‘Shopping is a nightmare’: how ADHD affects people’s spending habits

theguardian.com:

For most of us, popping to the supermarket is a mundane chore but for Hannah Crawford it’s a task that can fill her with dread. “A supermarket is a nightmare,” says the 24-year-old, who describes going to buy food as “like being a three-year-old in a sweet shop”.

Crawford says it can be an overwhelming, frustrating and exhausting experience. One of the main challenges is “getting out without spending twice as much as you intended”, she says, which means making meticulous lists and resisting the constant urge to impulse-buy.

She is far from alone in feeling this way. She was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) last summer, and is one of a growing number of UK adults with the condition. The total number is estimated to run into the millions, although most are undiagnosed.

Research shared exclusively with Guardian Money lays bare the challenges many with ADHD face when it comes to their personal finances.

The research, commissioned by the digital bank Monzo and conducted by YouGov, found that those living with ADHD are four times more likely to frequently impulse-spend than those who do not have the condition.

The majority (60%) of those surveyed who are living with ADHD said they believe it has a direct cost implication for them because of its impact on day-to-day money management, which they estimated amounted to just over £1,600 a year on average.

The findings prompted charities to say that with a cost of living crisis raging and the number of people with the condition on the rise, banks should do more to support this community.

A Guardian article published earlier this month explored the increase in adult diagnoses in the US. A Guardian article published on 18 June said one in four prisoners in