social media is convincing all our kids they are nd?

ADHD drugs have wider life benefits, study suggests - BBC News

Despite the surge in people asking for help, the disorder is not becoming more common. Last year a BBC investigation found long waits for assessment in the UK.
People are only diagnosed if the symptoms cause at least a moderate impact on their lives.

I'm wonder how this discussion will look like in 10 years' time. We used to see masked depression, unresolved trauma, toxic personalities and now ND as THE explanation for why life is difficult for so many people. It takes a lot of courage to say 'we are now getting things 100% right, we do have THE answer' when historically this was never the case before....

Yes, exactly. Most adults who go for an assessment are pretty bloody certain they’re autistic or they wouldn’t be asking for a diagnosis to begin with. I went to my GP about a diagnosis as multiple family members are autistic and I’d experienced multiple periods of burnout. He had me fill out an AQ10 and I scored full marks.

I then sat on a waiting list for months with no support or anything, eventually went for diagnosis and then…nothing. There’s no support out there, no medication, no therapy. In fact, I have to pay £52 a session to see a therapist as what’s available on the NHS isn’t suitable for autistic individuals.

Under diagnosis is well reported.

Also you are screened before diagnosis so the not likely to be autistic will not have got as far as diagnosis, then you have the fact that most are pretty accurate in their suspicion, have a family history of it or have been advised to by professionals to seek diagnosis following children being diagnosed or sometimes when being treated for something else. I wouldn’t go through all the rigmarole or have it on my records if I didn’t think it highly likely I had it. Others will be exactly the same.

Ie most people going for diagnosis are going to be autistic.

@Bellsbeachwaves I am the first person to highlight the flaws in all systems, especially the medical profession.

The ADOS assessment, as per NICE guidance really is so much more than being conveyed by reference to ticking boxes.

Who has been diagnosed as Autistic who is not actually Autistic? Where are these people. It's going to be a problem of under diagnosis in reality.

Says who- you?

I think we’re using the term “tick box” in very different ways. To me, a “tick box” diagnosis is “you have x y and z symptoms, so you have condition A. An autism diagnosis is much more complex than that. It’s not just about your symptoms, but about how they impact you and how long they’ve impacted you for.

It's also incredibly inaccurate. And basically made up and unscientific. Most of the DSM is essentially made up. Cluster of behaviours and reported internal goings on = a disorder or 'diagnosis'.

Observed activities, history taking, impact on life.

I didn't say it wasn't long. I said that is what diagnosis is. Which it is.

Precisely my point. Huge history taking, lots of questions, in order to tick boxes in order to give a diagnosis. If the boxes are not ticked, a diagnosis is not given. That is how diagnosis works. It is essentially descriptive of symptoms which are then categorised into a 'disorder'.

Nope. For an autism diagnosis- there is the ADOS which is a long session of observed activities by 2 professionals, an in-depth developmental history, then sessions with family and yourself.

It absolutely isn’t. An autism diagnosis takes hours and is incredibly complex - your entire life is looked at - your childhood, your school years, your work history and medical history. My parents were interviewed for several hours too.

To receive a diagnosis of autism your symptoms have to have a severe impact on your life.

Ticking boxes is precisely what a diagnosis is. That is literally the definition of 'diagnosis'.

I'm not sure I agree.
I'm late diagnosed ADHD.

As a child I had panic attacks, wet the bed, bit my nails until they bled, picked my skin and scalp and threw up a lot with anxiety.

I was good at school but not with maintaining relationships. Basically I could mask at school because of the structure. Take that away and I fell apart.

I think its a combo of:

• Actually being ND is normal and lots of people are. I don't people who say people are trying to be 'different' - we're trying to understand ourselves
• Modern life also exacerbats ADHD like traits (whether there's a diagnosis or not) like lack of focus, difficulty with emotional regulation etc

I think it's a good thing it's getting more recognised.

It's simply recognising that people have different needs and requirements.

I'm also not 'out' at my new job about my ADHD so i manage it just me and my doctor and close friends who I'm comfortable to talk to about it. Adhd isn't an easy way out - lots of people hold a stigma towards it.

Exactly. Having autism fucking sucks. I wish more than anything that I didn’t have it.

@MyLimeGuide ADHD medication isn’t free unless someone is otherwise exempt from prescription charges.

This thread is so depressing. Every uneducated comment is from the camp ' it's for the meds' or ' everyone's got ADHD now'.

You can't get an assessment on the NHS for love nor money now - statistically, you're significantly more likely to wait years or have to go private.

