Is there really a surge in ADHD diagnoses?
The media often paints a picture of an “ADHD surge” in ADHD diagnoses, leading to concerns about overdiagnosis or a sudden rise in prevalence. How often do we hear, “It seems like everyone has ADHD these days,” which perpetuates that, “But doesn’t everyone have a little ADHD these days?” mentality. But what if this narrative misses the mark entirely? Recent research from King’s College London, published May 2025 in the Journal of Attention Disorders, found that ADHD prevalence (how many people have ADHD overall) hasn’t actually changed much between 2020 and 2024. Even though more people went for ADHD assessments during and after the pandemic, that didn’t lead to a noticeable increase in how many people actually have ADHD overall. So while evaluations went up, the underlying prevalence stayed pretty steady. So what’s going on? The number of people with ADHD hasn’t spiked – but more people are finally being identified. As Russell Barkley puts it, those folks were already here – they just hadn’t been spotted yet. Accoridng to the King’s College research by Martin et al., the rise in diagnoses seems to stem from: Increased awareness and understanding of ADHD. Reduced stigma, encouraging more people to seek assessment. Improved diagnostic tools, especially for historically overlooked groups like girls and women, whose presentations often differ from typical stereotypes. This isn’t a crisis of overdiagnosis – it’s a testament to progress. It means more individuals are finally getting the recognition and support they need. It highlights how crucial accurate, up-to-date research is in shaping public understanding and effective policy. Rather than questioning the diagnoses, perhaps we should be celebrating that more people are finding answers and support for their neurodivergent brains. 💬 What’s your go-to response when someone says, “Doesn’t everyone have ADHD now?” In a world full of tabs, thanks for keeping this one open with me.
Wonderfully Wired & Worn Out: A Burnout in Neurodiversity Podcast Conversation
Burnout is real – and for neurodivergent helping professionals, it can sneak up on us in uniquely complex ways…. I adored my conversation with Elle Leher in her incredible neurodoversity podcast Wonderfully Wired, where we explored what burnout looks like … while navigating the world with a wonderfully wired brain. We talk honestly about: 💥 The early warning signs of burnout we tend to ignore🧠 Why neurodivergent brains may be more vulnerable to burnout🛑 The role of masking, perfectionism, and people-pleasing💡 And how to begin creating safer, more sustainable ways of working If you’ve ever felt like you’re “too much” and “not enough” at the same time – or if you’ve hit a wall that your usual self-care can’t fix – I get you. I’ve been there. It sucks. But it doesn’t have to – there is another way. 🎧 Listen to the full episode here: Wired for Burnout – A Conversation with Elle. Seriously, if you haven’t explored Elle’s neurodiversity podcast, go take a look – you are in for a serious treat! Elle cares so deeply about the wonderfully wired, and has dedicated her career to spreading awareness and support for the internationally neurodiverse community. I honestly feel so humbled and grateful to be a guest on this stunning neurodiversity podcast among industry giants who I so admire! And if this episode resonates and you’re a neurodivergent coach or helping professional looking for grounded, affirming supervision – I’d love to support you. I’m cooking up something exciting – if you’re looking for your tribe of neurodivergent helping professionals for honest conversations, practice guidance, and support to pivot to working in a way that suits you and your energy levels – I invite you to sign up for my newsletter HERE. I’ll be sharing some news through the newsletter about this project coming up soon! For now… Here’s to helping others without setting ourselves on fire. Stay edgy, stay soft, and take that nap – you’ve earned it. Here for your brilliance and boundaries,
When you’re coaching clients through the same challenges you’re struggling with…
You just helped your client set up a brilliant routine. Yours? Still a work in progress. Let’s talk about the reality of coaching with your own ADHD and EF challenges. You help your clients get organised.Create structure.Build better habits.Calm the chaos. But behind the scenes? You’re juggling three half-finished projects.You’ve rescheduled your own admin tasks (again).And you still find yourself deep in a hyperfocus hole waaaay longer than your work block intended. And maybe part of you wonders… “Should I really be coaching others through this?” I’ve been there. I’ve got a heavy-handed allocation of perfectionism that means I spend a LOT of time seeking out * the best * support options out there. This often means I spend a lot of time researching systems and tools that might resonate with my coaching clients and coaches I supervise. And testing them out for myself. Because my ADHD brain gets bored with systems, so I need to switch it up often. Sometimes these work really well, and they work for a while, and sometimes they just don’t. I used to get really frustrated – and my inner voice would start up with all the “shoulda’s”… The loudest being “You should have found the right system that sticks by now.” Here’s the truth that doesn’t get said enough:✨You don’t need to be perfect to be powerful.✨You don’t need flawless executive function to help others build theirs.✨Your lived experience gives you insight that a textbook never could. You get it – deeply.That’s what makes you real. Relatable. Trustworthy. My learned acceptance to be okay with switching things up means I can model that it’s also okay for my clients. To try new things. For things to work for a bit, until they don’t. And then we practice self-kindness to listen to what our brains need right now. Our clients don’t need a robot with a perfect colour-coded calendar or 5 step task reminder.They need someone who understands what it feels like to struggle…And still shows up to help them through it. Progress > perfection. Always. If you’re holding space for others while working on yourself – know that you’re not alone.Let’s normalise the messy, beautiful reality of being a coach. 💬👇 What’s one thing you’ve coached someone through that was also a struggle you were having yourself? How did you handle it? With fire, heart, and Post-it notes,