ADHD Myths that need BUSTING!

1. “All I need to know about ADHD, I can learn on TikTok.” 

A study of the “top 100 most popular videos about ADHD uploaded by TikTok video creators” was analyzed, and “52% were classified as misleading, 27% as personal experience (which we know can vary greatly from person to person) and [only] 21% as useful…Non-healthcare providers uploaded the majority of misleading videos.” (ref: TikTok and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study of Social Media Content Quality by Anthony Yeung, Enoch, and Elia Abi-Jaoude)

Instead, build your foundation of ADHD knowledge on reliable research-based resources, including your healthcare providers. Be discerning about the information you see on social media.

2. “Children grow out of their ADHD.”

Fact: Significant symptom impairments persist in 50-86% of people with ADHD. So, a majority of kids do not “grow out of” their ADHD. Symptoms may change over time (e.g., children’s bodies may not be as hyperactive as they age, but their brains may still be.) If you’re noticing you still are experiencing ADHD symptoms as you age, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

3. “Having ADHD is about bad character, poor work ethic, or low intelligence.” 

These assumptions are false and very harmful to people with ADHD. We like to borrow Chris Dendy’s iceberg metaphor to bust this myth. When we observe an iceberg, we only see about 1/8th of the mass above the surface, leaving 7/8ths below the surface and out of sight. For folks with ADHD, the symptoms others can easily see are only a tiny portion of ADHD. There is so much more happening internally, below the surface, like executive function deficits, learning disabilities, co-existing conditions, sleep challenges, impaired sense of time, and dysregulated emotions. It is unfair to ascribe character assumptions to a person when they are displaying symptoms of their neurodevelopmental disorder.

4. “There is a singular quick fix or cure for ADHD.” 

Navigating ADHD is a journey. While medication can be very helpful in managing ADHD, research has shown that a multimodal approach is needed. This can include medication for ADHD and other mental health issues, therapy, ADHD coaching, familial/social support, work/school accommodations, self-care, ADHD education and self-awareness, paid assistants/other service professionals, mentors, and advocates. Beware of any company telling you they have the ONE product that will be the answer to all your problems. 

5. “I just have to try harder.”

Oh boy, if I had a dollar for every time a client told me this…I’d own an island by now 🙂 “Trying harder” is magically asking for more willpower, and I like to respond with this great quote by Dr. Ari Tuckman, “If you can manage your ADHD with willpower, you probably don’t have ADHD.” I like to tell my clients that they have tried hard enough. There is no trying harder because they have already tried as hard as possible. Instead, we have to try different, which means doing things our way and letting go of others’ expectations that their way is right.

If any of these myths have grabbed hold of you, break free by meeting with any of our coaches for a free Get Acquainted session and consider coaching to help find your truth.