Four findings that explainwhy this is hard.
The impact of ADHD is measurable: in how hard it is to diagnose, in who ends up diagnosing it, in what happens at work, and in the limits of medication alone. Every number here is cited.
of people with ADHD have at least one comorbid disorder.
ADHD presents differently in every person, which already makes it hard to diagnose. Comorbid conditions, meaning two or more disorders occurring together, add another layer to both diagnosis and treatment.
This is why understanding the individual, and how their symptoms actually present, matters more than matching a checklist.
Gnanavel S, Sharma P, Kaushal P, Hussain S. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and comorbidity: a review of literature. World J Clin Cases 2019; 7(17): 2420–2426.
of GP appointments now involve mental health.
Two in five people visiting a family doctor are there because of a psychological problem: anxiety, panic, depression, stress.
Physicians are under increasing pressure to diagnose and treat conditions they were often not trained to diagnose or treat. That is not a criticism of GPs. It is an argument for specialist assessment.
Hunter, C. L., Goodie, J. L., Oordt, M. S., & Dobmeyer, A. C. (2009). Integrated behavioral health in primary care. American Psychological Association.
Nearly half the caseload is psychological, in appointments built for ten minutes.
Adults with ADHD are 61% more likely to have been fired, and 53% more likely to quit.
ADHD is common in the workforce, estimated to affect upwards of 10% of workers, executives, and entrepreneurs globally.
A supportive, inclusive, responsive workplace lets employers make the most of what ADHD employees bring while reducing what it costs them. Both sides gain.
Employees can also learn executive function and working memory strategies that reduce overwhelm, distraction, and procrastination directly.
Kuriyan et al., 2013. Vanderbilt University Kuriyan Lab.
respond to drug treatments for anxiety and depression.
Metastudies, which combine every discoverable result, put the response rate around 40%. Some studies put it as low as 33%.
Of the people who do respond, the average improvement in symptoms is about 50%.
Medication is worth trying, and it is rarely sufficient on its own. That is the case for skills, coaching, and therapy alongside it.
Rush AJ, Warden D, Wisniewski SR, et al. STAR*D: revising conventional wisdom. CNS Drugs, 2009. Kudlow PA, McIntyre RS, Lam RW. Early switching strategies in antidepressant non-responders. CNS Drugs, 2014.
And the four who respond improve by about half, not completely.
What the four findings add up to
Get assessed properly
With comorbidity this common and GP appointments this stretched, depth in the assessment is what produces an accurate answer.
How to get assessed →Build the skills too
If medication helps four people in ten, and only halfway, then executive function skills are not an optional extra.
See the coaching →Fix the environment
One in ten workers, and far higher turnover. Employers who adjust how work is structured keep people they would otherwise lose.
Workplace sessions →Where do you sit in the numbers?
The five-minute quality of life quiz turns the research into something about your week specifically.