Research indicates that people afflicted by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, popularly known as ADHD, are two times more likely than other people to be divorced. Fully sixty percent of their marriages are in trouble.

How come?

In a nutshell, they don’t pull their weight in a marriage.

They don’t attend to things that need to be attended to.

They miss appointments.

Break commitments.

Forget about drop offs, pick ups.

Leave their spouse feeling ignored, neglected, unappreciated, unloved.

Their spouses come to feel that they cannot depend on them.

Some liken being married to their spouse to having another child to care for.

Eventually, this can breed resentment, anger and frustration in the spouse who doesn’t have the condition.

The spouse with the condition, feeling overwhelmed, may retreat or withdraw.

Four percent or more of adults suffer from ADHD. Many people don’t even know they have it.

Before giving up on their marriage, couples might wish to explore implementing coping strategies.

For example, one researcher and author reports getting very good results with priority-sorted flash cards, each listing just one task she needs her husband to attend to.

Read more in this New York Times piece: Attention Disorders Can Take a Toll on Marriage