ADHD Ireland addressed the Joint Committee on Drugs Use in Dáil Éireann recently to discuss new ground-breaking research from Citywide and Trinity College Dublin, which reveals that 51 per cent of adults in drug treatment services screen for ADHD.
ADHD Ireland is calling for urgent improvements in services for those with ADHD. The organisation is highlighting the serious impacts of undiagnosed ADHD, linking it to higher rates of substance
use as part of an estimated €2 billion in annual socio-economic costs.
Addressing the committee, Ken Kilbride, CEO, ADHD Ireland, emphasised the life- long nature of ADHD and the system’s failure to cope with demand. “ADHD is a neurodivergence; it doesn’t disappear on your 18th birthday. With an estimated 160,000-to-170,000 adults with ADHD in Ireland (the vast majority undiagnosed) and 50 per cent of all new referrals to HSE mental health services now for ADHD, our public services are completely overwhelmed. This can lead to critical human and financial consequences.”
The scale of the ADHD crisis in Ireland is underscored by alarming statistics. The socio-economic cost of unsupported adult ADHD is estimated at a staggering €2 billion annually for the State. This is compounded by a severe overlap with the substance use crisis, where ground- breaking Irish research from Citywide and Trinity College Dublin reveals that 51 per cent of adults in drug treatment services screen for ADHD, a massive over-representation.
The associated mental health toll is profound, with research conducted by UCD and the HSE (and ADHD Ireland) finding that 20 per cent of ADHD adults had attempted suicide, 50 per cent had self-harmed, and 10 per cent consider suicide an ongoing option. Demand for public services has reached a breaking point, with ADHD now accounting for 50 per cent of all new referrals to both the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services with the HSE.
Public awareness however, of ADHD is rising, as a recent CSO Healthy Ireland survey found that 9 per cent of Irish adults believe they have ADHD.
Dr Sonia Morris, Board Director of ADHD Ireland, said: “Without knowledge or support, people often self-medicate, predominantly with alcohol and cannabis. But it doesn’t need to be like this. We need a ‘neuroaffirmative’ approach across all of society, in schools, workplaces, healthcare, and communities in order to reduce stigma and provide the right accommodations. We urgently need a whole-of-Government strategy, starting with properly funding and staffing the HSE and CAMHS services to focus on ADHD care.”
Substance use, misuse, suicide, and mental health challenges are greater for the ADHD population. To address these overlapping challenges, ADHD Ireland said there is an urgent need for a whole- of-Government approach and strategy.
