ADHD drugs reduce risk of criminal behaviour, drug abuse and accidents
A study of 150,000 people with ADHD in Sweden confirms that drugs taken to manage the condition have wider benefits beyond improving immediate symptoms
By Michael Le Page
13 August 2025
Symptoms of ADHD can be managed with medicines, as well as through talking therapies
Alex Di Stasi/Shutterstock
People with ADHD who take drugs to manage their symptoms have a lower risk of suicidal behaviours, criminal convictions, drug abuse, being accidentally injured or being in a road accident, according to a study of 150,000 people in Sweden. Previous research has suggested this is the case, but the researchers behind the latest study say this is the most reliable evidence so far.
“This is the best approach, the closest to a randomised trial,” says Zheng Chang at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
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When drugs are considered for managing ADHD, the wider consequences of not taking them can be overlooked, says team member Samuele Cortese at the University of Southampton in the UK. For instance, parents tend to focus on the immediate issues their children are having at school, he says, but they should also be informed about the longer-term outlook.
“If you don’t treat ADHD, there are risks,” he says. “Now we have evidence that treatment reduces these risks.”
People with ADHD often have trouble paying attention and may make impulsive decisions. Randomised controlled trials show that drugs are effective for managing these immediate symptoms.
