Study ADHD also in young men

Young men also suffer from attention deficit disorder

05/03/2014

A recent study shows that young men with depression, disturbed social behavior or excessive drinking often suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to this, this disorder is almost as common in adults as it is in children and adolescents.

ADHD is almost as common in adults as it is in children
A recent study has shown that young men with depression, disturbed social behavior or excessive drinking often suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to this, four out of every 100 men are affected in Switzerland. According to the study of the University of Zurich and the University of Zurich and Lausanne, adult ADHD is almost as common as it is for children and adolescents. In Switzerland, about six percent of children and adolescents suffer from this disorder.

Little research on adults
In ADHD, colloquially also Zappelphilipp syndrome called, it comes with the persons concerned to diminished attention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Since experts long assumed that the disorder affects only children and adolescents, the disease has been little studied in adults. The team led by Natalia Estévez from the Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Zurich has now made an important contribution to this research. In a representative study they asked 5,656 young men with a special questionnaire about their ADHD symptoms.

Low education of parents is a risk factor
It was found that a significant number of ADHD men also had mental health disorders such as severe depression, impaired social behavior and alcohol abuse or dependence. The researchers write in the journal „PLOS ONE“: „Our results highlight the significant mental health problems that young men with ADHD can suffer from.“ A role also plays the family history. Thus, the occurrence of ADHD would benefit if the parents have already suffered from alcohol or mental health problems. Even a low educational level of the parents is a risk factor. As the scientists speculate, the parents of those affected may have already suffered from ADHD, because this disorder is a common cause of school problems.

ADHD more common among French-speaking men
The evaluation of the questionnaires also showed that men over 20 years more often reported ADHD symptoms than younger ones. According to the researchers, one explanation may be that older people are more likely to perceive them, as they are increasingly experiencing difficulties in everyday life. It was also shown that ADHD was also more prevalent among French-speaking men, suggesting cultural evidence.

ADHD in adults is a serious illness
As the Freiburg psychiatrist Christophe Kaufmann some time ago in the „Swiss doctors newspaper“ wrote, ADHD completely heals only in a small proportion of those affected before adulthood. Often, untreated ADHD patients have massive problems in their daily work, in relationships, and they often live dangerously and unhealthily. „ADHD in adults is a serious illness“, so the expert.

More often in boys than in girls
In Germany, about half a million children and adolescents suffer from ADHD. The number of diagnoses has increased steadily in recent years and estimates are that nationwide, about two to six percent of children and adolescents may be affected. The mental disorder occurs in boys about three to four times more common than in girls. Last year, the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) reported that the number of young adults on medical treatment for ADHD had increased significantly. Thus, their number increased between 2011 and 2012 by twelve percent. (Sb)