Health

40% of adults with ADHD have excellent mental health, studies show

According to the analysis, factors related to psychological prosperity include not only being married and physically active, but also having no chronic pain, anxiety or depression.

Two in five adults with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have otherwise excellent mental health. That is, participants reported almost daily well-being or life satisfaction, relief from the previous year’s mental illness, and high levels of psychological status in the past month.According to the results of a new study published in the past month of social welfare International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology..

“This discovery provides a very hopeful message for both individuals suffering from ADHD and their loved ones,” said the Life Course and Aging Institute, Professor of Factor Inwentash School of Social Welfare, University of Toronto. Esme Fuller-Thomson, the director and lead author of the program, said. Said in a statement.

“This study shows a paradigm shift,” she said. “Most previous studies, including myself, focused on mental illness in people with ADHD, so focusing on people who are mentally prosperous is refreshing and very encouraging.”

The investigators analyzed a nationally representative sample of 480 respondents with ADHD and 21,099 respondents without ADHD from Statistics Canada’s Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health. This study identifies several factors associated with the absence of mental health problems in patients with ADHD and may thrive in people who are free of chronic pain and have no lifelong history of anxiety or depression. The sex has become higher.

“Our findings emphasize the importance of addressing co-existing mental health issues when providing care to individuals with ADHD,” said the Master of Social Work (MSW) program at the University of Toronto. Bradyn Ko, a recent graduate of the University of Toronto research co-author, said: statement.

“People with ADHD who also suffer from depression and anxiety face substantial barriers to achieving complete mental health and may benefit from targeted care. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a very promising intervention and has been shown to be effective in patients with ADHD, “Ko said.

Other factors associated with the absence of mental health problems include being married, being physically active, and using spirituality to address everyday challenges.

“These results highlight potentially modifiable risk factors to support adult well-being in ADHD,” said Lauren Karik, a recent MSW graduate at the University of Toronto, in a statement. Stated.

“Compared to a sedentary lifestyle, engaging in the optimal level of physical activity increases the chances of complete mental health by about four times. This means that people with ADHD achieve better mental health. It emphasizes the potential value of physical activity in helping to do this, “says Carrique.

The study also identified certain subpopulations of adults with ADHD, such as women, who are unlikely to have mental health problems.

In a statement, research co-author Andie MacNeil, a recent Master of Social Work graduate from the University of Toronto, said, “The finding that female respondents are unlikely to prosper mental health is a particular vulnerability in women with ADHD. It highlights the sex. ” “This is consistent with other studies that have found a high incidence of depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies in women with ADHD, and may partially explain this gap in mental health. There is sex. “

The prevalence of no other mental health problems among those without ADHD was 73.8%, significantly higher than 42.0% of those with other mental health problems.

reference

Two in five adults with ADHD have excellent mental health. EurekAlert! April 12, 2022. Accessed on April 12, 2022. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/949461

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40% of adults with ADHD have excellent mental health, studies show