Adults with ADHD lose nearly a decade of life

Author: Diogo Roque is a PhD candidate at the Universidade de Lisboa.

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, known as ADHD, is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in children worldwide, with an estimated prevalence of around 5%. Research shows that the condition often continues into adulthood in up to 90% of diagnosed children ¹. Although ADHD has been recognised for decades, it has recently gained much greater visibility through social media platforms such as TikTok. These spaces have become popular for sharing medical content, especially among teenagers and young adults. While this trend has raised awareness and encouraged some people to seek diagnose ² studies warn that much of the content is misleading. A 2025 study found widespread misinformation, and showed that viewers of such content were more likely to misinterpret normal behaviours as signs of ADHD and to self-diagnose ³. This blurring of boundaries between accurate medical information and social media content complicates an already difficult diagnosis and risks trivialising a serious health condition.

ADHD has long been linked to a wide range of life challenges. People with the condition are more likely to underachieve in school, face unemployment, struggle financially, encounter discrimination, and in some cases even encounter the criminal justice system or experience homelessness. Adults with ADHD also show higher rates of substance misuse. A large study recently confirmed that ADHD is associated with increased risk for many physical illnesses, particularly affecting the nervous system, heart, and lungs ⁴. But perhaps the most striking evidence so far comes from a study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry in January 2025 ⁵ which shows that adults with ADHD in the UK live, on average, almost a decade less than people without the diagnosis. The findings underline the seriousness of ADHD and reveal a health inequality that has received too little attention.

Life expectancy in adults with ADHD

The research, led by scientists at University College London, is the first to use UK mortality records to estimate life expectancy in adults with ADHD. The team examined electronic health data from more than 9.5 million patients across 792 GP practices (general practitioner doctors, often called family doctors) between 2000 and 2019. Within this dataset, they identified 30,039 adults with an ADHD diagnosis. To make comparisons fair, each person with ADHD was matched with ten people of the same age and sex, and from the same doctor’s practice, who did not have an ADHD diagnosis. This created a large reference group of 300,390 people against which outcomes for the ADHD group could be measured. By matching participants in this way, the researchers could more clearly see differences linked to ADHD rather than other background factors.

The results were stark. Among men with ADHD, 193 out of 23,377 (0.83%) died during the study period, compared with 1,219 out of 233,770 (0.52%) in the comparison group. Among women, 148 out of 6662 (2.22%) with ADHD died, compared with 902 out of 66,620 (1.35%) without ADHD. At first glance these percentages may appear small, but across entire populations they represent very large differences. Overall, men with ADHD were nearly twice as likely to die during the study period as men without ADHD, while women with ADHD faced just over double the risk. The impact of the condition became even clearer when the researchers translated these risks into life expectancy. At age 18, men with ADHD could expect to live on average 73.3 years, compared with 80.0 years for men without ADHD, a gap of nearly 7 years. For women, the figures were 75.2 years for those with ADHD versus 83.8 years for those without, a striking almost 9-year gap. These results remained consistent even after testing for possible errors or missing data.

The study also explored the health conditions participants already had at the start. Adults with ADHD were far more likely to live with chronic illnesses. Rates of diabetes, epilepsy, and chronic respiratory disease were all higher than in those without ADHD. The differences were even greater for mental health. Among men with ADHD, 14.6% had depression compared with 5.2% of those without, and 10.4% had records of self-harm or suicide compared with 2.0%. Among women, 31.2% had depression compared with 14.7%, and nearly 19% had self-harm or suicide codes compared with 4.6%. Lifestyle risks were also clear: 40% of men with ADHD smoked, versus 20% without ADHD, and harmful alcohol use was roughly twice as common. The trend was similar for women, where 42% of women with ADHD smoked, versus 25% without ADHD, and harmful alcohol use was also roughly twice as common. Together, these overlapping problems help explain why the risk of dying younger is so much higher.

The researchers also stress that ADHD itself is unlikely to directly shorten lives. Instead, it makes people more vulnerable to risk behaviours, health complications, and social disadvantages. Impulsivity linked to ADHD can fuel higher rates of smoking, substance use, and accidents. Many individuals also face barriers in accessing healthcare and may be met with stigma or disbelief when they do seek help. Broader issues such as unemployment, discrimination, and poverty add to these pressures. Taken together, these factors create the conditions for a large life expectancy gap.

Importantly, the UK findings fit with international research. Authors mention a recent meta-analysis covering the US, Scandinavia, and Taiwan ⁶ which found that people with ADHD are about twice as likely to die prematurely as those without the condition. They also refer to an earlier US study ⁷ which estimated a loss of 8 to 13 years of life, though those figures were based on predictions from health and lifestyle factors rather than actual death records. By relying on real-world mortality data, this new UK study provides especially strong evidence and makes the problem much harder to dismiss. Overall, the results push back against common misperceptions. ADHD is often dismissed as a minor condition or even a passing trend, but the evidence tells a different story. Adults diagnosed with ADHD are not only dealing with restlessness or difficulty concentrating, but they are also living with a condition that, on average, cuts nearly a decade from their lives. These numbers give weight to what many individuals and families have long observed: ADHD affects every aspect of life and health.

A setting with universal healthcare

What makes these findings particularly concerning is the setting. The study was carried out in the UK, where the National Health Service, despite long waiting lists and pressure on services, still provides universal healthcare. If adults with ADHD are losing seven to nine years of life expectancy under this system, the picture in countries without universal health coverage or with limited mental health resources may be far worse. In such contexts, the life expectancy gap could be even larger, though it has rarely been measured. These results should therefore not be seen as only relevant to the UK. They highlight a global issue that deserves attention everywhere. ADHD is a common condition across societies, and the risks it brings are not confined to national borders. The findings of this study show that better recognition, earlier diagnosis, and accessible treatment are essential steps in reducing this inequality. With the right support, much of the life expectancy gap could be closed. Without it, many adults worldwide will continue to live shorter lives, not because ADHD is untreatable, but because their needs remain unmet.