Social media videos are making people think they have ADHD, scientists have said.
A study suggests a quarter of adults believe they may have the condition but have not received a diagnosis. But only half of those have sought professional help, data show.
Awareness of the condition, which can manifest as distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, is increasing with better diagnosis in children and social media sites such as TikTok being populated with awareness videos on the condition.
The survey of 1,000 American adults, conducted in August by Ohio State University, found younger adults were more likely to believe they had undiagnosed ADHD than older generations. They were also more likely to do something about it.
“If you’re watching videos on social media and it makes you think that you may meet criteria for the disorder, I would encourage you to seek an evaluation from a psychologist or a psychiatrist or a physician to get it checked out,” said Dr Justin Barterian, a clinical assistant professor in Ohio’s department of psychiatry and behavioural health.
Experts say that getting correct treatment is key to managing symptoms.
“Anxiety, depression and ADHD – all these things can look a lot alike, but the wrong treatment can make things worse instead of helping that person feel better and improving their functioning,” Dr Barterian said.
“There’s definitely more awareness of how it can continue to affect folks into adulthood and a lot of people are realising, once their kids have been diagnosed, that they fit these symptoms as well, given that it’s a genetic disorder.”
