ADHD / Neurodiversity

[Alanstevensonsgloves]

My daughter has just been diagnosed with ADHD so been doing a little googling on the subject.... which in turn means my face book feed is full of ADHD links. One turns out to be a talk at Turf Moor on 08 September as follows if anyone is interested...

The Science of ADHD: Navigating Neurodiversity in a Neurotypical World
Monday, September 8, 2025 from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Tickets just under £14 via Eventbrite - no mention of free pie and peas unfortunately

The blurb....
A simple scroll through Instagram or TikTok and you’ll be left questioning: do I have ADHD? The rise in ADHD in adults is undeniable. But only over the last decade has ADHD been formally recognised in the UK. It has been suggested that about 1.5 million adults in the UK have ADHD but only 120,000 have been diagnosed. Waiting times to access an adult ADHD specialist clinic in the NHS can be up to 2 years or more. It’s hard to find support and help.

From dopamine dips, hits and myths, how ADHD can present differently in women than men, and the neuroscience of neurodiversity; this talk is designed to give you an increased awareness and understanding of an ADHD brain. It will include advice and tips on how to navigate a neurotypical world as a neurodivergent person.

This talk will also highlight how society is demanding change. People are increasingly recognising and accepting neurodiversity and self-defining as neurodivergent. Surely, it’s time for the world to alter neurotypical societal standards as they are fast becoming outdated.

Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7.30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

Follow us on IG @seedtalks

This event celebrates the launch of ADHD Unpacked by Seed Talks speakers James Brown and Alex Conner. The book contains everything you need to know to survive and thrive as an adult with ADHD.

[CoolClaret]

My life saver has been this -

https://www.brain.fm/

^ Incredible how much focus heavy neural music like that brings.

[elwaclaret]

My daughter has just been diagnosed with ADHD so been doing a little googling on the subject.... which in turn means my face book feed is full of ADHD links. One turns out to be a talk at Turf Moor on 08 September as follows if anyone is interested...

The Science of ADHD: Navigating Neurodiversity in a Neurotypical World
Monday, September 8, 2025 from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Tickets just under £14 via Eventbrite - no mention of free pie and peas unfortunately

The blurb....
A simple scroll through Instagram or TikTok and you’ll be left questioning: do I have ADHD? The rise in ADHD in adults is undeniable. But only over the last decade has ADHD been formally recognised in the UK. It has been suggested that about 1.5 million adults in the UK have ADHD but only 120,000 have been diagnosed. Waiting times to access an adult ADHD specialist clinic in the NHS can be up to 2 years or more. It’s hard to find support and help.

From dopamine dips, hits and myths, how ADHD can present differently in women than men, and the neuroscience of neurodiversity; this talk is designed to give you an increased awareness and understanding of an ADHD brain. It will include advice and tips on how to navigate a neurotypical world as a neurodivergent person.

This talk will also highlight how society is demanding change. People are increasingly recognising and accepting neurodiversity and self-defining as neurodivergent. Surely, it’s time for the world to alter neurotypical societal standards as they are fast becoming outdated.

Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7.30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

Follow us on IG @seedtalks

This event celebrates the launch of ADHD Unpacked by Seed Talks speakers James Brown and Alex Conner. The book contains everything you need to know to survive and thrive as an adult with ADHD.

The official line for adult diagnosis is it takes about 2 years. I was diagnosed with adult autism and probable ADHD about five years ago…. Two years ago I paid £160 (subsidised while at University) to go and see THE northern specialists in Leeds. They laughed at “probable”… their report had me down as having three of the four autisms and ADHD… and said all my intelligence was being wasted compensating. That I had gone 53 years undiagnosed suggested to them that I have an intellect that if it had been nurtured would be top 5% in the country… meanwhile, the NHS have yet to follow up their semi-diagnosis. Sad fact being they are only interested up to 16 year olds.

Meanwhile, I self treat as a writer I concentrate purely on subjects that fascinate me and use “reas me” to correct my severe dyslexia. Keep furniture wide apart and rarely rearrange anything for my dispraxia and avoid metal arithmetic to avoid my discalculia.

