Has ADHD become trendy?

Great article

When someone is diagnosed with lets say, ADHD - I'm sure like everything else some will find it a lot more severe and some less so. Therefore, when some one is diagnosed, does the specialist advise if the medical condition is mild/moderate/severe or whatever terminology they use, please?

I'd give up my trendy label for a normal fucking life in a shot. (Diagnosed, medicated and still fucked over every single day by it)

I think some of these comments are hugely overreactive.

Being honest, I know what OP means.

I do believe many people have actual ADHD and they deserve to receive the support they deserve of course but I do think there are many people jumping on the bandwagon and using it as a blame for certain behaviours that they don't want to take responsibility for.

ADHD as it presents in school children is not the same as being inattentive. Poor parenting by insufficient policing of screen time and no monitoring of activities is very problematic in schools, but I can always tell ADHD from those cases. They present very differently.

@Hobnobswantshernameback so sorry. My then 12 year old attempted suicide too, I understand.

I think over the last 20-25 years or so since Google and internet forums have become more available, people in general have become more assertive with professionals. When I was a child if your teacher said you didn't have dyslexia then parents would say that was fine and never mention it again. These children are now adults in their 30's and 40's finally getting a diagnosis. Dh didn't get a diagnosis until his 20's because my in-laws didn't want the shame of having a child diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome.

Then there is the fact that because of mumsnet and Instagram we "know" more people. In the 90's you might vaguely be aware of some people with disabilities but not like now when everything is much more public.

Also there are a few people who Google something like adhd, realise they have 1 symptom and announce on Instagram that they have it. These people are very much in the minority, although they tend to be very vocal about it so it appears that lots of people are doing it.

Absolutely brilliant post.
This with bells on

A very interesting article that appeared in the BMJ in February was shared with me by a friend.

Some extracts here:

Rising rates of diagnosis without changes in behavioural symptom profiles sugges an epidemic of diagnosis, not an epidemic of ADHD'.

Diagnosing ADHD in children is assumed to result in better long term outcome for them, but this is not well supported by evidence ...whereas potential harms are generally overlooked'.

'Children with borderline symptoms might be at the greatest risk of experiencing net harm'.

In Switzerland where one of my sons works, it has been found that 25% of children are unable to read longer and more complex sentences by age 15, and some teachers have stopped making 6th former read full books, as they don't seem to be able to concentrate sufficiently. The early use of screens, and increasing use by teenagehoods is seen as a strong contributory factor.

Not thread, threads. Plural.

Many, many threads.

Many, many threads all making the same ignorant, ill-informed points dressed up with the same faux innocent curiosity or concern which barely conceals their ableism and/or goadiness.

But yes, next time my 10 year old DD is so dysregulated she's repeatedly banging her head against the wall or trashing her room I will console myself with the knowledge that she is bang on trend. So cheers for that.

If anyone is actually suffering from ADHD can I recommend this podcast,

Very interesting talk.

I kind of get what you mean OP. It's not people struggling with ADHD who find it "trendy", it's the twats who want a current label and something to make them "special" who are wrongly diagnosing themselves as ND because they want to be seen as a bit quirky.

And it's a massive insult to anyone who actually struggles with ND, as it mitigates their difficulties. It perpetuates the stereotypes of Sheldon Cooper Autism, with none of the downsides that people with ND and their parents suffer through daily. Or the "fun" and "oh, look at me! I'm late and cool/messy" ADHD stereotype that completely ignores the frustration, the MH struggles and self-loathing that is actual ADHD.

No, it’s a range of normal. It’s a minority in a numerical sense but 25% of people having blonde hair still means blonde is a normal hair colour.

It's absolutely right that it's better known and more people are accessing support. It's not becoming more common; more existing cases are becoming dealt with.

However, you're not wrong to say it's 'becoming trendy' and it's not the attitudes of people who think so that are ignorant. Plenty of ignorant people who don't understand the challenges it poses do want to jump on the bandwagon, whether for attention or some imagined benefit provided. The people who say they're 'a little bit ADHD' because they put something off of zoned out of a conversation once obviously do think it's something good to be associated with and have no clue what it's really like.

25% of all people is surely still divergent from the norm? @MaryMaryVeryContrary

But if it gets to the point where a quarter of people are diagnosed then… it’s hardly ‘diverse’ is it? It becomes typical. And I know what you mean OP, it can’t be a coincidence that all these ‘influencers’ who need to feel current and compelling are suddenly neurodiverse - always self identified rather than diagnoses by a professional - and then use it to further their media with their cutesy ‘what my ADHD brain thought today’ posts.

If people can’t see that an aspect of neurodiversity (not all, and the usual caveats) is becoming a fashion then they’re in denial tbh. They seem able to critique transgender for the same reasons though

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It's not trendy in my profession. I'd never dream of "outing" myself at work. My son is the same.

It was only yesterday so not yet! They offered me medication but I definitely don't want that. I've yet to talk to work about it but I think there will be really good. They are going to send me a report with lots of suggestions of different ways of getting support. To be honest the diagnosis itself is pretty helpful because it means it gets treated as a disability of work and they have to put in some reasonable adjustments. Also a bit like a dyslexia finding out that the reason they can't read isn't because they are stupid but because of a disability it's a bit like that

I have a formal ADHD diagnosis and I actually think that you are right OP.
I'm old enough to have seem trends come and go.

Usually what is happening is that a diagnosis is getting recognized and therefore reported more and then there is a moral panic about over diagnosis.
So females with ADHD is a current theme, I remember when dyslexia had more air time etc.

It doesn't mean that the issue is fake but simply that media tends to hyper focus on one diagnosis at a time.

Honestly OP you can do one. I'm 41 and have struggled with what I now know to be ADHD. For years I've believed it to be something deeply wrong with me but I'm now learning to understand how my brain works and how to work with it.
Of course, the absolute hell I've been through and continue to go through is so I can seem "trendy".
Ridiculous and unintelligent posy OP. You could have easily typed your question in to Google or looked on MN for the almost daily occurrence of this question.

No, it is not "trendy".
It is problematic, difficult, stressful and hard to manage. I teach increasing numbers of young people diagnosed with this, and believe me, they face significant challenges.
I would suggest op that you ask MN to alter the title, or perhaps delete the thread.