When Lucy Rogers* finally opened the letter she had been ignoring for months informing her that her utility bill was going up, it was the final straw. I remember that I just entered my workplace and I cried… I said: “I can’t afford to live anymore”.
“At that point, I was very tired and exhausted, and functioning as an adult was very challenging because of my ADHD.”
Ms. Rogers, who was in debt for most of her adulthood, walked into her apartment every day and avoided eye contact with her mailbox because she couldn’t handle the piles of letters asking her to pay her bills.
Some were marked red, meaning urgent, and usually only opened when his mother came around and forced him to do so.
The pressure was relentless, and the anxiety piled up with each unpaid bill. He kept taking out more loans and was stuck in a cycle that he couldn’t find the mental space to escape from. With his living expenses and direct debts increasing by £100 every six months, the burden became unbearable.
“I finally broke down and finally couldn’t handle the weight of the terror and the relentless pressure of having to fulfill all those commitments,” she said. Independent.
“Honestly, I thought about suicide that day, I just thought, ‘I can’t take it anymore, I can’t take it with people asking me for so much money.’
According to Monzo, ADHD can cost people an extra £1,600 a year due to unexpected expenses, missed bills and difficulty sticking to budgets.
A survey of more than 500 people conducted by YouGov found that 80% of women and 71% of men said financial problems caused by their ADHD lead to anxiety.
Mrs Rogers, 38, from Devon, was diagnosed with ADHD three years ago. She also has Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid and can cause weight loss, fatigue, excessive sweating and anxiety, among other things.
“I struggled through most of my adulthood, not knowing I had ADHD and not knowing why I found everything difficult compared to my peer group,” she says.
I couldn’t keep up with the bills even with automatic payments. “I was struggling with budgeting and trying to make sure I had enough money left at the end of the month.”
He had about £200 of disposable income each month, which usually ran out about 10 days before payday. Too tired to cook due to her autoimmune disease, she often ordered takeout and ran out of money.
The NHS estimates that around 2.5 million people in England have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
For many people, debt is pushing them to the breaking point. Things like managing money, spending wisely, filling out financial forms or even opening bills can be difficult and can take a toll on mental health.
Many of Ms. Rogers’ financial problems led to executive dysfunction, a common symptom of ADHD that affects the brain’s ability to manage thoughts, emotions and behavior.
“The main cognitive and behavioral symptoms are impulsivity, hyperactivity and/or inattention,” says ADHD specialist Professor Barbara Sahakian from the University of Cambridge.
He said many people with ADHD act on impulse and buy something they can’t afford, even if it causes them problems later.
For Ms. Rogers, the main motivation for her purchase was the book. “I would get lost in a story and forget about my life,” he said.
Executive dysfunction also includes problems with planning, problem solving and risky decision-making, which can make it hard to think about the impact of a decision on the future, Professor Sahakian said.
“For most of us, paying bills is something we’d worry about if we weren’t doing it,” Professor Sahakian added.
But for people with ADHD, everyday tasks, like paying bills, can be difficult. “They don’t have the ability to keep things in mind as much as other people,” he explained.
“These things may just fall out of working memory and something more interesting will emerge.”
Ms Rogers believes there needs to be better financial support and education at school, and wishes she was taught about budgeting and money management from a younger age.
A Department for Education spokesman said: “Through the change plan, we will ensure that young people leave education with a good understanding of how to manage their finances.”
He also thinks banks should intervene more proactively when people have trouble paying bills or are repeatedly overdrawn.
The Financial Conduct Authority said: “People struggling with debt don’t have to face it alone. If you’re worried about keeping up with your payments, contact your lender – they have a range of support options and will work with you to find the best deal for you. You can also find free debt advice through MoneyHelper.”
When Ms Rogers reached her breaking point, she contacted Christians Against Poverty, a debt counseling charity, who helped her develop a plan to tackle her debt. After receiving help, she decided to give up her one-bedroom apartment and move into a shared house.
Being able to save for the first time was a “great feeling,” she said, adding, “It was a learning process to pay off my debt that gave me the confidence and experience and education to manage my debt.”
If you are feeling distressed, or struggling to cope, feel free to speak to the Samaritans on 116 123 (UK & ROI), email [email protected], or visit: The Samaritans Website to find details of your nearest branch If you’re based in the US and you or someone you know needs mental health help right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org To access the online chat from 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis line that is available to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to that country www.befrienders.org To find a helpline near you
* The name has been changed