I may well attend the Turf talk. Thanks for the heads up.

[SalouClaret]

Current NHS waiting lists for ADHD assessments are around 7-8 years at the minute. I went private and currently pay £107 a month for medication. Trying to sort out a 'shared care' option with my GP currently to get my costs down. My GP doesn't seem to know what that means unfortunately, which is the case for many people.

The medication has worked wonders, but has made me feel a kind of 'what if' about my life as a whole, had I been diagnosed sooner.

Cheers for the heads up about the talk at Turf Moor.

[IanMcL]

Without wishing to undermine anyone who truly has any problems, I have overheard conversations where poor parenting, leading to unruly kids, who have not been taught anything, are being pushed for an ADHD diagnosis, so the parents can claim help benefits!

The English diagnosis is far too broad, compared to other countries.

[fidelcastro]

Without wishing to undermine anyone who truly has any problems, I have overheard conversations where poor parenting, leading to unruly kids, who have not been taught anything, are being pushed for an ADHD diagnosis, so the parents can claim help benefits!

The English diagnosis is far too broad, compared to other countries.

What a completely ignorant post.

Don't comment on things you clearly don't understand.

[Dyched]

Without wishing to undermine anyone who truly has any problems, I have overheard conversations where poor parenting, leading to unruly kids, who have not been taught anything, are being pushed for an ADHD diagnosis, so the parents can claim help benefits!

The English diagnosis is far too broad, compared to other countries.

My gf is a primary teacher. This happens often. Parents coming in shouting the odds, pushing for a diagnosis.

[fidelcastro]

My gf is a primary teacher. This happens often. Parents coming in shouting the odds, pushing for a diagnosis.

They'd be better off contacting their GP.

[Foshiznik]

I was diagnosed in my mid thirties during Covid lockdown via NHS “right to choose” just before the waiting list went from 12 months to 3 years (and ever increasing). Been medicated since and it’s honestly been life changing. Was really bad with personal finance as organising anything but since have paid off all my debts, have savings and bought a house on one average salary. Just wish I looked into it when I was a teenager!!

[Dyched]

They'd be better off contacting their GP.

I’ve no real idea how it works. But there’s some kinda process she has to go through as senco. Many occasions she’s come home in more or less tears because of parents (who simply can’t be arsed) pushing for diagnosis when the child has just been neglected at home.

[Foshiznik]

My gf is a primary teacher. This happens often. Parents coming in shouting the odds, pushing for a diagnosis.

That would be because it unlocks SEN and ECHP support for children with ADHD. Your GF should be promoting it with genuine cases. More funding for the schools and more specialist training and resources for teachers.

Unfortunately many don’t talk about it because of ignorance and stigma from people who just think it’s an excuse for a child’s behaviour or poor parenting without looking further than the headlines

[Pearcey]

I was looking into this for my lad. We finally have a diagnosis of Autism and DCD (dyspraxia). It was a big relief when we finally found out so we could understand him as parents. I completely understand why adults want a diagnosis too. There is a great podcast called “I’m ADHD, no you’re not” with Paul Whitehouse and his wife. Well worth a listen.

[basil6345789]

It's out of control and fuelled by a desire to get paid benefits

[NottsClaret]

Our local high school has a real problem with parents desperate for any sort of SEN diagnosis and the rewards that brings.

[Claretforever]

I always used to think that. I don’t any more having been close enough to it to understand better.

I don’t mean some parents aren’t as you say, they are, I just mean that there are some very vulnerable, undiagnosed kids out there unable to fit in at school and are missing out on an education because of it. Teachers often lazily ‘diagnose’ or label kids as likely having ADHD as it just means naughty child to them. They can then suggest moves to special education facilities to take the problem away. The children need professional assessment and help.

[elwaclaret]

Without wishing to undermine anyone who truly has any problems, I have overheard conversations where poor parenting, leading to unruly kids, who have not been taught anything, are being pushed for an ADHD diagnosis, so the parents can claim help benefits!

