The National Academy of Sciences hosted a two-day event to highlight ADHD adults in December 2023. Here are some of the highlights.

Written By Cynthia Hammer, MSW

Margaret Sibley, Ph.D., discussed the lack of equitable NIH (National Institute of Health) funding for adult ADHD research. Despite affecting a more significant total number of adults than children, the NIH is estimated to spend $78 million on ADHD research in children compared to only $5.5 million for ADHD research in adults. This amount spent on ADHD research is less than 13% of the $650 million spent by the NIH on depression research.

Ann C. Childress, MD, president of APSARD, reported that adult ADHD is one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States, with a prevalence of 4.4% in adults. She said untreated ADHD becomes progressively more fatal as comorbid conditions, such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, and substance abuse, begin stacking on top of the progressively devastating consequences of untreated ADHD. The mortality rate for ADHD is 150% of the general population. ADHD with one associated comorbid condition is 450% of the general population, and with two comorbidities, it is staggeringly 850% that of the general population.

Amy Arnsten, Ph.D., discussed a small study that showed that, despite the widespread usage of stimulants, only 23% of patients stated that they were fully satisfied with their current stimulant treatment. In addition, adults are more frequently prescribed short-acting stimulants, while children are usually prescribed long-acting versions.

Cynthia Hammer, MSW

Cynthia Hammer, MSW, was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD in 1992 when she was 49 years old. The following year she created the non-profit organization, ADD Resources, with a mission to educate adults and helping professionals about ADHD in adults. She ran the organization for 15 years before retiring.

During the Covid isolation she wrote a book about her life with inattentive ADHD which should be published by the end of this year. In writing the book, she was dismayed to learn that children with inattentive ADHD continue to be under-diagnosed and adults with inattentive ADHD often are incorrectly diagnosed with depression or anxiety.

She created a new non-profit in 2021, the Inattentive ADHD Coalition (www.iadhd.org), to create more awareness about inattentive ADHD and the need for early diagnosis and treatment.

https://www.iadhd.org
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