OPINION: ADHD is misrepresented in social media

Memes, TikToks, Instagram posts, and the like are full of jokes and quote-on-quote relatable moments for people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. People who have been properly diagnosed or have friends who have been can clearly see the information gaps and misrepresented behaviors or symptoms. 

ADHD has a long-time reputation of being easily stuck onto children who are disruptive, impulsive or perceived as hyperactive. It’s true, it’s not an easy thing to accurately diagnose. Young girls go under diagnosed and young boys get over-diagnosed because they tend to display more of the “traditional” symptoms. Boys are more likely on average to act out physically and have poor impulse control. 

The stigma surrounding ADHD perpetuates that victims are easily distracted, can’t sit still, and… well that’s pretty much it. ADHD is portrayed online by someone acting spazzy or not moving or behaving like the norm. As someone who has been diagnosed twice by medical and physiological professionals with ADHD, I see the danger these posts harbor. The biggest threat of all is showing symptoms that, despite being a large part of the disorder, are only the tip of the iceberg. 

These traits are also “relatable” to a wide range of people with and without ADHD. This leads to many people self-diagnosing with little to no other research. As a consumer of this type of content, I am also a doubter of the validity of these accounts ADHD diagnoses. More times than not, the problems described on these posts complain or laugh at the easy-to-understand issues facing those with the disorder. 

I do see content from time to time referencing the more nuanced problems neurotypical people would not be able to understand fully. Posts I see that talk about the disorganization, forgetfulness, disassociation, highs, and lows in energy, lack of social awareness and mind-numbing boredom are the posts that are believable. Post’s that laugh at ADHD victims’ inability to accomplish small everyday tasks such as laundry and homework, inability to manage time, overthinking and over-analyzing, anger issues or impulsivity are insulting. When I see memes or videos referencing ADHD brains sensitivity to light, sound, temperature, uncomfortable clothing, smells, and so many other things I feel a little less crazy and a little more normal. 

I cannot tell you how much I hear and have heard my whole life. Whether it’s people saying, “Oh my gosh, I got so distracted. I must have ADHD or something,” or my dripping with sarcasm favorite “Sorry! ADD moment.” No, getting distracted from your conversation by a happenstance sound or sight does not mean you have ADHD. It’s hard to open up to someone who DOES NOT have this neurological difference and cannot begin to put themselves in the very chaotic dizzying and most of the time overwhelming shoes of an ADHD brain, only to have them say “I get distracted too,” “I get peaks and valleys of energy too,” “I get hyper-focused too.” 

It makes me and other ADHD friends of mine feel overlooked and belittled. If I am talking to you about my experience or struggles with my brain because of its chemistry and design I don’t need a non-diagnosed person comparing their distractibility or high energy to my disorienting experience as an ADHD person. 

The posts I see make things worse. It shows how mental health and wellbeing is not something 15-year-olds on Tiktok and out-of-touch Instagram captions should be discussing and taken credibly. People should at least look into understanding the issues they discuss online because it can lead to further misunderstandings, especially concerning something as complex and hard to understand as ADHD and ADD. 

I would ask many people to do three very simple things. One, stop self-diagnosing mental disorders and mental diseases. Talk to trained and reputable medical personal for any suspicions you may have. Two, do your research and get it from trusted sources on whatever you post about. Three, stop simplifying ADHD or considering it made up. I hate to break it to you but we are no longer in the early 2000s, it’s 2021. There is more than enough research and studies that prove ADHD is a thing many people must live their lives around and for many, it is hard to do.  

I don’t tell someone having a seizure that their condition is made up and that sometimes I get an eye twitch so I can completely relate. Awareness and educating ourselves can solve nearly every problem our modern society has with stigma, including ADHD. 

Rebecca Pratt can be reached at [email protected].