The English diagnosis is far too broad, compared to other countries.

To be fair it is poles apart from when I was child. Now I do see bad-behavior being put down far too readily as ADHD, when it is lack of discipline due to poor parenting. When I was young it was exactly the opposite, when I asked my mum if my Autism and ADHD never manifested itself as a child, she replied that my parents had wondered but were determined I would not be institutionalised. When ai asked what first made her think I was ‘a special child’ she replied I was non verbal until I was four years old, then one day decided I understood language enough to start speaking; “there was no baby words from you, you didn’t speak and then you spoke in fully formed sentences.”

[CoolClaret]

There's still a lot of misunderstanding about it.

I'll tell you my typical experiences with it.

1. Impulsivity - both good and bad, can be terrible for personal finance and relationships, but also gives a drive to seek new/novel experiences and ways of thinking.

2. Having bouts of energy. This is really bad for bog-standard 9-5s, etc. I'm more of a person who will experience brain fog for 2-3 days, be a bit useless, then can do 7 on the spin 18 hours a day without moving, no problem.

3. Always forgetting where you've put your keys/wallet - very annoying and frustrating.

4. Being, at times, shattered during the day, then beaming to life at 1 in the morning and not being able to sleep

5. Always thinking of different things, jumping from topic to topic, doing deep, deep rabbit hole searches on random topics.

6. Having at least 20+ different browser tabs open at once

7. Having a laptop desktop which looks a bit like this:

Screenshot 2025-08-11 at 22.26.51.png (194.23 KiB) Viewed 1164 times

8. Get bored extremely easily.

The best remedies for me are music (see the link to Brain FM that I posted earlier ITT) and physical exercise. Wasn't a huge fan of the medication, felt like it took away some of my personality, though it was definitely easier to concentrate on 'mundane' tasks.

I do think it's a superpower (when controlled/appropriately managed), but can be a life wrecker if unmanaged.

[ClaretPete001]

Neuro diversity is a pointless concept. Every brain is different and it's construction is highly dependent upon individual circumstances and personal biographies.

Normative behaviours and cultures are defined by society and factors external to the brain and while they impact upon the construction of the brain there is no such thing as a normative brain.

The human species is a gene pool and as such almost all behaviour whether it be a propensity to kill, take idiotic risks or simply be extremely selfish served some purpose in the survival of the species and therefore normative behaviour is dependent upon the external environment.

The issue is that there are too many Universities producing research that is poor quality but has to find some meaning to an audience to survive. The research is riddled with epistemic and ontological errors and in the end the only people who win in this zero sum game are the academics who are able to sell their ideas and big pharma.

Society as a whole loses from buying into nonsense and intellectual placebos.

[CoolClaret]

Neuro diversity is a pointless concept. Every brain is different and it's construction is highly dependent upon individual circumstances and personal biographies.

Normative behaviours and cultures are defined by society and factors external to the brain and while they impact upon the construction of the brain there is no such thing as a normative brain.

The human species is a gene pool and as such almost all behaviour whether it be a propensity to kill, take idiotic risks or simply be extremely selfish served some purpose in the survival of the species and therefore normative behaviour is dependent upon the external environment.

The issue is that there are too many Universities producing research that is poor quality but has to find some meaning to an audience to survive. The research is riddled with epistemic and ontological errors and in the end the only people who win in this zero sum game are the academics who are able to sell their ideas and big pharma.

Society as a whole loses from buying into nonsense and intellectual placebos.

Whilst I do agree to a degree with what you're saying, you'll find that many people with ADHD have very similar life stories/paths and tendencies, and treatment tends to work - If I recall correctly, it's something like ~ 80%+ of patients respond positively to treatment.

Now, with SSRIs say and depression, that's down at around ~40%, but a doc would have no issue dishing out a prescription for that, yet for ADHD or whatever, it can take ages, or cost a lot to get medication, which is clinically proven to work.

[ClaretPete001]

There's still a lot of misunderstanding about it.

