ADHD Stigma
What is ADHD?
Within the United States, about 3-5% of people have been diagnosed with a form of neurodiversity called Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It is likely that there are many more people with ADHD who are undiagnosed, especially adults who were not diagnosed as children. ADHD is caused by genetic factors, meaning that someone with ADHD is born with it. The genes that cause ADHD result in differences in brain development and brain structure. These differences cause distinct characteristics that can diagnosed by a professional. ADHD characteristics can lead to both advantages and challenges for those with ADHD.
What Does An ADHD Diagnosis Mean?
ADHD is often diagnosed in childhood, although it can be diagnosed in adulthood as well. The most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) separates ADHD into two categories, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity. Some people predominantly have one set of traits over the other, and many people have many of both traits. The DSM-5 lists the following characteristics for ADHD:
Inattentive Symptoms:
Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or during other activities
Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities
Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace
Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort
Often loses things necessary for tasks or activities
Is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
Is often forgetful in daily activities
Hyperactive/Impulsive Symptoms:
Often fidgets with or taps hands or feet or squirms in seat.
Often leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected
Often runs about or climbs in situations where it is inappropriate.
Often unable to play or take part in leisure activities quietly.
Is often “on the go” acting as if “driven by a motor”
Often talks excessively.
Often blurts out an answer before a question has been completed
Often has trouble waiting their turn
Often interrupts or intrudes on others
Beyond The Diagnosis
The word “disorder” indicates that a diagnosis is causing significant impairment or distress in important areas of life. Not all people with ADHD experience significant impairment or distress in their lives, especially if they have the right supports and a lifestyle that fits the way their brain works. If someone has all of the symptoms of ADHD, but it is not negatively affecting their life, they might just have ADH – minus the D!
Seeing ADHD exclusively as a disorder places emphasis on the negative characteristics of ADHD without seeing the strengths and positive characteristics of ADHD. ADHD being only perceived as a disorder leaves us only with words to describe the social, academic, occupational, and personal functioning challenges that are a part of ADHD. While these challenges are very real for people with ADHD and not to be dismissed, many characteristics of ADHD have a positive side.
People with ADHD often thrive in areas of creativity, problem-solving, and acquire unique/specialized knowledge and experiences. If you have ADHD, you might find yourself to be more energetic, curious, inventive, pursuing new experiences, good at generating new ideas, and have the ability to hyper-focus on interests and tasks. Social relationships and activities are often more spontaneous, fun, and include deep dives into interests and activities rather than being just surface level conversations.
The Harm of Stigma
Stigma is a negative stereotype or perception about someone’s characteristics. Stigma is often based on misinformation or misunderstanding, and can lead to harmful outcomes for those who are stigmatized.
Having ADHD can lead to workplace discrimination, social problems, and internalized stigma – perhaps the most harmful type of stigma overall. Internalized stigma occurs when we start to believe and repeat stigma against aspects of our own identity, and can lead to negative beliefs, thoughts, and ideas about oneself, eating away at self-esteem and sense of worth.
ADHD stigma is considered one of several risk factors for negative outcomes of ADHD, including developing other mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, alcohol/substance abuse, and eating disorders. Stigma of any kind is often connected to increasing the risk of suicide. A shocking fact about people with ADHD is that they are 3 times more likely than the general population to commit suicide.
ADHD Stigma
Many people with ADHD face stigma from teachers, peers, parents, bosses, coworkers, friends, and family. Additionally, parents of children with ADHD also face stigma on behalf of their children or as a perceived lack in parenting skills and abilities. Types of ADHD stigma can be condensed into 3 categories, as outlined by Marlies Visser and her team of researchers on ADHD stigma. These 3 categories include rejecting ADHD, focusing on the deficits of ADHD, and perpetuating misconceptions of ADHD.
Below is a look at how these forms of stigma may be heard aloud, along with the underlying message of their statements:
Rejecting ADHD as a valid diagnosis
“ADHD is a made-up label,” “ADHD is just a trend.”
The message: ADHD is a fake diagnosis, and your experiences are not real.
Focusing on the Deficits of ADHD
Blaming people for their ADHD traits
“Just try harder,” “Be tougher on your child, then they will stop.”
The message: You are not good enough, you are incompetent, or your parenting style is inadequate.
Attributing a person’s negative characteristics to their ADHD
“You have ADHD, therefore you are hyperactive/disruptive,” “Your child will not succeed because they have ADHD.”
The message: You are defined negatively by your ADHD in lacking ability and intelligence.
Perpetuating Misconceptions of ADHD
Stereotyping
“You don’t look like you have ADHD,” “You can’t have ADHD because…” “You were never that hyperactive as a child!”
The message: I do not believe you, I do not understand you, and that it must be something else".
Trivializing
“Everyone is a little ADHD,” “Everyone has these struggles sometimes,” “All kids are hyperactive sometimes.”
The message: You are exaggerating and overreacting, it’s not that bad, and this is just a phase.
Ways to Combat ADHD Stigma
A college student with ADHD was interviewed on ADHD stigma stated, “I don’t suffer because of my ADHD; I suffer because I live in a world designed to accommodate and support neurotypical people.” This quote reminds us of the fact that the world is not structured for people with ADHD or other forms of neurodiversity. When we acknowledge that the world is not build for people with ADHD, it can help us think of how a different world could be compatible with the ADHD brain, rather than seeing ADHD itself as the problem. Thinking of the world this way can help us to see how untrue many ADHD stigmas are.
Increasing your own awareness of stigma can help you to more easily recognize when someone makes a harmful comment. This can help you to see when it is impacting yourself, your child, or someone else with ADHD. You can find support for yourself or give support to a love done with ADHD when you are noticing stigma having a negative effect.
If someone makes a stigmatizing remark, you can respond by having a firm but gentle conversation with that person. ADDitude magazine recommends saying “I have ADHD, and it’s just as real as other medical conditions” or “I work hard, and I bet you have no idea how demoralizing it is to hear a comment like that.”
Making a statement to correct stigmatizing remarks can take a lot of courage, but it can help others see how they have been thinking about ADHD the wrong way and lead to more empathy for people with ADHD. Educating others about what ADHD actually is, the challenges that come along with it, and the strengths and positive characteristics can help decrease misinformation and lead to fewer stigmatizing beliefs.
Citations
https://news.ohsu.edu/2022/10/13/ohsu-researchers-sharpen-estimate-of-true-percentage-of-people-with-adhd
https://dalspace.library.dal.ca/items/a335e148-51ad-44b6-907c-12581293642a
https://dalspaceb.library.dal.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/6de92842-f2a9-49b3-92a0-3a92ea6f0802/content
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/27546330241274664
https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/benefits-of-adhd
https://add.org/benefits-of-adhd-employees/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3430836/
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/suicidal-behaviour-among-persons-with-attentiondeficit-hyperactivity-disorder/6CECF48A64E415C871D233B2607114ED
https://www.additudemag.com/overcoming-adhd-stigma/srsltid=AfmBOoqkLKLipLoVVLApFugfFgXxWwTGcRRObJ4sy3u6TU65WJxdpEML