ADHD – why the hype?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock this past year or so, it’s been hard not to notice the massive rise in conversation around adult ADHD. A quick search of the internet reveals countless documentaries, short videos and articles. TikTok is a real hub of ADHD chat, with the 100 most popular ADHD videos having 11 billion views worldwide. Diagnosis of adult ADHD has increased 123% in the US from 2007 to 2016, and has become the primary market for medication, overtaking that of children diagnosed.
So, what exactly is going on?
What is it?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and comes under the umbrella of neurodivergent conditions, which also includes autism, dyslexia and Tourette’s. Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them differently, resulting in certain behaviours and personality traits. It’s believed one in seven of us are neurodivergent.
ADHD is not a new disorder, despite the recent buzz. It’s been acknowledged in some form or other since the 18thCentury. It was formally recognised as a mental health condition in the 1960’s and was finally given its full and current title in 1987.
There are numerous symptoms associated with ADHD (please see the NHS website for a full list) which include being easily distracted, excessive talking, and constant fidgeting. As you can imagine this way of being can affect someone’s day to day functioning and relationships especially when it comes to their education and career.
In regard to adult ADHD, it is uncommon for symptoms to develop without there being a history of them in childhood. To be formally diagnosed you have to have had at least some symptoms present before the age of 12.
Diagnosis
The process of getting diagnosed in the UK normally involves attending your GP and asking for an NHS assessment. The waiting list currently for these assessments can be several years, such is the high number of people seeking diagnosis coupled with the lack of qualified professionals to conduct the interviews. The assessment is not about ticking symptoms off a list, which some social media output has suggested. The assessment normally lasts around two to three hours and includes a detailed psychological history.
In contrast to this, while researching for this piece, I came across a website inviting me to take part in a 3-minute questionnaire to assess if I had ADHD. These kinds of flippant surveys erode the seriousness of the diagnostic process and should only be seen as a bit of curious fun and nothing more. Likewise, a study assessing ADHD related content on TikTok revealed that of the 100 most popular videos, 52% was misleading, 27% were based on personal experience and only 21% were classified as helpful to others.
To avoid the NHS waiting lists, some people are seeking diagnosis via private clinics which can be costly. And as a recent BBC Panorama programme illustrated there are some “clinics” who are not following the NICE guidelines around assessment and are potentially giving an incorrect diagnosis and subsequently prescribing unnecessary medication. So, it’s really important to do your homework before booking an assessment.
It’s absolutely up to the individual as to whether they wish to seek a diagnosis, and of course it can be that during the process other conditions, especially under the neuro diverse umbrella might be identified. What a formal diagnosis can bring (in addition to access to treatment) is a relief from any moral judgement that there is something “wrong” with me. Realising this and that instead I just think differently from others can also help develop greater empathy and understanding from those around us.
Why the hype?
So why is ADHD having such a moment?
The general reasons of people having better access to healthcare, greater awareness and reduced stigma around mental health are all absolutely valid. But one major factor is that it is only in the past decade that adult ADHD has been formally recognised. The American Psychological Association (APA) updated its description of ADHD to included adults in 2013. Before then ADHD was incorrectly considered a disorder which affects children only and something they grow out of in their late teens.
Another reason why ADHD is being talked about more, is the impact of the Covid pandemic. Most of us experienced at one time or other during the various lockdowns something called “pandemic brain” where we struggled to focus on one thing for a long time. The impact of the pandemic lockdowns and restrictions is not yet fully known, but certainly the experience seems to have had an impact on our mental wellbeing. How could it not? The loss of our usual structure and routine (commuting to work etc.), and of having to self-motivate at home meant day to day functioning became even harder for those who already struggled with their attention. ADHD symptoms which may have been less visible during our non-pandemic times became much more evident once the lockdowns began. This coupled with the rise of ADHD awareness in social media, has caused more people to seek support and possible diagnosis.
Our attention- a valued commodity
It will come as no surprise that our ability to focus and pay attention has been greatly affected by all the many technological developments in recent years. Now more than ever it is so easy to get distracted. Billions of dollars are spent trying to grab and keep our attention. This is not evidence of ADHD. Spending more time on devices and less time outdoors, lacking decent quality sleep, poor diets and feelings of anxiety can all contribute to ADHD-like symptoms. We can understandably get confused between ADHD and general stress, such is our world of beeping phones, colourful advertisements, and noisy urban environments.
We can all display at various times, and for various reasons, symptoms which might fall under the ADHD umbrella, but it’s when these symptoms are persistent and restrict our everyday functioning that further exploration and possible diagnosis might be required.
There are good reasons why adult ADHD seems to be all a buzz and it’s not thankfully just down to some popular Tik Tok videos!
Photo by Ant Rozetsky on Unsplash
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