I'll tell you my typical experiences with it.

1. Impulsivity - both good and bad, can be terrible for personal finance and relationships, but also gives a drive to seek new/novel experiences and ways of thinking.

2. Having bouts of energy. This is really bad for bog-standard 9-5s, etc. I'm more of a person who will experience brain fog for 2-3 days, be a bit useless, then can do 7 on the spin 18 hours a day without moving, no problem.

3. Always forgetting where you've put your keys/wallet - very annoying and frustrating.

4. Being, at times, shattered during the day, then beaming to life at 1 in the morning and not being able to sleep

5. Always thinking of different things, jumping from topic to topic, doing deep, deep rabbit hole searches on random topics.

6. Having at least 20+ different browser tabs open at once

7. Having a laptop desktop which looks a bit like this:

Screenshot 2025-08-11 at 22.26.51.png

8. Get bored extremely easily.

The best remedies for me are music (see the link to Brain FM that I posted earlier ITT) and physical exercise. Wasn't a huge fan of the medication, felt like it took away some of my personality, though it was definitely easier to concentrate on 'mundane' tasks.

I do think it's a superpower (when controlled/appropriately managed), but can be a life wrecker if unmanaged.

That sums up many people I know in tech. My personality type is an unstable logician and there are many of us who are like that....

[ClaretPete001]

Whilst I do agree to a degree with what you're saying, you'll find that many people with ADHD have very similar life stories/paths and tendencies, and treatment tends to work - If I recall correctly, it's something like ~ 80%+ of patients respond positively to treatment.

Now, with SSRIs say and depression, that's down at around ~40%, but a doc would have no issue dishing out a prescription for that, yet for ADHD or whatever, it can take ages, or cost a lot to get medication, which is clinically proven to work.

Clinical depression is not neuro diversity.

[agreenwood]

Our local high school has a real problem with parents desperate for any sort of SEN diagnosis and the rewards that brings.

As a parent of an autistic child who finished high school this summer, you’ll have to enlighten me about these “rewards”.

We found the last 5 years head-bangingly frustrating.

[CoolClaret]

Clinical depression is not neuro diversity.

I wasn't saying that it is -

I was trying to say that SSRIs are dished out pretty easily, despite relatively poor success rates in positive treatment.

Yet for ADHD medication, you either have to wait for up to 10 years at times, or pay a boat load for private diagnosis (and yes, there're concerns that they could be milking it for £££), for drugs that have been clinically proven to work at a high rate - why?

[ClaretPete001]

I wasn't saying that it is -

I was trying to say that SSRIs are dished out pretty easily, despite relatively poor success rates in positive treatment.

Yet for ADHD medication, you either have to wait for up to 10 years at times, or pay a boat load for private diagnosis (and yes, there're concerns that they could be milking it for £££), for drugs that have been clinically proven to work at a high rate - why?

Possibly because so many are claiming to have it that it is exponentially increasing demand, which then means there are too few professionals to diagnose it and the cost of diagnosis becomes prohibitively expensive.

And at the end of tall this the increased demand outstrips supply, which means big Pharma makes more bucks and sufferers have to wait longer and pay more.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Diagnosed with ASD a few years ago after my daughter received hers and it clicked into place in my head
Most likely have adhd
I didn't want my daughter to be alone with it, hence why I got my diagnosis in my early 40s

Getting benefits as an adult isn't easy, if you don't know the right stuff to say

I enquired and got told no because I didn't got to a special school, I work, I can feed myself etc
Couldn't be bothered to pursue it further, I've made it this far in life without the help, I'll get through to the end of life without it
Thankfully my daughter does qualify for some assistance and that's helped her mum out hugely

The are still some schools who aren't setting themselves up properly to help kids, my daughters mum has had several arguments with the primary school about the additional funding we know they get but still don't put enough effort into getting their sens department working properly

Adhd - most people inherit it from a parent from what I've read, same with ASD, hence why I got mu own diagnosis for it

My 21yr old son most likely has asd/adhd but cba getting diagnosed, especially with the size of the waiting list

