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People with ADHD more likely to commit suicide: Study

Written by: QMI Agency
Mar. 4, 2013


Far from being just a childhood disorder, new research has found that ADHD lasts well into adulthood, and those diagnosed with it are more likely to commit suicide or be incarcerated later in life.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic followed 5,718 children born in Rochester, N.Y., between 1976 and 1982.

Nearly a third (29%) of those diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder as children still had it in their thirties. And 81% of them had at least one other psychiatric disorder, like antisocial personality disorder or major depression, which was the case in just 35% of the non-ADHD population.

Of the 367 children diagnosed with ADHD, three had committed suicide. That's 1.9%, as compared to one-tenth of 1% in the other 4,946 children.

Ten (or 2.7%) of those diagnosed with childhood ADHD were incarcerated.

ADHD should be treated as a chronic disease, like diabetes, lead researcher Dr. William Barbaresi said.

"The system of care has to be designed for the long haul."

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