George Holt is a local councillor and campaigner on neurodiversity.
“I do not believe in ADHD at all, except as a catch-all for a whole gaggle of unrelated ways people behave”. This was an unwelcome and regressive remark made recently by Matthew Parris in The Times.
Adults with ADHD are 5 times more likely than those without to have attempted suicide. His assertion that ADHD isn’t real isn’t just incorrect – it’s dangerous. ADHD was recognised as a valid condition in the UK roughly 24 years ago, yet we still clearly have a very long way to go in societal recognition.
Unfortunately, lack of access to a diagnosis from doctors and the influence of social media has made the trend of “self-diagnosis” all too much of a problem, with individuals diagnosing themselves – or even parents assigning their children the disability based on largely hearsay. To be clear, even if their child does indeed have ADHD, they are not qualified to assess.
I believe his comments come from a place of ignorance, not malice. There is a huge lack of awareness in the UK and beyond about how ADHD can impact someone’s life, and what it means to them.
It is easy, and simple to brand them as lazy, stupid, or rude. People with ADHD are often passionate, deeply complex, and well-meaning. By sharing my own experiences, I hope to show you what I mean.
When I wake up in the morning, my mind is already pulling me in one thousand different directions, every task I plan to get done washes over my mind. It can fill me with dread for the day ahead. It’s something you just get used to. By the time I’ve pulled myself to work, it isn’t uncommon I’ll stare at my computer screen for an indefinite time, waiting for motivation to find me, whilst my mind takes me elsewhere. God forbid I find myself with a task that isn’t going to release dopamine – this will be almost impossible to complete in a timely manner.
People with ADHD can find gathering focus on exercising incredibly difficult when there isn’t some immediate motivation to push them there. This can be difficult for people who’re biologically hardwired to keep themselves busy – this means we take things on, things that we’re passionate about. For me, this comes out in public service – being a Councillor, being on the board of a local charity, volunteering, and standing on my soap box when I’m unhappy about something.
Others may take a darker path. People with ADHD are more at risk of substance abuse, committing crimes, or racking up crippling debt. I have been fortunate to have the right support and mentorship in my life that none of the above happened to me.
The symptoms of ADHD differ from person to person and even present differently in males and females. But at a high level, there are three types: inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and a combined type, which presents elements of both.
Some say that ADHD is a superpower – but I can tell you first hand, having ADHD can be an enormous struggle.
My “excessive talking” and other conditions, often make social interactions difficult. The best way I can describe is that I’m driving my social interactions in manual, whilst everyone else is automatic: manually changing gears to guide the conversation, manually remembering to listen, manually remembering to speak slowly, and manually remembering to stay on topic.
Whilst these come naturally to others, they do not to those of us with ADHD. If I were to figuratively “let Jesus take the wheel”, my conversations would take me from listing the US Presidents, niche local issues, and my unqualified prediction of who will win the Premier League (Arsenal, if you were wondering).
Being a local Councillor, and someone who’s involved in “politics” with ADHD is a very unique and often challenging experience – people with ADHD, tend to, what my friends call “run their mouth” – we like to share our opinions, often, and are extremely passionate about justice, and helping people.
If there is a pothole in my ward that has been there too long, you do not want to receive a firmly worded email from me. But this passion and energy are so often useful – while my loud mouth is politically inconvenient, I am grateful for how it helps me remain true to myself, and my values. And throwing my energy at local issues is incredibly helpful.
Many of us are simply relentless, and also restless. We won’t give up and won’t stop until the job is done. A trait I fear has been widely lost in Westminster these days.
So, what can actually be done to help people with ADHD?
First up, we should expand the Autism Act to include ADHD and other conditions. The Autism Act requires the Government to develop and implement strategies to improve support services and outcomes for individuals with autism. However, we have a responsibility to extend our support beyond autism and encompass the broader spectrum of neurodiverse conditions.
One pivotal step is to expand the existing Autism Act to include provisions specifically tailored to address the needs of individuals with ADHD and other neurodiverse conditions. By broadening the scope of this legislation, we can ensure that resources, services, and accommodations are readily available to all individuals across the neurodiversity spectrum, fostering a more inclusive and supportive society.
Additionally, improving access to diagnosis is paramount at both the child and adult levels. Currently, people with ADHD aren’t identified as children, and getting access to an assessment through the NHS is incredibly difficult. It’s going to be incredibly hard work to ensure ADHD can be properly screened in schools, but I believe we must put the hard yards in for this.
After all, people with ADHD have so much to offer Britain, but we need to give them the support they need to unlock their full potential.
