ADHD and Life Expectancy: What NYC Adults Need to Know About Treatment and Management
If you're living with ADHD in New York City, there's an important statistic you should know about—not to alarm you, but to empower you to take meaningful action for your health and wellbeing.
Research by Dr. Russell Barkley, one of the leading experts on ADHD, shows that people with ADHD may experience a 9-10 year reduction in life expectancy. To put this in perspective, he compares this to the impact of smoking, which reduces life expectancy by approximately 2.5 years.(Barkley RA & Fischer M, J Atten Disorders 2019;23:907–923).
Before you panic, here's what you need to understand: this is not a helpless situation. In fact, this research can motivate us to treat ADHD effectively. This is precisely why our practice specializes in ADHD therapy for adults in NYC—we're committed to providing high-quality care through both clinical treatment and client education. The combination of these can help us live healthy lives, even with ADHD!
Why Untreated ADHD Impacts Lifespan
Why would ADHD lead to a shorter lifespan? The answer lies in how ADHD affects decision-making and daily functioning.
ADHD significantly impacts someone's ability to turn intention into action. Executive functions—the mental skills that help us plan, focus, remember instructions, and manage multiple tasks, (and much more)—are deeply affected.
Think about what's required to live a long, healthy life (to name a few):
Maintaining healthy eating habits
Staying physically active
Managing impulses effectively
Setting and working toward meaningful goals
Following through on health appointments and medication management
People with ADHD often struggle with these areas due to executive function challenges—not because they don't care, but because their brain works differently.
Here's the critical point: we do not believe it's ADHD itself that reduces life expectancy, but rather the impact of ADHD on executive functioning. After working with adults with ADHD in our New York City practice and witnessing the transformative benefits of effective treatment, I genuinely believe that with proper care, this life expectancy concern can be mitigated.
Step 1: Proper Identification of ADHD
The most critical component to managing ADHD is identifying it correctly in the first place. This is especially important in a world where misdiagnosis, self-diagnosis, and over-diagnosis are prevalent.
Many people come to our NYC practice stating confidently they have ADHD, when their only assessment was a self-screener or a TikTok video. It's not that they don't have ADHD—but it wasn't properly evaluated by a professional who truly understands the condition. And not every professional has equal expertise in ADHD.
ADHD Can Look Like Many Things
ADHD presents differently in different people. It can mimic other mental health conditions:
Some people with ADHD get misdiagnosed with borderline personality disorder
Others are told they have depression or anxiety
The treatment approach for depression is completely different than the approach for ADHD
Sometimes ADHD doesn't even look like a disorder at all—it just looks like an unpleasant personality quality. Many of the adults we work with have been labeled as lazy, chronically late, or not caring enough. This is incredibly wrong and harmful. The way you would address laziness is completely different from helping someone manage ADHD.
How to Start the Identification Process
The first step is curiosity. If a video resonated with you or you scored high on a self-screener, the next step is to seek out an ADHD professional for proper evaluation.
At our New York City practice, we include the ASRS (Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale) as part of our intake packet for all new clients. We believe the two minutes it takes to complete this screener far outweighs the cost of living with untreated ADHD.
While we wish more primary care providers screened for ADHD routinely, the truth is many don't. You may need to advocate for yourself.
If you're curious whether you might have ADHD, self-assessments can be a helpful starting point (though they're never a substitute for professional diagnosis). The ASRS consists of about six questions and can indicate whether additional testing may be beneficial. You can do this on our wesbite at the link below.
Step 2: Getting the Right Help for ADHD in NYC
Once you've identified ADHD, the next step is getting help—but not just any help. You want support from someone truly knowledgeable about ADHD.
Here's the reality: not every therapist, psychiatrist, or mental health professional specializes in ADHD. You should ask your provider directly if they're familiar with ADHD and comfortable treating it. If not, request a referral to someone with specific expertise.
The tricky part is that many providers claim to be knowledgeable or will agree to work with ADHD, yet they lack the depth of understanding needed to truly treat the condition effectively. Go beyond asking just one question—ask where they received their ADHD training and what their experience has been.
Finding a provider who genuinely knows how to help you manage ADHD makes all the difference. Ideally, you want all your providers to be experienced with ADHD.
Treatment Approaches for Adult ADHD
While this is somewhat simplified, we can organize ADHD treatment into four main categories:
1. Medication Management
This is provided by a psychiatrist or medical provider who can prescribe. Medication has been shown to be highly effective for ADHD. However, this is just one component of treatment, and ADHD is typically managed best with a comprehensive, multifaceted approach.
2. ADHD Coaching
Many people work with executive function coaches or ADHD coaches. These professionals typically don't require formal licensure, but they provide concrete skills, tools, and strategies—things like learning to use a calendar effectively, managing time, and planning successfully.
3. Licensed Therapy for ADHD
This is what our New York City practice provides. Licensed mental health professionals who specialize in ADHD can teach practical skills and tools while also providing comprehensive mental health services. We can diagnose ADHD and use evidence-based approaches like CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy). We meet with clients weekly and maintain long-term therapeutic relationships, which is truly beneficial for managing ADHD. Our services are also reimbursable by insurance.
4. Self-Help Resources
Books, podcasts, and other educational materials can be valuable—some more than others. Self-help should always be used in conjunction with professional treatment, not as a replacement.
It's rare to see someone engaged in all four approaches. Usually, people work with one or two professionals.
It’s not about which one is better than the other, but more so about what works for you.
Empower Yourself with Knowledge
Beyond seeking professional help, empower yourself with as much knowledge as possible about ADHD. Read books, listen to podcasts, review research studies. Knowledge truly is power.
The more you understand about ADHD, the better you'll grasp its actual implications and how it affects you personally. You can do your own research, build your understanding, and then collaborate more effectively with your providers and the people in your life.
The Good News About ADHD Treatment
Here's what I want you to know: we have numerous clients in our NYC practice with ADHD who are leading lives they're genuinely proud of. Lives that are working really well. They're achieving their goals and leading healthy lives.
Of course, they still deal with ADHD and always will. But they've reached a point where it's manageable and not interfering significantly with their daily life and goals. They don't feel constantly distressed and overwhelmed.
ADHD treatment is largely about management. ADHD is a lifelong condition, so we adjust our lifestyle to some degree. That's the nature of the work. But with the right identification, proper treatment, and ongoing support, you can absolutely live a full, healthy, and long life.
Take Action for Your ADHD Today
I'm sharing this information to inform and empower you. First, so that ADHD is taken seriously as the significant condition it is. And second, so that people get the treatment they need to live longer, healthier lives.
If you're in New York City or anywhere in the state of New York and wondering whether you might have ADHD, or if you've been diagnosed but aren't receiving effective treatment, we're here to help. Our practice specializes in ADHD therapy for adults, combining evidence-based treatment with practical skills and compassionate support.
Ready to take the next step? Contact our NYC practice to schedule an ADHD evaluation or to learn more about our specialized therapy services. You deserve to live a life you're proud of—and we're here to help you get there.
