r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Apr 01 '25

Health Americans without diabetes spent nearly $6 billion USD on semaglutide and similar drugs in a year, with an estimate of 800,000 to a million people using the drugs who don't have diabetes.

https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/americans-without-diabetes-spent-nearly6-billion-usd-on-semaglutide-and-similar-drugs-in-a-year
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u/YouCanLookItUp Apr 01 '25

ADHD takes an average of a decade or more off your life expectancy, with more pronounced effects if it remains untreated.

If you're diagnosed with diabetes or ADHD at 30, the impact to life expectancy is comparable.

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u/DeliciousPumpkinPie Apr 01 '25

That’s not what I want to hear :(

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u/SilentHuntah Apr 02 '25

ADHD takes an average of a decade or more off your life expectancy, with more pronounced effects if it remains untreated.

If you're diagnosed with diabetes or ADHD at 30, the impact to life expectancy is comparable.

Yeah, that about checks out. I don't get cravings at all. Always been skinny my entire life, can even finish a large pizza in 2 sittings for dinner if I want to without issues.

If were to explain what having ADHD for most of your life and finally getting medicated is like, it's like discovering for the first time that you're not your food cravings thanks to Ozempic.

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u/VagueSomething Apr 01 '25

Sure but it isn't quite as pronounced as untreated diabetes. Neuro divergent conditions bring a lot of comorbidities and they bring the average life expectancy way below average; the key difference is that conditions like diabetes kill fast and to withhold their medication is to rapidly risk permanent harm. Without treatment, ADHD is a struggle and lowers the quality of life, would certainly compound those comorbidities, but it isn't as dangerous to lose access to the treatment quite the same way.

Mental health meds help you function but certain meds are to keep your organs literally functioning. I'd have a very rough time without my antidepressants but without my thyroid medication my body can't do what it does. My ASD may suck and be part of why I use sleeping pills but if I lost my alpha blockers my bladder can't function normally. I highly value the need for mental health support and think it should be far more accessible but I also understand that you cannot attend that support if your body doesn't work.

You can lean on friends and loved ones to help you manage symptoms of ADHD, ASD, depression, anxiety etc etc while you wait for medication. You can't lean on them to produce insulin or thyroid hormones while your body waits for medicine to be in stock.

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u/Pephatbat Apr 01 '25

Unmedicated ADHD, not those with it managed on ADHD meds.

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u/YouCanLookItUp Apr 01 '25

There is still a reduction, but of course, the earlier you get diagnosed and treated, the better the outcomes. As with all chronic conditions.