Paying the Price for ADHD

Have you heard of the “ADHD Tax”? It refers to the additional costs that individuals with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) may incur due to the unique challenges associated with the condition, compared to people without ADHD. The costs include the extra money, time , and effort often invested by people with ADHD to enable them to accomplish tasks. The “tax” can impact work, school, relationships, and overall well-being.

Monetary Costs

Obvious monetary consequences are things like the money you spend buying something that you forgot you already bought, or can’t find, so you buy again. Another example would be having to spend money on fast food because you spent a lot of money buying groceries but never used them and they rotted in the fridge and had to be thrown out. Literally throwing away your money! Other financial costs may include:

• Treatment Expenses: Seeking appropriate diagnosis and treatment for ADHD can be costly. It often involves multiple visits to healthcare professionals, including psychiatrists or psychologists, for assessments and therapy sessions. Additionally, medications prescribed to manage ADHD symptoms can be expensive, especially if insurance coverage is limited or non-existent.
• Educational Expenses: Many individuals with ADHD require additional support in educational settings. This can include specialized tutoring, educational therapists, or attending schools that cater to students with learning differences. These services come at an extra cost and may not be fully covered by insurance, resulting in higher educational expenses for individuals with ADHD. For college students, their struggles with the challenges of ADHD may cause them to change majors, or fail or drop courses, both of which lead to taking extra courses that must be paid for.
• Financial Impulsiveness: People with ADHD may struggle with impulsive spending or poor financial decision-making due to difficulties with impulse control and long-term planning. This can lead to credit card debt, late payment fees, or other financial consequences, adding to the overall financial burden.
• Administrative Issues: ADHD symptoms like forgetfulness or inattention can contribute to missed tax deadlines, traffic violations, or late bill payments that can lead to fines, penalties, or legal fees.
• Entertainment Expenses: This includes all those automatic app and tv subscriptions you don’t remember you have, no longer use/watch, but are still paying for every month. It also includes all the tools/skills/books/classes you’ve paid for when you started a new hobby, that are now gathering dust because you’ve moved on to a new hobby.
• Employment Issues: Challenges with time management, planning, and organization can affect job performance and productivity, which could result in missed opportunities for promotions or salary increases.

Time Costs

Due to ADHD symptoms that affect time management, people with ADHD spend more time on tasks than people without ADHD. This can include things like having to write a new to-do list when you misplace the old one or missing a meeting because you got hyper-focused on something else and lost track of time. Other time costs may include:

• Time Estimating: Frequently underestimating or overestimating the time needed to complete a task leads to delays or rushed work. This can result in spending extra time to catch up or redo tasks that were not completed properly due to time misjudgment. Under- or over-estimating the time it takes to get somewhere can result in being chronically late or even increase the risk of an accident if you are hurrying.
• Educational Challenges: People with ADHD often struggle with attention, focus, and organization in the classroom. As a result, they may need to invest more time into studying, completing assignments, and preparing for exams.
• Organization & Planning: ADHD symptoms can make daily tasks like organizing schedules, managing paperwork, or completing household chores more time-consuming and challenging.

Effort Costs

People with ADHD symptoms often need to spend more effort and brain power on completing tasks than their non-ADHD peers. Maybe you need to read instructions multiple times in order to understand them, or you have to stop on your way to work to go back home to retrieve something you forgot. Other effort costs may include:

• Disorganization: People with ADHD may have difficulty organizing their physical and digital spaces, such as desks, files, or computer folders. This can lead to misplacing important documents, difficulty finding needed materials, or spending excessive time searching for things they need. To mitigate this, they may need to implement strategies like creating detailed systems or using reminder apps, which require extra effort.
• Lack of Focus and Productivity: Maintaining focus on a single task for an extended period can be challenging for individuals with ADHD due to difficulties with attention and distractibility. They may find themselves getting easily sidetracked or shifting focus between multiple tasks, which can prolong the time needed to complete a task. This may result in having to work longer hours or sacrifice leisure time to compensate for reduced productivity.
• Making Mistakes: ADHD can contribute to increased instances of errors or oversight in work. Impulsivity and difficulties with attention to detail may lead to inaccuracies, typos, or missed steps in projects or assignments. Correcting these mistakes can require additional time and effort, potentially causing delays or negatively impacting grades or performance evaluations.