My 2 half sisters most likely have something
One isn't fussed about confirming it, she's identical to me in many ways so she's just going with the probability she has it

I haven't spoken to the other sister about it, there are reasons


The better this stuff is understood, the more Dr's will correctly diagnose people with it
Parents pushing for their kids to be diagnosed should be diagnosed at the same time, but the nhs isn't thinking about that for some reason, it would save a huge amount of time and slash waiting lists drastically if adhd/asd checks were done on parents and kids together

Yes there are probably some chances, there is for most things in life, but it doesn't mean they should all be tarred with the same brush


Personally, my day to day life is relatively the same since my diagnosis
I made my boss aware when I had my interview and he wasn't fussed, what I bring to the job because of my asd/adhd has actually helped his department massively and is why I went from coming into the job as part time to help/cast my eye over everything to spot issues, to being made supervisor within the year
There's no worthwhile managers jobs kicking around or I'd be in that role by now

I've made spouses aware, it hasn't been an issue in the main, although I'm cheating a little this time by dating a sens specialist

My mates all know and they haven't batted an eyelid over it because I kept to myself anyway most of the time.

It's handy for getting out of social events now I've got a diagnosis, I can only people so much outside of work and Xmas parties etc just don't interest me and I'm honest about it

[ClaretPete001]

And in the end, the UK will become like Fidel's Cuba where health care is free but patients have to pay for medicine on the black market with money they haven't got because the state can't afford to supply it because the economy has crashed and burned.

So, Fidel doesn't have to go to Cuba to enjoy their much better economy he can just hang around a bit and Cuba will come to him.

[Pearcey]

As a parent of an autistic child who finished high school this summer, you’ll have to enlighten me about these “rewards”.

We found the last 5 years head-bangingly frustrating.

My lad starts high school on September. One benefit we’ve had is that he can wear PE kit as opposed to a blazer and shirt. He really struggles with buttons and can’t stand the noise of fastening them. While I want him to start addressing the issue I am happy that they’ve taken the stress away in his first year. He can also use their SEN facilities if he needs to. His handwriting is poor so he gets extra time with exams etc.
The poster obviously thinks there are maybe financial reward’s to be had.

[elwaclaret]

There's still a lot of misunderstanding about it.

I'll tell you my typical experiences with it.

1. Impulsivity - both good and bad, can be terrible for personal finance and relationships, but also gives a drive to seek new/novel experiences and ways of thinking.

2. Having bouts of energy. This is really bad for bog-standard 9-5s, etc. I'm more of a person who will experience brain fog for 2-3 days, be a bit useless, then can do 7 on the spin 18 hours a day without moving, no problem.

3. Always forgetting where you've put your keys/wallet - very annoying and frustrating.

4. Being, at times, shattered during the day, then beaming to life at 1 in the morning and not being able to sleep

5. Always thinking of different things, jumping from topic to topic, doing deep, deep rabbit hole searches on random topics.

6. Having at least 20+ different browser tabs open at once

7. Having a laptop desktop which looks a bit like this:

Screenshot 2025-08-11 at 22.26.51.png

8. Get bored extremely easily.

The best remedies for me are music (see the link to Brain FM that I posted earlier ITT) and physical exercise. Wasn't a huge fan of the medication, felt like it took away some of my personality, though it was definitely easier to concentrate on 'mundane' tasks.

I do think it's a superpower (when controlled/appropriately managed), but can be a life wrecker if unmanaged.

I recognise more or less everything you slide to above. I once had a poster taking the **** that I was never off this messageboard… as I type it is one of63 tabs open on this browser and one of five browsers open for different research topics (that all have this board on them for breaks, that I log in as I switch browsers).

