I’m really struggling to understand why the media seems to hate ADHD so much — how they can so wilfully ignore facts like medical misogyny, an underfunded NHS, and the different ways in which Adult ADHD are presented when it comes to discussing the reasons why ADHD diagnoses are increasing. We’re told self-diagnoses are invalid and attention-seeking; that seeking a diagnosis through the NHS will further crush an already-stretched system; but if you pay for a diagnosis privately, you’re also somehow ‘cheating’ and just after the drugs. You really can’t win. If you end up getting your information about ADHD solely from these articles (most of which aren’t even written by people with ADHD), you’ll find yourself swamped with the very misconceptions and misinformation that they’re desperately sure exist on TikTok.

Amid their mixed messages about the state of diagnoses is defining ADHD as a “mental illness” (it is actually a neurological condition), there are three main points from this ableist misinformation that I truly detest: firstly, the idea that people use ADHD as an excuse to avoid accountability, secondly, the idea that people seek diagnoses after watching TikToks over-pathologising certain behaviours, and thirdly, the idea that ADHD and neurodiversity as a whole can be seen as a status symbol.

Like a lot of people with ADHD, I find myself becoming profoundly upset and frustrated when things like my inattentivity and executive dysfunction cause things to go wrong.

As somebody who has ADHD, I can assure you that on the occasions where ADHD does lead to mistakes, missed deadlines, and miscommunication, it’s far from a case of ‘pulling the ADHD card.’ Like a lot of people with ADHD, I find myself becoming profoundly upset and frustrated when things like my inattentivity and executive dysfunction cause things to go wrong. Coupled with the heightened emotions that come with ADHD, I feel overwhelmed with guilt, anxiety, and more than anything, shame. I feel ashamed that my brain doesn’t work the way society tells me it’s supposed to; ashamed I let people down; and ashamed of even telling people I have ADHD in case they think I’m just bringing it up to avoid responsibility. So, you can see how articles claiming that to be the case just further confirm the deepest of anxieties for both myself and many other people with ADHD.

On the widely-argued claim that TikTok is over-pathologising behaviours, that’s only partly true. Nobody is saying that procrastinating in and of itself means that you have ADHD — that’s just human nature — but when that procrastinating gets to a point where it’s outside your control and significantly affecting your life, that’s when it becomes a problem. The idea of applying nuance to these TikTok videos is something a lot of ADHD critics seem to deliberately overlook in order to make their argument — but sometimes, I suspect they only see what they want to see.

And finally, the most aggravating misconception of all, is the idea that ADHD is something to actively seek in order to conform to a ‘trend’ or status symbol.

And finally, the most aggravating misconception of all, is the idea that ADHD is something to actively seek in order to conform to a ‘trend’ or status symbol. As a registered disability, ADHD is something that can significantly impact your ability to function in day-to-day life. While I’m open about my ADHD and the more light-hearted aspects of the condition, that doesn’t change the fact that, for me, it significantly impacts pretty much every aspect of my life, and means that things neurotypical people take for granted are, oftentimes, a lot more difficult for me. 

When celebrities like Johnny Vegas are open about their ADHD diagnosis, it’s not because they want people to wear ADHD like a pair of shoes, it’s to destigmatise the condition and to reassure people like us that, despite the difficulties ADHD throw at us sometimes, it doesn’t need to get in the way of you having a successful and happy life. 

Why are people so threatened by that?