Just had a chat with a GP in a social setting who upon hearing of my ADHD assessment and diagnosis said that ADHD is over-diagnosed now and that previously people were seen as maybe normal or just a little different.

He said to me that I seemed to function well in my role and having been in the armed services before though also said that he didn’t doubt my diagnosis.

It did make me wonder whether I was over dramatising my symptoms or not.

Then I thought about how much I can zone out and feel flat, take criticism perceived or otherwise very much to heart and hyper fixate like a demon to the detriment of everything else. I talk to myself loud or not so loud if people are about, it’s a rolling commentary.

So perhaps the issue here is not so much whether it’s over diagnosed now but whether people who have seemed to handle it (masking?) can make it look less of an issue whereas if I couldn’t work and gave in to my impulsive tendencies I could easily be on the streets.

When people innocently or otherwise question your new realisations about yourself it does make you stop and think especially when you’ve spent most your life agreeing with everyone to get along even if you’ve then contradicted yourself with someone holding an opposing view.

Tricky, and yes no doubt some people do claim to be ADHD when perhaps they are just forgetful and a bit clumsy but I dare say that more people who need to be diagnosed are out there than those falsely diagnosed.

Is ADHD being over-diagnosed? Is it being under-diagnosed?

What’s the benefit to folks of being diagnosed and how has it changed your life, how would you hope diagnosis will affect it?