As you say a super power… my Edge Hill history lecturer had been studying Buffalo Bill Cody for thirty years, had written papers and a couple of books on him. When I announced I was doing a Disertation paper he smirked. But I applied my obsessiveness in research and when he read my piece he was amazed that I had unravelled things about Cody’s transformation from hunter guide to showman that he had never come across… the Cody Centre in Wyoming has even requested I provide them with a re-write that they could look to publish.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

My lad starts high school on September. One benefit we’ve had is that he can wear PE kit as opposed to a blazer and shirt. He really struggles with buttons and can’t stand the noise of fastening them. While I want him to start addressing the issue I am happy that they’ve taken the stress away in his first year. He can also use their SEN facilities if he needs to. His handwriting is poor so he gets extra time with exams etc.
The poster obviously thinks there are maybe financial reward’s to be had.

One of the high schools we've looked at has an excellent sens department
Diagnosed kids get a set amount of time outs they can use during the school day, to go and use the sens room to escape or calm down
They can go for a walk if needs be, with teachers approval

Lots of really good books for the kids to read about neurodiversity and they provide a list of the books for parents if they wish to buy their own etc

[bfcmik]

Back in 1965 I was seeing the educational psychiatrists on Elizabeth street for my symptoms of what we now call ADHD. My 5 years at St Teds were mental torture as everything back then was about fitting you into those round holes whatever shape your mental 'peg' was shaped.

60 years later, at almost 72 years of age, my partner of 25 years has watched programmes about ADHD on the BBC over the last couple of weeks. She tells me that everything the participants said resonated with what she sees me doing, saying and behaving. I've done enough tests online to be able to KNOW I have severe ADHD and that all the issues that have plagued my life, both socially and at work, are as a result of that ADHD. I flew reasonably high but, like most adults with ADHD, once the intuitive understanding fades when you hit you early 40s life becomes a problem you have to overcome - and problems are something few people with ADHD are any good at focussing on or dealing with!

[Walton]

I see the usual ignorant arseholes are being ignorant arseholes on this thread as well

[CoolClaret]

I recognise more or less everything you slide to above. I once had a poster taking the **** that I was never off this messageboard… as I type it is one of63 tabs open on this browser and one of five browsers open for different research topics (that all have this board on them for breaks, that I log in as I switch browsers).

Precisely what I was saying in reply to ClaretPete001 earlier - the behavioural similarities between people with ADHD are so apparent, as are the life experiences/paths that we experience (sadly, often negative at times).

As you say a super power… my Edge Hill history lecturer had been studying Buffalo Bill Cody for thirty years, had written papers and a couple of books on him. When I announced I was doing a Disertation paper he smirked. But I applied my obsessiveness in research and when he read my piece he was amazed that I had unravelled things about Cody’s transformation from hunter guide to showman that he had never come across… the Cody Centre in Wyoming has even requested I provide them with a re-write that they could look to publish.

Superb mate!

[Walton]

Our experience of navigating the school system and SEN provision for our daughter has been a never ending carousel of let downs and agonising waits thanks to a completely underfunded and overstretched county council.

Absolutely nothing to do with claiming benefits, and everything to do with getting adequate support for the kids at the place they spend 30+ hours a week

[elwaclaret]

My lad starts high school on September. One benefit we’ve had is that he can wear PE kit as opposed to a blazer and shirt. He really struggles with buttons and can’t stand the noise of fastening them. While I want him to start addressing the issue I am happy that they’ve taken the stress away in his first year. He can also use their SEN facilities if he needs to. His handwriting is poor so he gets extra time with exams etc.
The poster obviously thinks there are maybe financial reward’s to be had.

He will be dynamite at research…. You just need to find his passions. See my post above to Coolclaret. He has gifts that he/you may not recognise yet. I appear aloof in company as I cannot follow group conversations when more than one person is speaking… the reason is I have to really concentrate, or I hear one or two words of everyone’s chat and it’s just a muddle. But my hearing is fantastic… if there is a random noise I can pick it up when no one else can hear it… one classic example I can hear my partners mobile vibrate on her bedside cabinet upstairs from the living room even though the tv is on… I scan the horizon constantly, and in such detail that others can find it mind boggling. I see a thousand shades of green in a forest and can spot animals others struggle to spot even when ai point them out to them…. As Cool says, Super powers that can be used once you spot and embrace them.

