953739