social media is convincing all our kids they are nd?

You mean this nonsense from the NYTimes, April 13, 2025:

"Amphetamines can be powerfully addictive, and last year, a study in The American Journal of Psychiatry found that even a medium-strength daily dose of Adderall more than tripled a patient’s likelihood of developing psychosis or mania."

@Delphinium20 are you in America? I would hope they'd follow the same thorough process for Autism.

I wonder what regulations there are for assessing ADHD. I can believe some might abuse this if easy to access and get assessed in a country such as the USA. I still feel statistically that would be reaching compared to genuine declarations from people feeling they are ND ( accurately so).

I don't feel that the possible scenarios in the USA applies here though with how things are.

Thank you. Life is considerably better and ok with diagnosis and understanding. The Government is perpetuating falsehoods regards over diagnosis in order to make it harder for people with no money to access an assessment. That is truly criminal behaviour. I've been more fortunate than many in that regard.

Yes, those things are symptoms and have always been symptoms.

But to get a diagnosis, your life has to be severely impacted by those symptoms. It’s not about disliking loud noises or hating small talk (for example) - it’s about loud noises being so painful and overwhelming that being in that environment causes you actual overwhelm to the point that you avoid basic daily tasks like supermarket shopping or going to a restaurant. It’s about small talk being so difficult that you go mute instead, or hyper focus on your special interest, or finding it so difficult that you need to come home and shut yourself in a dark room for two hours to recover.

Maybe the company you keep isn't random?

Most people aren't surrounded by people who lie to doctors to get powerful medication.

ADHD meds are CNS stimulants that can be abused. That is why they are controlled. If I ground up 10 tablets day and snorted them it would be dangerous and potentially habit forming.
This doesn't mean prescription medication is addictive.
Why not look into this stuff before confidently proclaiming nonsense?

If there's a social conditioning that life's difficulties can be fixed with a dubious diagnosis and risky medication, I find that's harmful to women. It's not an attack. And yes, I know women personally who seek out diagnoses of many kinds and I am suspicious that their money influences psychiatrists to give them prescriptions for conditions they don't have.

The ultimate conclusion however is this - what exactly do all these people who ' fake' it get? They get nothing. They won't get these prescriptions you talk of, they won't get benefits. They get nothing. People can't access assessments because the NHS are systematically offloading. It's not because of any Tiktokers.

I think your conclusion makes sense if you live where you do. It's not true in my country.

And I'm very sorry about the struggles w/ your son. I wish you the absolute best in finding him treatment, help and resources.

Your whole narrative of middle class women who can't cope with life lying to psychiatrists to get "highly addictive" drugs.

If ADHD meds are not highly addictive substances, as claimed above, then why are they controlled substances and have warning labels that they can be habit-forming? If the UK bans some of these meds because of that, that's wonderful news. Where I live in the US, Adderall and Ritlin and others like Vyvanse are not banned, so I may not be informed on one specific country's policies, but I am well informed on mine. Since we share a language, and since English is a lingua franca in much of the world, narratives of neurodiversity (not a medical term) are spread rapid speed around the world, which worries me.

I think where it becomes difficult for us to debate is where we can't quantify.

With Autism, the NICE guidance and the appropriate ADOS assessment as per the guidance is absolutely thorough, detailed and in no way is anyone blagging this. I was involved in the whole process. My son is autistic but masks in many environments and many people wouldn't believe it. I saw a different person at this assessment. They are professionals. It is supposed to be multi faceted with more than one professional involved.

So the answer to that is to ensure assessments are only as above. I have been told that services wouldn't take note of the diagnosis unless it was the above. So this provides the safeguard.

What's happening is the NHS are gaslighting and being bastards to genuine people so they can't even access the above because the NHS is offloading. Scotland had one city shut down Autism assessments a few months ago and simply said bye to those on the wait list. Bye, that's it. And then gaslighting by encouraging the public to think people ' over diagnose'. Resource problem then solved.

The NHS told me, a single mum low income to go away. We had to borrow in order to access the appropriate NICE ADOS 2. My son is Autistic, ADHD and has tourettes.

