Number of Patients Prescribed Medication Surges from 140,000 to 340,000
Interest Grows as Online Self-Diagnosis Tools Become Available
"Early Detection and Management Are Crucial"
"Suddenly going out for a bike ride, then reading a book..." Actor Kim Jiho shared on a broadcast that there are times when he cannot focus on one activity for long and behaves as if he has ADHD symptoms. Screenshot from the YouTube video 'Now Baek Jiyeon'.
Kwon, a 33-year-old who works as a creator under the name Suha, discovered in 2020 that he had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). At the time, Kwon was showing symptoms of depression after being criticized daily by his boss. This was because he frequently dozed off during work or forgot instructions. Initially, he was prescribed antidepressants, but nothing changed. Upon being re-evaluated, he was diagnosed with ADHD rather than depression.
Kim Sanghyo, a 31-year-old office worker, was also recently diagnosed with ADHD. He often left out important details while performing tasks such as organizing materials. Even after reviewing documents five times to reduce mistakes, the situation did not improve. When his boss gave instructions, he would get distracted by surrounding noise and lose focus, drifting into unrelated thoughts. Kim visited a hospital after receiving advice at work to get tested for adult ADHD.
The number of office workers exhibiting ADHD symptoms such as frequent mistakes and decreased concentration is increasing. As interest in ADHD grows on social media and other platforms, more people are visiting hospitals for evaluation.
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on June 24, the number of patients prescribed methylphenidate, a medication used to treat ADHD, reached 337,595 last year. This is more than double the 143,471 patients in 2020. Methylphenidate is the most widely used ADHD medication and is a psychostimulant that enhances attention and concentration.
ADHD is a chronic mental disorder characterized by distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, and is mainly known to occur in children under the age of 12. These symptoms can appear due to delayed development of the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for impulse control and response inhibition. However, research in Korea shows that about 5% of adults also exhibit ADHD symptoms.
Recently, self-diagnosis methods for ADHD have been spreading online. As a result, more office workers are beginning to wonder if they might have ADHD. Searching for 'ADHD self-diagnosis' online brings up various self-assessment questionnaires posted by counseling centers and hospitals. Most of these questionnaires include questions such as "Have you ever had trouble finishing tasks?" and "Is it difficult to carry out work in order?"
Lee, an office worker in his 30s, said, "Every afternoon, I become so distracted by random thoughts that I can't concentrate on work at all, so I drink coffee each time." He added, "I suspected I had adult ADHD and went to the hospital, but I was diagnosed with a sleep disorder caused by excessive caffeine intake, as I drink more than five cups of coffee a day."
Experts emphasize that early detection of ADHD is important. Lee Junhee, a professor of psychiatry at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, said, "Recently, more patients are coming in suspecting they have adult ADHD. Most of them thought they were just easily distracted as children, but later discovered they had ADHD after experiencing difficulties at work." Professor Lee also advised, "Many people receive medication while leading busy lives, such as working or studying, but it is important to reduce distractions in daily life, such as keeping YouTube on while doing something else."
Lee Sungjik, president of the Korea ADHD Association, said, "In the United States, school psychologists are available to test children suspected of having ADHD, and similar measures should be implemented in Korea to enable early diagnosis through institutional improvements."
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