A study has suggested that Brits with a common condition could die up to 11 years earlier than those who don’t.
The research, conducted by UCL (University College London), found that men and women with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) lost between four and a half and nine years of life. However, this figure rose sharply for women who lost between six and a half and 11 years.
While this figure may be alarming or worrying for those who live with ADHD, researchers have urged caution and admitted they do not yet know what the reason for the differences in life expectancy are.
Professor Josh Scott said one factor could be that people living with ADHD often have less support and were more likely to experience stressful life events.
He said: “People with ADHD have many strengths and can thrive with the right support and treatment. However, they often lack support and are more likely to experience stressful life events and social exclusion, negatively impacting their health and self-esteem.”
ADHD is one of the most common forms of neurodivergence in the UK with around 2.6million people living with the condition. But it is believed there could be thousands more who don’t know they have it.
The NHS explains that symptoms of the condition can differ as people age and their minds develop. In adults, symptoms can include forgetfulness, edginess, extreme impatience, inability to focus or prioritise, inability to deal with stress, and continually starting new tasks before finishing other ones.
They added: “In adults, the symptoms of ADHD are more difficult to define. This is largely due to a lack of research into adults with ADHD. The way in which inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness affect adults can be very different from the way they affect children.”
In recent years, the profile of ADHD within the public’s consciousness has risen as celebrities have taken the brave step to talk about living with the condition. One of the most famous is Winterwatch’s Chris Packham, 63, who has been open about living with ADHD and autism in recent years.
Last year, he spoke to the Guardian about how it affects his ability to love his long term partner Charlotte Corney and how it affected previous relationships.
He said: “I can only offer Charlotte 100% of myself – or 0%. The 100% commitment, which has previously been suffocating in relationships, is something which I hope gives Charlotte a degree of security. I have had a number of stable, monogamous relationships, all lasting five to seven years.
“They all reached their full term because, as much as I was dealing socially with my neurodiversity, I wasn’t dealing with it at home. I couldn’t let my guard down and that was always very challenging for my partners.”
Other famous people with ADHD include the singer Lily Allen, actor Will Smith, singer Sam Fender, Olympian Simone Biles, and Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton.