One in four adults now think they have ADHD… and social media is driving trend for self-diagnosis
One in four adults think they have ‘hidden’ ADHD – with social media causing a wave of self-diagnosis, scientists claim.
Yet only half (13 percent) had actually sought medical help, found the US-based experts behind a new study tracking the trend.
Research shows that fewer than one in 20 people in Britain actually suffer from the disorder, which is characterized by problems concentrating, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
These figures, they added, raised concerns that other health conditions causing similar symptoms might go undiagnosed.
“Anxiety, depression and ADHD – all these things can be very similar,” says lead researcher Professor Justin Barterian, a psychologist at Ohio State University.
Research shows that fewer than one in 20 people in Britain actually suffer from the developmental disorder, which is characterized by problems concentrating, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
A 2022 study published in the journal European Psychiatry found that young people were diagnosed with ADHD after watching clips on TikTok
The study authors agreed that open conversations helped reduce mental health stigma, but the creators of the videos were not often experts in the field.
“But the wrong treatment can make the situation worse instead of making the person feel better and improve his or her functioning.”
The survey of 1,000 American adults, conducted by the state of Ohio, found that younger adults are more likely to believe they have the condition than older generations, and are more likely to do something about it.
Prof Barterian said social media had raised awareness of ADHD symptoms.
Dozens of celebrities, from Olympian Simone Biles to Hollywood star Mark Ruffalo and Harry Potter actor Emma Watson, have gone public with their own ADHD diagnoses.
A 2022 study published in the journal European Psychiatry found that young people were diagnosed with ADHD after watching clips on TikTok.
Older patients with ADHD struggle with memory and concentration, while younger people more often suffer from hyperactivity
Prof Barterian added: ‘If you are watching videos on social media and you think you may meet the criteria for the disorder, I would encourage you to seek an evaluation from a psychologist, a psychiatrist or a doctor to to be investigated. ‘
The study authors agreed that open conversations helped reduce mental health stigma, but the creators of the videos were not often experts in the field.
“If you are watching videos on social media and you think you meet the criteria for the disorder, I would encourage you to seek an evaluation from a psychologist, a psychiatrist or a doctor to get it checked out,” says Prof. Barterian. said.
Symptoms may differ in adults and children, he added.
Older patients with ADHD struggle with memory and concentration, while younger people more often suffer from hyperactivity.
Prof Barterian added: ‘If you are watching videos on social media and you think you may meet the criteria for the disorder, I would encourage you to seek an evaluation from a psychologist, a psychiatrist or a doctor to to be investigated. .’
Dr. Robert Dicker, associate director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital, said it is not uncommon for ADHD diagnoses to run in families.
Adults may first think they have undiagnosed ADHD when a child is diagnosed and they notice they have similar symptoms.
“With adults, they often tell me that their parents didn’t believe they had ADHD, that they were frowned upon, that the school system didn’t support them, or that they were stigmatized, not because they had ADHD, but because they were poor students and bad kids. . Dicker, who was not involved in the new research, told The New York Post.
Environmental factors, such as brain injury, premature birth, and lead exposure during childhood, can also increase the likelihood of a diagnosis.
Henry Shelford, the CEO of ADHD UK, told The Telegraph: ‘This study highlights some of the significant differences between Britain and the US in ADHD.
‘In Britain we recognized ADHD decades later [in America] and are therefore significantly underdiagnosed.
‘In the UK we also have a very different healthcare system with much more limited protocols on who can diagnose ADHD, compared to the US.
“Our situations are not the same, so we have to be very careful in how we consider the relevance of such behavioral research.”