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Cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are rocketing, but what's the cause? Fortunately, we now have a better understanding of the condition - and how to identify those who have it #ADHD newscientist.com/article/mg2583…
It seems like everyone is talking about ADHD at the moment, from people down the pub to online influencers
Posts on tiktok with the #ADHD have 23 billion views. And we know that diagnoses are rising too
But what’s behind all this interest?
Posts on tiktok with the #ADHD have 23 billion views. And we know that diagnoses are rising too
But what’s behind all this interest?
Caroline Williams (@ScienceCaroline) – who suspects she has ADHD herself – wanted to find out
Are people who are a bit fidgety jumping on the bandwagon? Or have we actually been under-diagnosing people for years?
Are people who are a bit fidgety jumping on the bandwagon? Or have we actually been under-diagnosing people for years?
There are reasons to worry about over-diagnosing ADHD
In the US, services that offer a diagnosis and stimulant medication to treat the condition have been springing up. In theory, they have an incentive to over-diagnose people
In the US, services that offer a diagnosis and stimulant medication to treat the condition have been springing up. In theory, they have an incentive to over-diagnose people
The best way to see if we are over-diagnosing is to look at how many people we expect to have #ADHD
Studies that looked at random groups of people to see how many have ADHD symptoms suggest that around 3 per cent of adults and 5 per cent of children meet the criteria
Studies that looked at random groups of people to see how many have ADHD symptoms suggest that around 3 per cent of adults and 5 per cent of children meet the criteria
When we look at data on diagnosis rates, England the Australia are way below that, while the US is roughly where we would expect
Experts told @ScienceCaroline that many of the people who think they have ADHD and seek a diagnosis are often right
We’re also getting better at finding out quickly who really has ADHD
Traditionally, the diagnosis depends on the opinion of a doctor. But these days there are cognitive tests can help us rule people in and out more objectively
Traditionally, the diagnosis depends on the opinion of a doctor. But these days there are cognitive tests can help us rule people in and out more objectively
Of course, not everyone sees ADHD as a problem
People who have it are often highly creative and, counterintuitively, have the ability to hyperfocus on topics that really interest them
People who have it are often highly creative and, counterintuitively, have the ability to hyperfocus on topics that really interest them
In fact, some say the condition ought to be renamed – it’s not so much a deficit of attention, but the a difficulty with controlling where it is directed
Learn more about #ADHD, in @ScienceCaroline's full feature:
Learn more about #ADHD, in @ScienceCaroline's full feature:
https://twitter.com/newscientist/status/1653784898933489668?s=20
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