Have you ever missed an appointment or forgotten to cancel a subscription?
Of course!
We all have likely done this at least once in our lives. It’s normal to make this mistake from time to time.
But for some people, this is a constant pattern.
If you are constantly forgetting where you placed things, when to cancel a subscription, or how you did something.
And this costs you both emotionally and financially.
You may be dealing with the dreaded ADHD tax or the costs associated with ADHD.
If you are dealing with ADHD tax, there is help available. You can see a mental health counsellor or ADHD coach in Canada.
Use this blog as a guide for what ADHD tax is, how to recognize its signs, and how to cope with ADHD tax when it comes about.
What is ADHD?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental and neurodivergent condition.
It impacts areas of the brain that control hyperactivity, impulsivity, and attention, resulting in differences in the way ADHDers interact with the world.
Those with ADHD may experience key traits such as a lack of focus, increased anxiety about waiting, difficulty with rejection, disorganization, and trouble planning, among other traits.
Taking the first step in seeking ADHD therapy or coaching can be challenging.
But your ADHD coach or therapist will support you with recognizing your strengths, building self-awareness and confidence, and developing strategies for success.
What is the ADHD Tax?
You are likely familiar with what tax is. It is financial dues that we all have to pay at tax time.
But ADHD tax may be a concept that is a little less familiar to you.
ADHD tax in particular is the financial and emotional costs associated with the traits of ADHD, including forgetfulness, executive functioning issues, and impulsivity.
For instance, forgetting and missing the deadline for loan payments can cost you thousands of dollars in interest that you could have saved had you paid on time.
Or maybe you spent so much time impulsively shopping for things that you won’t use more than once.
These all translate to financial consequences. But there are other costs associated with ADHD.
ADHDers are more likely to identify as a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and deal with the compounded toll of societal hate toward 2SLGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent individuals.
Other costs include the shame and guilt associated with being neurodivergent, unemployment, poor relationships, and low self-esteem.
Prevalence of ADHD Tax
Since ADHD tax is associated with ADHD traits, the prevalence of it is likely similar to that of ADHD.
Although the prevalence differs from country to country, it is believed that around 366.33 million people worldwide are considered ADHDers.
This amounts to approximately 5% of the worldwide population.
In Canada, according to the Canadian Centre for ADHD Awareness, 5%–9% of children and 3%–5% of adults are impacted by ADHD.
Given this, estimates may guess that the prevalence of ADHD tax is around the same as that of ADHD itself.
The Connection Between ADHD Traits and the ADHD Tax
The signs of ADHD tax are related to the traits of ADHD. Therefore, when you are experiencing ADHD tax, you should try to pinpoint why this is occurring.
Common reasons for the ADHD tax showing up include:
Procrastinating: taking time to cancel a subscription or get a task done
Task paralysis: becoming overwhelmed with the decisions in front of you to the point of struggling to start the task and make a decision.
Forgetfulness: forgetting to cancel a subscription
Impulsivity: impulse spending on purchases
Time agnosia: Struggling with knowing how much time has passed on a task. ADHDers often underestimate the impact our current actions have on future decisions.
The Financial and Emotional Toll of the ADHD Tax
ADHDers normally experience financial and emotional costs associated with their traits.
There is no one way in which these costs show up in all ADHDers. Every ADHDer will have different ways that ADHD tax shows up.
Even though there are no key signs associated with all ADHDers, there are common signs that could occur.
These include:
Losing things: ADHDers tend to forget the where, when, how, and who of things. You may also struggle with organization. For this reason, you may forget where you placed something important. You then have to deal with the financial costs of replacing these valuable items and the emotional costs of the stress associated with this.
High debt: Due to the trait of forgetfulness and disorganization, ADHDers are also more likely to carry a balance on their credit card and forget to pay it off. This can often show up as high interest charges and debt. Impulsivity also causes impulse spending, which incurs more debt. You may also procrastinate on a deadline associated with a reimbursement on health insurance or taxes and therefore obtain less of a refund to support paying off this debt.