THE ADHD assessment was too incredibly thorough and multi faceted with more than one person involved. I do see potential for risk there in terms of maybe slipping through the net. I need to read that article. Yet my question would always be - who on earth wants to take an ADHD diagnosis. You will not get prescribed medication easily or free for this. It's nonsense. And no, you wouldn't get benefits either.

My son also has tourettes. Sometimes it looks fake. It isn't fake. It's difficult to prove this with no blood test or scan. The likelihood is however that it will come along with another ND presentation, so that in itself is proof. If you're a professional or live with this, it's so apparent. People can't get away pretending for long.

The ultimate conclusion however is this - what exactly do all these people who ' fake' it get? They get nothing. They won't get these prescriptions you talk of, they won't get benefits. They get nothing. People can't access assessments because the NHS are systematically offloading. It's not because of any Tiktokers.

People are drastically out of pocket. They lose money, they lose lose lose. They don't get anything, including prescription. ND people and their family only lose. I know you are unfamiliar with this reality by your posts and thus misinformed.

If you accept this truth, what really bothers you about all this? It's not what you're saying it is.

where did I attack women?!?!?

Agreed. It used to be that many went undiagnosed but now it appears to have gone too far the other way and every other person has ADHD/autism/is ND in some way. Normal variations in personality, energy levels, interests etc are now symptoms.

It does a disservice to people who are genuinely ND and who's lives are genuinely impacted by it.

@Delphinium20 your claims of concern would seem more credible if you hadn't spent this thread attacking women.
Of course we should be concerned about diagnosis by social media. The link to middle aged women undergoing rigorous assessment by psychiatrists is sketchy, though.
I'm assuming you know little about reputable ADHD assessment. You don't get a diagnosis because you are busy or have a lazy husband.
ADHD meds are not "highly addictive substances" and people taking prescriptions are not "hooked".
You are entitled, of course, to your opinions, no matter how ill informed. Please refrain, however, from untruths that only further stigmatise.

Some may fake it, but more worriedly, I feel that social media algorithms lead people down a path to believing they have something and in good faith, they may find ways to push for a diagnosis, not that they don't have symptoms or difficulties, but because it's easier, as noted by journalist above, to fake an ADHD diagnosis than to fake diabetes. So, if one believes they have ADHD, it's can be a self-fulfilling cascade of medical intervention to try to prove it. With the US, money behind the marketing of prescription medication mixed w/ unethical doctors is a bad cocktail.

I don't have an answer as to all the reasons why, except social contagion has cause young girls to display symptoms of Tourette's syndrome*, for example.

There is a rise in black market ADHD medication in young people around exam time (2/3rds got it illegally from peers)*

Pringsheim, Tamara, and Martino, Davide (2021). "Rapid onset of functional tic-like behaviours in young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic." European Journal of Neurology 2021;00:1–4. https://doi. org/10.1111/ene.15034.
'
“12 girls at NY high school develop involuntary tics; doc says it’s ‘mass psychogenic illness.’” The Washington Post, 20 Jan 2012.

https://psych.wisc.edu/news/easy-access-pressure-on-students-contributes-to-increase-in-non-prescribed-adderall-use/

Okay, so I just found that the Daily Mail has a US version, and you're right, it's fun (love me some Jason Momoa)

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14962643/Jason-Momoa-Chief-War-sharks-Hawaiians.html

@Delphinium20ASD and ADHD are not diseases.

Please go and see all the available research that has been done in the last ten years on women with neurodiverse brains.

what you are saying is so completely out of touch and offensive. You have clearly not read or investigated anything on neurodiversity as it doesn’t affect you.

any ND person with a diagnosis will be an expert on the conditions, they have struggled with it their entire lives and finally having an answer to so many questions.

I had a diagnosis at 37 and have been taking medication for a year. The improvement to my life is immeasurable. I was diagnosed with anxiety disorders, eating disorders, depression, and the only medication that has actually made a difference is ADHD medication.

Since being medicated the difference in my levels of happiness, ability to focus and prioritise, be present with my children without having constant racing thoughts, manage my finances, consistently work without burning out the list is endless.

