Get Diagnosed
ADHD can be hard to diagnose, especially in adults. If you suspect you have ADHD, it's important to seek a professional evaluation. Here are some steps you can take to get diagnosed:
NHS Right to Choose allows you to access specialist ADHD assessments and treatments from providers outside your local area.
Problem Shared is another service that helps you find ADHD assessment providers outside your local area. Their waittimes are shorter and they offer a range of options to suit your needs.
ADHD Stats
Research shows that ADHD continues into adulthood for many people. A global study found that around 2.6% of adults have ongoing ADHD from childhood, while about 6.8% of adults show ADHD symptoms even if they weren't diagnosed as children. That equals roughly 140 to 366 million adults worldwide in 2020. The number of people with ADHD tends to go down with age.
In England, ADHD is more common among people who are unemployed or receiving out-of-work benefits, and strongly linked to substance misuse and social disadvantage. Around 12% of people in treatment for substance use disorders and 31% of ex-prisoners have ADHD, compared to roughly 6–7% in the general adult population. These figures show that ADHD is far more prevalent in vulnerable and marginalised groups.