[ClaretPete001]

Precisely what I was saying in reply to ClaretPete001 earlier - the behavioural similarities between people with ADHD are so apparent, as are the life experiences/paths that we experience (sadly, often negative at times).



Superb mate!

If I was to play devil's advocate I could suggest that personality types are similar because diagnostic criteria are similar in the same way that people of my personality type are similar.

Personally, anything that helps people to work better, that doesn't pathologise them or force them to pay for exorbitant medicines is ok with me.

[ksrclaret]

The parts of this thread where you can read first-hand life experiences from neurodivergent people are genuinely amazing, informative, and very moving. Thank you all very much for sharing.

The parts where the terminally self-important have yet again lined up to claim they know better (is there a single subject they aren't experts on?), not so much.

[Jakubclaret]

I see the usual ignorant arseholes are being ignorant arseholes on this thread as well

I haven't seen anything majorly out of order. it's quite interesting for me reading the posts I'll admit I know nothing about the condition. I think nowadays in society we are very quick to diagnose & label pretty much anything as some sort of a illness or deficiency that's not to say the diagnoses are incorrect. I'm not sure if years ago ADHD or autism was recognised I can't remember seeing or hearing anything about it or maybe in them days it got brushed under the carpet & dealt with differently.

[ClaretPete001]

The parts of this thread where you can read first-hand life experiences from neurodivergent people are genuinely amazing, informative, and very moving. Thank you all very much for sharing.

The parts where the terminally self-important have yet again lined up to claim they know better (is there a single subject they aren't experts on?), not so much.

No, is the answer to your question....!

[GodIsADeeJay81]

I haven't seen anything majorly out of order. it's quite interesting for me reading the posts I'll admit I know nothing about the condition. I think nowadays in society we are very quick to diagnose & label pretty much anything as some sort of a illness or deficiency that's not to say the diagnoses are incorrect. I'm not sure if years ago ADHD or autism was recognised I can't remember seeing or hearing anything about it or maybe in them days it got brushed under the carpet & dealt with differently.

Proper diagnosing of them didn't really start until the 80s
A bloke I work with was one of the first people to be diagnosed in the UK with adhd
For Aspergers, now known as ASD, it was the early 90s before the UK started recognising it

Both were known about long before though

[Walton]

I haven't seen anything majorly out of order.

I'd like to see anyone thinking it's all about the benefits try to complete the 40 page Disability Living Allowance claim form along with the occupational therapist, physiotherapist, educational psychologist, consultant and speech and language reports to support the claim.

That's just to try and get DLA.

Getting an EHCP report done for support in school requires further reports, non-stop chasing of non-existent council staff, the support of the school and its SEN specialist (if it even has one), the patience to wait for a couple of years, and then maybe the school might be lucky enough to get the correct band of funding to support the child's needs. If not then we have to start again to push for the correct level.

That's before we even get on to the strain that having a neurodiverse child puts on personal relationships, the support of family networks (if you're lucky enough to have family close, fit and able enough), the personal worries about their future and so much more.

[Massivefloodlights]

I tend to distil the whole ‘we’re all on a spectrum’ argument that has popped up slightly on this thread into the fact that it becomes irrelevant when you talk about life outcomes, rather than a piece of paper with a diagnosis on it. And if the diagnosis leads to better treatment and resultant life outcomes, then that’s the most important thing.

I live with bipolar disorder, and while I won’t discuss whether that is neurodiversity or not, the points raised about ‘what if I had been diagnosed 20-25 years earlier’ is very familiar. This thread has encouraged me maybe to open up a discussion on mental health on this board. I remember the supportive environment that was created by the Lyle Foster situation. Thank you x

[Foshiznik]

Supposedly my life changing diagnosis and medication is all down to the placebo effect according to some on this thread. Must all be a coincidence then.

[ClaretPete001]

I tend to distil the whole ‘we’re all on a spectrum’ argument that has popped up slightly on this thread into the fact that it becomes irrelevant when you talk about life outcomes, rather than a piece of paper with a diagnosis on it. And if the diagnosis leads to better treatment and resultant life outcomes, then that’s the most important thing.

