ADHD medication use nearly quadrupled since 2006, CBS says

Nearly 300,000 people in the Netherlands received medication for ADHD in 2023, almost four times as many as in 2006, national statistics office CBS reported on Monday.

The increase is particularly pronounced among women and adults over the age of 25, who now account for half of all users, the CBS said. In 2006, fewer than 30% of those receiving ADHD medication were 25 or older.

ADHD, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, is characterised by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour, often treated by drugs such as Ritalin.

In total, 170,000 men and 130,000 women were prescribed ADHD medication in 2023, accounting for 1.6% of the general population. The CBS also found that 28% of those receiving ADHD medication in 2023 had not received it the year before.

The use of ADHD medication is highest among low income households and in households with native Dutch roots.

Of people under 65 with a Dutch background — defined as having both parents born in the Netherlands — 2.5% received ADHD medication. This is nearly 1.5 times higher than among people with at least one parent born abroad, and over three times as high as among people born outside the Netherlands.

The use of medication was lowest among people of Turkish or Moroccan origin and people from elsewhere in Europe.