Many GP practices are offloading responsibility entirely. This means people can't get these elusive medications easily at all. You must be formally diagnosed as a start.

Once diagnosed, you then need to find a private practitioner and then pay the monthly prescription costs. For what? I'd rather go score some shitty speed if it's only for the LOLs.

Those taking these meds will have to manage potentially huge side effects. The effect will not be the same for an ADHD person as a non ADHD person. I took speed recreationally a few times years ago. Let's say the effect of taking ADHD meds is akin to that for us NT folk; well, fuck that. Absolutely horrible. Again, why we don't have a huge speed epidemic; because who would 🤷. I accept some might and I accept some will abuse potentially.

The true problem is not this made up abuse of meds epidemic, it is a huge genuine ND population in society left to just deal with it and no access to anything, including assessments. Thus, the real problem is under diagnosis. Any tit in government will use the phrase over diagnosis simply to offload responsibility and costs. A reminder; they will lie to the public.

And who are these professionals diagnosing who are making it up? We have unethical wankers everywhere - yet, the reputational risk is too great for this to proliferate. I have been involved in assessments for my son. You don't sit there and say I'm hyperactive and then get diagnosed.

The reason for this explosion is because there really truly are a huge number of ND people. They meet a partner, have kids, say 2. Statistically, their kids will likely be ND. The parents get them assessed because they're noticing alot of struggles that don't fit their NT mates'. Then they say, hang on. All my life I've struggled extensively with x y z. And the penny drops. That is what's happening. It is genetically inherited at a significantly high rate.

Yes I'm sure there are a proportion of bell ends on SMedia. They can say what they like but isn't it only of importance if they actually get diagnosed? You don't get diagnosed because you said I fink I'm ADHD on TTok.

There's an incredibly stringent process for Autism; as per NICE guidelines. You can't just blag it. Most people posting here ref people they know they feel are making it up; it's a high likelihood they actually are ND and they've hidden alot from the public, friends and even family.

I'd like to see all these inappropriate ADHD diagnosees.Where are they. I'm not buying it at all. Not one bit.

Apart from the fantasy it's for drug seeking, I'm curious what posters feel would be the net benefit proclaiming to be ND? People are still having a very difficult time with stigma and judgement.

The DLA comment is laughable. Not happening ever. I'm out of pocket thousands and thousands as parent to an ND child. This does not include the losses all those mum's take who can't work because their ND kids can't access education.

The conclusion is - get off TikTok and all other SM cesspits that are the source of most people's upset more than any real problems.

DLA is awarded on the basis of impact of disability on specific functions. Not diagnosis. You don't get DLA just because you have ADHD.

You sound like one of these eejits who think asylum seekers get luxury housing and bags of cash.

Yes I’d rather my kids weren’t afflicted with such a hideous condition. It has caused huge damage to their lives. I’m so proud of how hard they’re battling. Some of the most resilient people I know and in no way snowflakes. They probably have more grit in their little fingers than some posting on here.

We're not special snowflakes and I'd rather not have a diagnosis

Then they have bigger problems. All sorts of things appear on my SM feeds re cancers and conditions. I barely click on them let alone click and persuade myself I have said conditions. Neither would any of the teens and young people I know.

What a bizarre comment, people get convinced of all kinds of things.

People used to be convinced they were possessed by demons. There are all kinds of medical conditions people have really believed they had which turned out to be totally made up diseases.

There were all those girls in the US convinced they had Tourettes, and in fact started showing symptoms, seemingly believing it was real themselves, but it wasn't.

What could possibly lead you to think that no one can be convinced that they are NS when they are not?

Exactly this. I was diagnosed by the NHS after my dc were NHS diagnosed. My children are young adults now and medicated. They hate the side effects which can be quite scary but they have been life changing. ADHS has had a horrific impact on their lives. I tried meds but found them scary and as I’m near retirement I focused on the therapy the NHS provides. If I was still
in education or had the job I’m qualified for I’d have pushed through with the meds .

My son has ADHD and is medicated as it was the only way for him to be able to stay in school (he was 8 when he was diagnosed) and he actually hasn't had too many side effects, mostly just headaches now and again. But I do know there are side effects.

I have my ADHD assessment tomorrow as it's having two ND children that's made me realised how many of their traits I share and how my struggles with 'anxiety' and other things might actually be undiagnosed ND. I'm not sure whether I'd risk the medication or even be able to have it as I've got ectopic heart beats as it is. Why anyone would risk the side effects if they haven't got ADHD baffles me.

Almost half don’t go on meds- for good reasons. Not everybody wants the side effects.