Employment challenges: ADHDers have a higher unemployment rate and typically earn less than non-ADHDers. The difficulty with managing deadlines, showing up to work on time, and organizing work files can make maintaining employment difficult for ADHDers.
Academic challenges: Just like with employment, ADHDers also face challenges in school. ADHDers are often less likely to graduate school due to their ADHD traits and the lack of neurodiversity-affirming classrooms.
Hyperfixation: Sometimes a hyper fixation can create a financial burden if the person is purchasing numerous items to support this hobby. For instance, those who collect coins as a hobby may go into debt buying them.
Relationship issues: The financial issues that can occur as a result of ADHD can cause relationship issues. After all, money issues are one of the number one reasons why couples split. ADHDers may also deal with rejection-sensitive dysphoria, which may result in a need for reassurance. This can put a strain on your relationships with friends, family and, partners.
Low self-esteem: The world is built for neurotypicals, which can often make neurodivergent individuals feel like there's something wrong with them. People often make the false assumption that ADHDers are just lazy and aren’t trying hard enough. This can create masking behaviours where the ADHD traits are hidden. Not being able to fully accept yourself or feeling like the world doesn’t accept you can result in low self-esteem.
Ways to Cope With ADHD Tax
If you have stumbled across this blog, you may be looking for ways to cope with the ADHD tax you may be dealing with.
Now that you understand what ADHD tax is, you’re on your way to recognizing when it shows up in your life and discovering new ways to cope with it.
Here are some tips put together by neurodivergent individuals and created for neurodivergent folks.
These tips include:
Make a list: before buying something, have a list of the things you already have, so you can remember whether you need to buy something or not.
Ask for help: ask someone else if they could remind you of a cancellation date. You can also seek out a coach who can help with learning management strategies.
Do the task right away: complete a task now (if possible). This can help you reduce the risk of forgetting to do the task if you wait. The urge to put something off until later is minimized.
Leave it and take a break: before deciding on whether to buy something or not, leave the item in the shopping cart overnight. If you are in the store, walk away from the item for a bit. After about an hour, then decide whether you really need the item or not.
Support groups: the emotional costs of ADHD can be just as difficult to deal with as the financial costs. Support groups can help you to know you are not alone and provide a community of people that can help you learn strategies to cope.
Create an ADHD-friendly environment: make your environment into one that allows you to follow a routine. For instance, have your medications in a specific spot so you remember to take them.
Seek accommodations: ADHD can be considered a disability. If you are dealing with the challenges of ADHD in school or at work and need support, consider asking for accommodations.
Start small: digging yourself out of debt can be difficult, but it is not impossible. You can start small by removing one subscription or setting aside some money each month to pay off debt. Over time, these small actions will help you to pay off the debt.
Track your expenses: when we have a list of things we are spending money on every month and we take time to reflect on this, we are more likely to cut expenses that are based on impulse and make a financially sound decision.
Calendar: use a calendar and multiple alarms to write down when something is due or when you need to cancel a subscription. Set alarms so you have multiple levels of reminders.
Strengths: if you are strong in certain areas, you may want to cultivate a work or home environment that is based on your strengths.
Use the STOP method: stop and leave the item in the online cart overnight, and then only buy it after you have had time to reflect on whether you truly need it.
Use free resources: there are numerous apps for tracking deadlines, such as Google Calendar. There are also financial coaches out there, such as @ellyce.fulmore, that support people in becoming financially independent.
Positive affirmations: living in a world that is not built for neurodivergent individuals can be exhausting. Positive affirmations related to neurodivergence can support you in accepting yourself and improving your self-esteem. One type of affirmation may be “I deserve to be accommodated.” “I accept myself for who I am. There is nothing wrong with me. My brain operates differently, and that’s okay.”
Neurodiversity-affirming therapy: if you are in need of additional support to cope with ADHD, finding a therapist that affirms your identity and works with you to find ways to cope with your ADHD challenges may be of support.
Book a Free Consultation With Blue Sky Learning
Do you experience the emotional and financial consequences associated with ADHD tax?
Are you looking for ways to cope with ADHD tax?
Book a free 20-minute consultation with one of our expert ADHD coaches or therapists to come up with a personalized plan that suits your individual needs.
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