Hidden Costs

The hidden costs of ADHD can affect well-being. The challenges associated with ADHD, such as frustration, self-doubt, or feeling overwhelmed, can take an emotional toll on individuals. Coping with these emotions and managing the potential negative impact on motivation and self-esteem can consume mental energy and result in decreased productivity. Living with ADHD and its symptoms can lead to guilt, shame, and lowered self-esteem when you run out of money and need to borrow from friends or family; keep forgetting important dates or appointments; or continuously lose your keys, wallet, homework, or whatever. Other hidden costs include:

• Relationships: ADHD can impact personal relationships, as individuals may face challenges in listening, remembering important details, or being fully present in conversations. This can lead to misunderstandings, conflict, and strained relationships.
• Mental and Emotional Well-being: The struggles associated with ADHD, such as difficulty maintaining focus, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Managing these emotional challenges can require additional support through therapy, counseling, or self-help strategies.
• Self-Care and Health: Individuals with ADHD may have difficulties with time management, leading to inconsistent or inadequate self-care routines, such as exercise, nutrition, and sleep. Prioritizing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be more challenging, requiring conscious effort and planning.

Stop Paying the Tax!

Now that you know about the ADHD tax, the first step in reducing it is understanding how it is costing YOU. Figure out where the tax is affecting you the most – spoiled groceries? Late fees? Lost items? Then start small. What’s ONE THING you can do right away that will help? Here are some ideas:

Monetary Costs

• Create a budget: Know how much you want to spend/how much you can afford to spend and stick to it!
• Track your spending: At the end of the month, figure out exactly what you sent and on what. It can be eye-opening!
• Create a shopping list: Inventory what you already have so you don’t buy duplicates. Keep it on your phone so it is always with you – add to it when you are low on something or use your last one of something. If impulse buying in a store is a problem, try using curbside pickup! If you impulse buy online, try leaving things in your shopping cart overnight and reviewing them in the morning. Do you REALLY need them?
• Set up automatic payments: They will be on time, and you won’t pay late fees. Just make sure there’s enough money in your account to cover the bills!
• Delete shopping apps: If apps are aiding your impulse buying, remove them from your phone or computer.

Time Costs

• Try time management apps: Maybe an online to-do list or calendar app will help you get your schedule under control. Try a few until you find one you like and will stick with.
• Use alarms and reminders: Your smartphone has timers, alarms, and appointment reminders. Use them!

Effort Costs

• Try an accountability buddy: Tell someone what you plan to accomplish and by when. Then report your progress. Being accountable to someone else can help you get started and stay motivated.
• Try a body-double: Work in the same room as someone else – either online or in person. Seeing someone else working can help you keep working as well. Try to establish a set time every week to accomplish whatever it is you need to do that day, from dishes to laundry, to your taxes!

Emotional Costs

• Practice self-care: Try and get some exercise every day. Eat healthier foods. Improve your sleep routine. Find a mindfulness or meditation app that works for you. If you are on meds, make sure you take them consistently. Talk to a doctor or therapist if you are having any trouble they could help with.
• Stop the negative self-talk: Remember all the things you do well, and what people compliment you on. Put them on paper and hang them up where you can see them every day.

A Final Word . . .

Remember that it’s OK to ask for help. Use your support system to get help when you need it, whether it is a friend to go shopping with (to keep you on budget), a financial counselor to help you create a budget and manage your finances, or an ADHD coach to help you find strategies and systems that can help you get organized, manage your time and resources, and get you motivated. With the right tools and support, you can take steps to reduce - or even eliminate - your ADHD tax.

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Images:

US Paper Money: Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
Man With Wallet: Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
Clock Faces: Photo by Endlasswatts from Pexels
Pile of Papers: Photo by Pixabay from Pexels
Man With Head in Hands: Photo by Nathan Cowley from Pexels
Women at Computer: Photo by Christina Morillo from Pexels

Sources:

The ADHD Tax Is Draining — Financially and Emotionally: https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-tax-financial-wellness-money-problems/
What is the ADHD tax? https://www.understood.org/en/articles/adhd-tax
What is the ADHD tax? https://www.verywellmind.com/the-financial-toll-of-living-with-adhd-6744610
Let’s Revolt Against the ADHD Tax https://danarayburn.com/lets-revolt-adhd-tax/

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Specific questions and topic suggestions can be emailed to questions@ADHDinCollege.com.

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