Global review reveals sharp increase in ADHD diagnoses and medication use across all ages, highlighting improved recognition but raising questions about potential overdiagnosis in the UK and beyond.
ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions have climbed sharply in the UK and across other countries, according to a new review that suggests the condition is being recognised more often in adults as well as children. The review, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, brought together recent research from around the world and found that treatment use has risen in step with recorded diagnoses. Researchers said the pattern reflects better awareness of ADHD, broader understanding of how it presents and more effective medicines, but they also cautioned that questions remain about possible overdiagnosis in some settings.
In the UK, the rise has been visible for more than two decades. A UCL study published in BJPsych Open and based on data from more than 7 million people aged 3 to 99 found that diagnoses and prescriptions increased between 2000 and 2018 across all age groups. The steepest growth was among children, especially boys aged 10 to 16, but the biggest proportional increase was among adults. Among men aged 18 to 29, diagnoses rose about 20-fold and prescriptions almost 50-fold, according to the study.
The changing balance between boys and girls in childhood and between men and women in adulthood has also drawn attention. The review said the childhood diagnosis ratio was about 4 to 1 in favour of boys, but adult diagnosis rates were close to even. That shift, researchers argued, may reflect better recognition of ADHD in girls and in adults with inattentive symptoms, who have historically been overlooked. A separate University of Oxford-led study reported by The Guardian in January 2026 found that ADHD medication use in the UK more than tripled over the past decade and that the increase was especially pronounced among women aged 25 and over.
Prescribing trends underline the scale of the change. The review said central nervous system stimulants, the main drug treatment for ADHD, rose by 32% among adults in England in 2021-22 and by 12% among under-17s in 2022-23, with adults overtaking children for the first time in the records. Research spanning 13 countries and more than 154 million people showed similar growth in medication use across North America, Europe and Asia. Other studies have linked higher rates to socioeconomic deprivation, while some commentators have pointed to the growth of private clinics, online screening services and the influence of social media. The authors said the broader challenge is to distinguish better detection from possible over-medicalisation while ensuring people who need support can access it sooner.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
