August 24 2025

Westman, E., Prami, T., Kallio, A., Iso-Mustajärvi, I., Jukka, J., Raittinen, P., Korhonen, M. J., Puustjärvi, A., & Leppämäki, S. (2025). Use of antidepressants decreased after initiation of ADHD treatment in adults: A Finnish nationwide register study describing use of ADHD and non-ADHD medication in people with and without ADHD. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 152(3), 203–215. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.70007

🧠 ADHD Medication and Antidepressant Use: What a Finnish Study Found

📌 Why this study matters

ADHD is often under-recognized in women and sometimes treated as depression or anxiety instead. This Finnish study followed 66,146 people with ADHD (diagnosed between 2015–2020) and compared them to 256,270 controls without ADHD. It tracked prescriptions from 2010 to 2021 to see what changed before and after ADHD treatment started.

🚺 Gender Findings (Most Important!)

• Women with ADHD were more likely than men to be prescribed antidepressants, anxiolytics, and other psychiatric medications before their ADHD was diagnosed.
• This suggests misdiagnosis: women’s ADHD symptoms were often seen as depression or anxiety instead.
• After ADHD treatment began, antidepressant use dropped significantly in women (and men).
• This pattern shows that correct ADHD recognition reduces the need for antidepressants and helps women receive treatment that actually addresses the underlying condition.

👉 Key takeaway: For women especially, ADHD treatment may replace years of mismatched care.

🔎 Other Major Findings

1. Antidepressant use drops after ADHD treatment

• In adults with ADHD, antidepressant use declined once ADHD meds were started.
• Adults without ADHD showed the opposite trend — their antidepressant use kept rising.
• This indicates that untreated ADHD may have been “masked” by antidepressant treatment.

2. Children’s overall health patterns shifted

• Before diagnosis, children with ADHD used more antibiotics and anti-inflammatories than peers.
• After ADHD treatment, their use of these medications fell more sharply than in controls.
• Researchers aren’t sure why — possibly better routines, fewer stress-related illnesses, or indirect benefits of ADHD care.

3. Medication adherence was high

• 95% of people filled their first ADHD prescription.
• 80% did so within 10 days.
• Children were the most consistent long-term users.
• Teens were the least consistent, with over half discontinuing within a year.

4. Seasonal “drug holidays” showed up

• In school-age kids and teens, ADHD prescriptions dropped during summer breaks, suggesting many families paused treatment outside the school year.

5. Persistence varied by age and medication type

• Children stuck with ADHD medication the longest.
• Adolescents discontinued fastest.
• Adults: about 1 in 4 stayed on ADHD medication continuously for 5 years.
• Lisdexamfetamine and guanfacine had the longest persistence.
• Atomoxetine and short-acting methylphenidate were the most often discontinued.

Why this matters for families and individuals

• Women: ADHD is often misdiagnosed as depression/anxiety. Proper treatment can reduce years of antidepressant use and give more accurate care.
• Children: ADHD treatment may improve not just focus, but also general health.
• Teens: Extra support is needed to help them stay consistent with treatment.
• Adults: ADHD treatment may cut down reliance on antidepressants and correct misdirected mental health care.