Since discovering my neurodiversity, especially ADHD, I have heard many different responses when I have spoken to others about this. I have also shared experiences with others and talked about the kind of responses they got about their own.
One of the things I have heard, either from my own experiences or that of others, is that “everyone has ADHD nowadays, it’s nothing more than the latest trend”. People lucky enough to not have to deal with ADHD traits and symptoms, EVERY day, truly don’t understand how difficult it is, and many still think there is something amusing about it, and that only young boys have ADHD. The number of adults, especially women, noticing what their struggles might be about seems to be growing hugely.
My view is that the increasing number of those diagnosed comes down to a variety of reasons. One of the reasons for this shift has been a better understanding of the condition, and a more open look at who it affects, and how. So much more research, and therefore understanding, has come about in more recent times, so those who have gone undiagnosed now have the chance to get the support they need and deserve. Many women do not get a diagnosis until later in life as they do not fall into what was thought the stereotypical idea of what ADHD looks like, and a lifetime of masking has caused them to fall through the cracks. Masking to fit in with society, and how we should look and act, really takes a toll and causes other related difficulties when they go unchecked for a length of time.
The covid crisis, and more importantly the various lockdowns we were subjected to, left many without their usual life patterns and distractions, forced them into living in very new and isolated ways, and left a lot of time to observe themselves. We did not interact with others in the usual way, many were isolated with little connection with others, and part of the result could be due to almost forgetting how to be around others. Add to this the growth of platforms like TikTok, and the increasing amount of people openly sharing their personal experiences, and all of a sudden there was far more accessible information. A lot of people started to recognise traits in themselves and started doing their own research. From my own personal experience, I was suddenly seeing a lot of people I could relate to, and all those behaviours, thoughts, feelings, and ways of doing things had a whole other meaning. Like many others, I discovered that not everyone does things the way I do.
It still surprises me how many people can get so far through life without knowing they are neurodivergent – me included. Various external forces, such as parents, school, and society in general, teach us to behave a certain way to fit in and be accepted… So we become too good at masking that we don’t even know we are doing it. Having the world open at our fingertips gives us access to information that many would not have looked at without being prompted by others.
In my view, more people getting diagnosed has been aided by our Right to Choose. Whereas before our only option was to get a referral to an NHS service and wait around 7 years for an assessment, people can now choose an NHS-funded alternative and get an assessment and diagnosis within a few months.
So it’s not that ADHD is “trendy”, it is that people are becoming educated, we are given better tools and experiences of what it looks like. We now have options to get the support needed. Not everyone has ADHD, not everyone has ADHD behaviours, and not everyone has ongoing struggles and pain. Yes, there seems to be more of us out there now, and I am thankful for this as it means we are getting noticed.
If you can identify that some of your behaviours could be being driven by a neurodiverse brain, I strongly encourage you to seek the help you need. Do not be scared out of it by the voices of others. Do some research. Seek that referral. Find out who you really are and how you work. It could be the best thing you have done for yourself for a long time.
If you need support through this, I am here for you. I am happy to share relevant bits of my journey and try to help you find your answers. This is your life so don’t let anyone else stop you from getting what you need.
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I hope you found this blog insightful. Don’t forget that I provide a non-judgmental safe space to ensure you get the best possible outcome from your sessions.
I offer both online and in-person treatments. My therapy room is based in Alton, Hampshire. I'm on the Hampshire/Surrey Boarder and just 15 minutes from Basingstoke and Farnham. Talk Helps is at the end of a direct line from London, Waterloo - and I would love to welcome you.
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