You really have absolutely no understanding and no information on the condition.

@1diamondearing are you still teaching?

I sense from your last post that you're sick of the wokery world we now live in. Well I am too in some ways.

This situation regarding the significant ND population is however not wokery bullshit. It is reality. There truly are many many ND people and the main system, school, really is not fit for purpose. We are experiencing the fall out from that significantly in society atm. Most people aren't aware of this doesn't impact them.

So your job is increasingly harder, less rewarding and that's not right or fair on teachers imo. It's not the kids' fault. Alot of the little shites in school are ND. And school will bring out what looks like the little shite. I couldn't cope with it myself with no resources so I won't undermine reality. My own son is ND and often the behaviour looks in the 'horrible little shit' category. So I get it.

Everyone is NOT a little Autistic.

Which NT trainer came out with that? I'm NT and I apologise for being patronising as I often am tbh. Yet, how utterly patronising and very embarrassingly misinformed for NT people to go train others professionally on how it is to be Autistic. 🤯😭

well i live with my parent, we share the housework, i have plenty of help..

My ADHD is still very much there!

But then i didn't suddenly decide i have it due to social media.. it was actually a therapist 5 years ago that asked if i'd ever considered it when i was in counselling for some very long term Anxiety Disorder/PTSD issues that Covid suddenly made miles worse... and i have a lifelong history of MH problems that i could never understand why i couldn't resolve...

Knowing it's ADHD and Autism doesn't fix it, but it has given me the tools to at least stop blaming myself for some of the thought patterns, forgetfulness, addictive/obsessive behaviours.. and learning more has helped my son, and myself find ways to keep the mind calmer, instead of feeling like i have so much noise and chaos in there i can't think straight.

I'm worried, like the OP, that social media is telling young people there's something wrong with them and they have a disease when it's highly unlikely they do. I'm suspect of resources being diverted away from people with serious disabilities to people with privilege to seek out and pay for a diagnosis.

As a feminist, I want evidence-based research into helping women, not simply waving away symptoms and hooking them on highly addictive substances with potentially dangerous side effects. Taking a critical approach on collective narratives in society and on social media is not internalized misogyny ffs.

If I want to be highhanded, it's with men. I'd rather take the side of a feminist interpretation that women mid-age who get some fucking help around the house may find their ADHD symptoms disappear.

I cant believe you are a teacher (I believe you said it somewhere, but maybe I got a wrong person) and say such nonsense.
You absolutely CAN mask ADHD. Please go and do some more CPD on it in your school, or if this is what you are being taught, your school needs to change CPD provider.

@Kreeptureyes, sorry edited.

The lead author of the research was Nora Voklow, an internationally renowned Psychiatrist. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nora_Volkow

@Delphinium20 ok so your hypothesis is that there are people who will fake ADHD to access prescription medication? And these people will do this in order to access meds for the buzz?

For what reason? Can you clarify?

You believe such people who drug seek only, will pursue ADHD assessment and diagnosis and medication via prescription rather than illegally because it's safer? And it's all fakery in order to access these drugs such as methylphenidate only?

I need you to clarify this is what you believe to be happening?

Can you tell me on what scale you feel this is happening?

The fact you have typed this tells me you are incredibly unaware of what's going on in this sphere atm.

Tbh I enjoy the DM myself occasionally for some LOLs.

excuse me? i assume you meant to tag the person i was replying to.

wow, I hope you never teach either of my children. I am so unbelievably shocked by your attitude.

You are so completely out of touch from real peoples experiences it is embarrassing and completely offensive.

The issue with girls is that they are high maskers so what you see in a school setting is no way a reflection of how they behave out of this setting and the pressure and stress they are under to keep up with demands and fit in to societal norms can have devastating effects. This is why adjustments need to happen.

It’s so upsetting to hear that is your view. You clearly have absolutely no understanding and have done zero research on the conditions.

@1diamondearing

Yo uare 40 and yet... you dont seem to know much more than you did 15 years ago.
Being ND does not mean "you dont have to do anything challenging"- this is just your extremely limited view of what YOU think happens when kids or adults are neurodiverse.