Thread by @katbrown

If ‘almost everyone seeking a private diagnosis is getting one’, do we not also think it’s possible that only people who think very strongly that they have ADHD are going down the route of coughing up £££ to do so? #r4today

I really hope tonight's Panorama programme offers solutions as well as problems. Children as well as adults are subject to 3+ year waiting lists for ADHD assessments on the NHS. There just aren't enough clinicians or specialist care.

Any private clinician you seek assessment with should also be working in the NHS (that goes for everything, not just for ADHD!) but what was a £450 assessment for me in 2020 is now £795 – and that's before the cost of follow-ups, further tests, meds etc.

A key point is that people with undiagnosed ADHD will likely have already lost £££ through lost items, injury, dangerous habits and so on. I went private because, knowing the answer at last to 'why I was like this', I really needed that proven.

Assessment is also key because I had years of face time with NHS staff and nobody recognised I had ADHD. I had epilepsy, depression, insomnia, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, an eating disorder, yes – but nobody put this all together because how can you in 10 minutes?

You can only know what you know – the person I saw at my GP surgery didn't know about ADHD at all. I was just lucky that she was interested – and that I was so worried about not being believed that I turned up with pages of supplementary evidence!

In recent weeks I have spoken to adults of all ages who have spent their life feeling deep shame at not being able to navigate life 'like normal people'. Finding out about ADHD has lessened that shame and led to some measure of peace and acceptance – often, after years of mess.

I really hope the conclusion of the BBC Panorama doc is that the NHS is wildly underfunded, and ADHD is underinvested in, and that the many – many – people who have been frantically getting through life the best they can deserve support and answers.

Linking my live thoughts on the Panorama doc here as I'm out this evening. It's only 29 minutes (!) so shouldn't take long.

https://twitter.com/katbrown/status/1658129401165279232?s=20