I live with bipolar disorder, and while I won’t discuss whether that is neurodiversity or not, the points raised about ‘what if I had been diagnosed 20-25 years earlier’ is very familiar. This thread has encouraged me maybe to open up a discussion on mental health on this board. I remember the supportive environment that was created by the Lyle Foster situation. Thank you x

It is if it helps you then sure, but if you have an industry that is potentially parasitic and encourages society to pathologise people then surely being precise in how you define and diagnose things makes society better able to help those who need it and prevent those who perhaps have other issues from being needlessly medicalised.

It's not a zero sum game the world isn't full of happy clappy people virtually signalling their way to a happier universe. There are reasons for why things are called what they are and why bigger markets are better than smaller ones that have little to do with the personal experiences and needs of sufferers/benefitters.

My point is though if you want to create a thread for people to share experiences then please put it in the title and make it clear in the OP.

[ClaretPete001]

Supposedly my life changing diagnosis and medication is all down to the placebo effect according to some on this thread. Must all be a coincidence then.

I didn't say your medication is a placebo effect, I said the term neuro diverse is a placebo that has no meaning in reality because the brain is plastic and highly adapted to individual circumstances. You cannot be diverse from something that is unique. It's an oxymoron

I don't comment on individual cases. I know full well that there is clinical ADHD/Depression that needs medical treatment.

[Caernarfon_Claret]

Was diagnosed with ADHD in 2019 at age of 43 and ASD level 1 about 3 years ago - the ASD was harder to diagnose as I’d been masking for years - I too was very quiet as a child - as an example I’d be upstairs in my bedroom whilst everyone else would be downstairs celebrating…AuDHD has it’s own unique challenges as essentially you have the ASD tendencies of liking order and no change with the dopqmine seeking behaviours craving novelty of and impulsivity of ADHD….

[Procrastinate B]

I’ve got four kids, three of whom are autistic. I left work in 2018 as juggling both of us working was becoming more difficult. Going from a nurse’s wage to carer’s was a massive drop, but well worth it.

Fairly sure that I’m autistic, there’s a definite genetic component there as my nephews are also autistic.

The advice I’d give if they’ve just been diagnosed as neurodiverse is not to drown in information, but to let the diagnosis sink in first.

[Massivefloodlights]

I said the term neuro diverse is a placebo that has no meaning in reality because the brain is plastic and highly adapted to individual circumstances.

I don’t think I’ve ever had to debate anything on here because I prefer to share information and support people.

But it is worth mentioning that somehow we have got from someone sharing an event for awareness about a group with protected characteristics under the Equality Act and people candidly sharing their own personal situations, to an unsolicited point of view(s) about the pathology of neurodiverse conditions and Big Pharma.

Sure, it’s a discussion board, but I don’t see where the scope for discussion came from. I’d rather see UTC as a community first and foremost, and communities look after each other.

[Dark Cloud]

I think the word "spectrum" is well used in this context. It's broad and we're basically all on it somewhere or other because we all exhibit different behaviours. Giving our behaviours a label (or different labels) doesn't necessarily make a difference to those behaviours. Someone above said there's been a proliferation in adult cases of autism and ADHD in recent years. There almost certainly hasn't, but there's been a proliferation in diagnosis which is really just labelling our behaviour.

[Caernarfon_Claret]

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria a major feature of both ADHD and ASD particularly in adults - can lead some to not attempt things particularly in public for fear of failure and ridicule - RSD can be a big sticking point on message boards especially when coupled with other aspects of Emotional dysregulation…

https://www.additudemag.com/rejection-s ... d0xh5GefYE

[Caernarfon_Claret]

For instance once I realized that emotional dysregulation was causing most of my suicide ideation I consulted GP and changed dose of antidepressant from highest dose which helped with depression to lower dose more suited to mood stabilization - much better outcome…
Knowledge is power, in certain circumstances, when applied correctly…