Is there anyone left in London who hasn't got ADHD?

We're reaching a saturation point of over-diagnosis and the internet is to blame, say psychiatrists

- MADDY MUSSEN

There hasn't been a single week in the past few years where I haven't wondered whether I have ADHD or autism. I, like many, have traits of both. Daydreaming, Poor time management. Restlessness. Sensitivity to sound. Taking things too literally. Is it one, is it the other, or... is it just being a human? Autism and ADHD have had a surge in diagnoses of late, including among young adults. ADHD among adults under 30 increased twentyfold from 2000 to 2018, according to a study by UCL researchers, and a 2021 study found a 787 per cent rise in the number of autism diagnoses across all age groups between 1998 and 2018 in the UK.

This is widely considered to be due to a greater understanding of the conditions, a newfound openness around mental health and a widening of diagnosis boundaries. So there isn't necessarily a rising incidence, more an increased awareness.

For my age group, conversations around adult ADHD and autism are particularly rife. On TikTok, Gen Z's favourite social media platform, the ADHD hashtag has 47 billion views and counting, meanwhile autism clocks in at around 49 billion.

There are countless "autism test" and "ADHD test" videos of generally dubious quality.

One 2024 study found that 60 per cent of the autism-themed TikTok videos they surveyed contained "misleading information", while a 2022 study found 52 per cent of ADHD content contained misinformation.

And while autism and ADHD were once conditions associated with "difficult" male children, the increased prevalence of adult diagnoses has made for some high-profile new poster people who are popular among Gen Zs.