ADHD: It’s not new, we’re just finally noticing

As a counsellor, I often hear the same comments about ADHD and neurodivergence: “Oh, everyone’s got ADHD now!” or “Didn’t have that in my day!” Really, John? Your uncle, who collected a million train timetables and could talk about them for hours without taking a breath – he probably was neurodivergent. Or the woman down the road who started five conversations, but never finished one. We just didn’t have the language for it.

We didn’t have the words

In the 1970s, autism and ADHD were poorly understood in the United Kingdom. Autism wasn’t recognised as a distinct condition until the publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III) in 1980, where it first appeared as “Infantile Autism,” separate from childhood schizophrenia [1][2]. Before that, children showing signs of neurodivergence were often labelled as having learning difficulties, “emotional disturbance,” or “childhood schizophrenia.”

Girls, in particular, were almost invisible. They were often described as shy or anxious, while their deeper struggles went unnoticed [3]. During this period, the harmful “refrigerator mother” theory, popularised by Bruno Bettelheim, blamed autism on cold, unloving parenting [4]. 

Families faced stigma, and in many cases, children were excluded from meaningful education or placed in institutions.

Thankfully, by the late 1970s, British psychiatrist Michael Rutter challenged these beliefs. In Autism: A Reappraisal of Concepts (1978), he argued that autism was a neurodevelopmental condition, rather than the result of poor parenting [5]. His work helped shift professional understanding, laying the foundation for how we see neurodiversity today.

So when people say “we didn’t have this in my day,” what they really mean is that we didn’t recognise it. The conditions were there all along; society just didn’t have the awareness or compassion to see them.

ADHD hasn’t suddenly become popular

Contrary to what headlines might suggest, ADHD isn’t “suddenly everywhere.” A 2025 review led by King’s College London, covering 40 studies across 17 countries, found no evidence that ADHD prevalence has increased since 2020 [6]. Around 3–4% of adults and about 5% of children are thought to have ADHD, figures that have remained stable for decades [7].

What has changed is awareness. More people now recognise lifelong symptoms they once dismissed as laziness, poor organisation or lack of focus. As a result, referrals have surged. NHS England estimates that more than 550,000 people are currently waiting for an ADHD assessment, with over 20,000 new referrals each month [8]. 

That backlog doesn’t reflect overdiagnosis; it reflects years of under-recognition.

For many, finally receiving a diagnosis is life-changing. It provides clarity, self-understanding and access to treatment. 

One woman quoted by Healthwatch England said that getting her ADHD diagnosis helped her manage daily life and parent more effectively. Before, she described her existence as “exhausting,” constantly battling routines and simple tasks [9].

The faking myth

Some argue that people fake ADHD for benefits like extra time in exams. While a few studies show it’s possible to imitate symptoms on simple checklists, credible diagnoses rely on comprehensive assessments. Randy and Lori Sansone’s 2011 review in Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience noted that ADHD can be “believably faked” on self-report scales, but emphasised that skilled clinicians use multiple tools, observations and corroborating evidence to prevent misdiagnosis [10].

So the question remains – why would anyone want to fake ADHD? A few extra exam minutes? Hardly worth the lifelong stigma or medication oversight that comes with a diagnosis. Most people seeking assessment are trying to understand years of struggle, not to game the system.

The real issue

Untreated ADHD can cause profound difficulties, depression, anxiety, strained relationships and underachievement. Many adults come to therapy burdened with self-blame after decades of being told they’re lazy or careless. When we finally reframe those traits as symptoms rather than flaws, it can be deeply healing.

As Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke from King’s College London has said, while medication is safe and effective for many, we need more accessible non-drug therapies that help individuals self-manage their condition [11].

Awareness isn’t a trend

Just as society once misunderstood autism in the 1970s, we’re now correcting misconceptions about ADHD. This isn’t about overdiagnosis, it’s about progress. We’re finally giving names, language and support to people who have always existed. 

Rather than criticising, we should focus on understanding and accommodating difference. Neurodivergence has always been part of the human story. We’re just finally listening.

References

1. American Psychiatric Association. (1980). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd Edition (DSM-III).
2. World Health Organization. (1978). International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9).
3. National Autistic Society. (n.d.). The history of autism.
4. Bettelheim, B. (1967). The Empty Fortress: Infantile Autism and the Birth of the Self. New York: Free Press.
5. Rutter, M. (1978). Autism: A Reappraisal of Concepts. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
6. Triggle, N. (2025, June 5). ADHD not becoming more common, say King’s College researchers. BBC News.
7. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). (2024). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: background information and prevalence.
8. NHS England. (2025). ADHD demand and diagnostic waiting lists report.
9. Healthwatch England. (2025). ADHD: Understanding lived experience and access to diagnosis.
10. Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2011). Faking Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience, 8(8), 10–13.
11. Sonuga-Barke, E. J. S. (2025). Comment on ADHD underdiagnosis and treatment diversity. Academy of Medical Sciences.