ADHD and Life Expectancy: What the Numbers Don’t Tell You

A new study links ADHD to reduced life expectancy—but that’s not the full story. What’s really going on, and what you can do to care for yourself.

Understanding the risks—and reclaiming your rhythm anyway.

I recently came across a 2025 study that stopped me in my tracks.

Researchers found that adults with ADHD may experience a shorter life expectancy—up to 9 years for men and 11 years for women.

At first, I felt everything at once. Fear. Grief. That familiar wave of overwhelm that comes when something hits too close. But underneath it, I felt something else: a quiet determination to understand why, and what we can actually do about it.

The Study Is Real—But So Are We

This data doesn’t mean there’s no hope! We have the power to make BIG changes when we better understand the challenges we're facing.

What shortens life expectancy isn’t ADHD itself—it’s the chronic stress, untreated mental health struggles, lifestyle disruption, and lack of proper support that often come with living in a world not built for us.

It’s the shame, the pressure, the misdiagnosis (or no diagnosis). It’s the health systems that don’t listen, the school systems that punish difference, the workplaces that reward burnout over balance.

This isn’t a warning about who we are. It’s a reflection of what we’ve had to survive.

Why So Many of Us Feel Like We’re Always Catching Up

For many of us, ADHD wasn’t named until adulthood—if ever. That means we lived a long time thinking our struggles were personal failures.

By the time we do get answers, we’re often burned out. Overwhelmed. Disconnected from our bodies. Exhausted from trying to keep up with a system that was never built for us in the first place.

It’s not just about diagnosis. It’s about how we’ve been conditioned to ignore our signals, override our needs, and live in a state of constant fight-or-flight just to get through the day.

What Actually Helps: Caring for Your Whole Self

We can’t always change the systems around us, but we can start caring for ourselves in ways that honor how we move through the world.

Not by trying to "fix" ADHD—but by listening to what our bodies and minds are actually asking for.

Here are three small practices I return to when I need to reconnect with myself:

✳ 1. Quiet the Mental Noise

Instead of writing a to-do list at night, I write down one thing that’s on my mind. Just one. It helps me let it go and sleep a little easier.

✳ 2. Make Space for Big Feelings

ADHD emotions hit hard. When I feel flooded, I place my hand on my heart, take three slow breaths, and remind myself:
"It’s okay to feel this. You’re safe right now."
That tiny moment of compassion helps reset everything.

✳ 3. Ask Your Body What It Needs

Midday, I pause and ask: What do I need right now?
Water? Food? A stretch? A break from screens? This check-in helps me move through the day feeling more grounded and less depleted.

These aren’t cures. They’re practices. And every time I return to them, I feel a little more like myself.

Final Thought

The study shook me—but it didn’t define me.

You are not a statistic.
You are not your diagnosis.
You are a full human being with rhythms, instincts, and needs that deserve attention.

The risk is real. But so is your power to shift how you care for yourself.
Start small. Stay consistent. Root in your truth.

We're not here to outpace the world—we’re here to live well in it, on our own terms.

You deserve that. Now. Not later.💖

Categories: : RISE → Energy & Activation, ROOT → Mind & Mood