Kwon, a 33-year-old creator who works under the name Suha, discovered in 2020 that he had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). At the time, Kwon was showing signs of depression after being criticized daily by his boss at work. This was because he frequently dozed off during work or forgot instructions. Initially, he was prescribed antidepressants, but nothing changed. After being re-evaluated, he was diagnosed with ADHD, not depression.

Kim Sanghyo, a 31-year-old office worker, was also recently diagnosed with ADHD. He often missed important details when organizing documents and performing other tasks at work. Even after reviewing materials five times to reduce mistakes, the results were the same. Whenever his boss gave instructions, he would lose focus due to surrounding noise and become distracted by random thoughts. Kim was advised by colleagues to take an adult ADHD test and subsequently visited a hospital.

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The number of office workers exhibiting symptoms of ADHD, such as frequent mistakes and decreased concentration, is increasing. As interest in ADHD grows on social media and other platforms, more people are seeking medical attention.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on June 24, the number of patients prescribed methylphenidate for ADHD treatment reached 337,595 last year, more than double the 143,471 recorded in 2020. Methylphenidate is the most widely used ADHD medication and is a psychostimulant that enhances attention and concentration.

Activation of the dorsal anterior midcingulate cortex, which is engaged in situations requiring concentration, was not observed in patients with ADHD (right). Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

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ADHD is a chronic mental disorder characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, and is primarily known to appear in children under the age of 12. These symptoms can occur due to delayed development of the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for impulse control and response inhibition. However, research in Korea indicates that about 5% of adults also exhibit symptoms of ADHD.

Adult ADHD Test Trending Online. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter).

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Recently, self-diagnosis methods for ADHD have been spreading online. As a result, more office workers are beginning to wonder if they might have ADHD. A simple online search for "ADHD self-diagnosis" yields questionnaires posted by various counseling centers and hospitals. Most of these self-assessment questions include items such as: "Have you ever had trouble finishing tasks?" and "Is it difficult to proceed with tasks in order?"

Lee, an office worker in his 30s, said, "In the afternoon, I get so distracted that I can't concentrate on work at all, so I drink coffee every time." He added, "I suspected adult ADHD and went to the hospital, but because I drink more than five cups of coffee a day, I was diagnosed with sleep disorders caused by excessive caffeine intake."

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Experts emphasize the importance of early detection of ADHD. Lee Junhee, a professor of psychiatry at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, said, "Recently, there has been a surge in adults coming in, suspecting they may have ADHD. Most of them thought they were simply inattentive as children, but only realized they had ADHD after experiencing difficulties in the workplace." Professor Lee also added, "Many people receive medication due to their busy daily lives, including work, but it is important to reduce distractions in daily life, such as leaving YouTube on while doing other things."

Lee Seongjik, president of the Korea ADHD Association, said, "In the United States, school psychologists are available to test children suspected of having ADHD, and similar measures should be implemented in Korea to enable early diagnosis through institutional improvements."