The Impact of ADHD in America
Here’s a detailed article that talks about the impact of ADHD in America.
Here’s Dr. Lenard Adler, director of the Adult ADHD Program at NYU School of Medicine, describing one case of ADHD.
“I have an executive who, prior to treatment, got his standard yearly review at work,” he reports. “It read like a checklist of symptoms of ADHD: ‘Clients like you but all the work comes up against the last minute; things that don’t have to become crises, become crises; you drift off in meetings; you have potential but the quality of your work is not what it could be.’ ”
They talk about the impact on the person’s spouse and children, work and health care costs.
However, when they talk about healthcare costs they use a 2005 study titled “Comorbidities and Costs of Adult Patients Diagnosed With ADHD”. Which means that some of the costs may not necessarily come solely from the ADHD but from comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar etc.
They also suggest that the impact on family members is central in diagnosing the condition. Some people with ADD may do well at work but have many problems in their home life. For example a spouse who
…constantly misplaces things, talks excessively, drifts off during important conversations or has mood problems such as anger, anxiety, guilt or depression. Indirectly, family members also suffer when someone in the household routinely works long hours (a common method for coping in the workplace), can’t relax and enjoy leisure time or has issues with financial responsibility.
They also talk about ADDers often being underpaid, under-promoted and unemployed at work because they don’t achieve their potential at work.
Wondering if they did a research study on what effect ADD coaching might have on achieving their potential at work? My guess would be an increase in achievement since it helps the ADDer understand how ADD impacts their life, and focuses on improving their day to day functioning. But I’m biased of course:)