George Holt is a local councillor and campaigner on neurodiversity.
“I do not believe in ADHD at all, except as a catch-all for a whole gaggle of unrelated ways people behave”. This was an unwelcome and regressive remark made recently by Matthew Parris in The Times.
Adults with ADHD are 5 times more likely than those without to have attempted suicide. His assertion that ADHD isn’t real isn’t just incorrect – it’s dangerous. ADHD was recognised as a valid condition in the UK roughly 24 years ago, yet we still clearly have a very long way to go in societal recognition.
Unfortunately, lack of access to a diagnosis from doctors and the influence of social media has made the trend of “self-diagnosis” all too much of a problem, with individuals diagnosing themselves – or even parents assigning their children the disability based on largely hearsay. To be clear, even if their child does indeed have ADHD, they are not qualified to assess.
I believe his comments come from a place of ignorance, not malice. There is a huge lack of awareness in the UK and beyond about how ADHD can impact someone’s life, and what it means to them.
It is easy, and simple to brand them as lazy, stupid, or rude. People with ADHD are often passionate, deeply complex, and well-meaning. By sharing my own experiences, I hope to show you what I mean.
When I wake up in the morning, my mind is already pulling me in one thousand different directions, every task I plan to get done washes over my mind. It can fill me with dread for the day ahead. It’s something you just get used to. By the time I’ve pulled myself to work, it isn’t uncommon I’ll stare at my computer screen for an indefinite time, waiting for motivation to find me, whilst my mind takes me elsewhere. God forbid I find myself with a task that isn’t going to release dopamine – this will be almost impossible to complete in a timely manner.
People with ADHD can find gathering focus on exercising incredibly difficult when there isn’t some immediate motivation to push them there. This can be difficult for people who’re biologically hardwired to keep themselves busy – this means we take things on, things that we’re passionate about. For me, this comes out in public service – being a Councillor, being on the board of a local charity, volunteering, and standing on my soap box when I’m unhappy about something.
Others may take a darker path. People with ADHD are more at risk of substance abuse, committing crimes, or racking up crippling debt. I have been fortunate to have the right support and mentorship in my life that none of the above happened to me.
The symptoms of ADHD differ from person to person and even present differently in males and females. But at a high level, there are three types: inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and a combined type, which presents elements of both.
Some say that ADHD is a superpower – but I can tell you first hand, having ADHD can be an enormous struggle.
My “excessive talking” and other conditions, often make social interactions difficult. The best way I can describe is that I’m driving my social interactions in manual, whilst everyone else is automatic: manually changing gears to guide the conversation, manually remembering to listen, manually remembering to speak slowly, and manually remembering to stay on topic.
Whilst these come naturally to others, they do not to those of us with ADHD. If I were to figuratively “let Jesus take the wheel”, my conversations would take me from listing the US Presidents, niche local issues, and my unqualified prediction of who will win the Premier League (Arsenal, if you were wondering).
Being a local Councillor, and someone who’s involved in “politics” with ADHD is a very unique and often challenging experience – people with ADHD, tend to, what my friends call “run their mouth” – we like to share our opinions, often, and are extremely passionate about justice, and helping people.
If there is a pothole in my ward that has been there too long, you do not want to receive a firmly worded email from me. But this passion and energy are so often useful – while my loud mouth is politically inconvenient, I am grateful for how it helps me remain true to myself, and my values. And throwing my energy at local issues is incredibly helpful.
Many of us are simply relentless, and also restless. We won’t give up and won’t stop until the job is done. A trait I fear has been widely lost in Westminster these days.
So, what can actually be done to help people with ADHD?
First up, we should expand the Autism Act to include ADHD and other conditions. The Autism Act requires the Government to develop and implement strategies to improve support services and outcomes for individuals with autism. However, we have a responsibility to extend our support beyond autism and encompass the broader spectrum of neurodiverse conditions.
One pivotal step is to expand the existing Autism Act to include provisions specifically tailored to address the needs of individuals with ADHD and other neurodiverse conditions. By broadening the scope of this legislation, we can ensure that resources, services, and accommodations are readily available to all individuals across the neurodiversity spectrum, fostering a more inclusive and supportive society.
Additionally, improving access to diagnosis is paramount at both the child and adult levels. Currently, people with ADHD aren’t identified as children, and getting access to an assessment through the NHS is incredibly difficult. It’s going to be incredibly hard work to ensure ADHD can be properly screened in schools, but I believe we must put the hard yards in for this.
After all, people with ADHD have so much to offer Britain, but we need to give them the support they need to unlock their full potential.