In suggesting there is a possibility that we all lie somewhere on an ADHD continuum, your correspondent (Letters, 27 February) is missing the point.
ADHD – and autism – are neurodiversities, meaning that the brains of individuals with ADHD and/or autism are “wired” differently from those of people with “typical” brains. In other words, you either have it or you don’t. To suggest that everyone is a bit ADHD or a bit autistic is insulting to those of us who actually are ADHD/autistic, and diminishes our lived experience. Yes, self-help tools can be useful. But the affirmation of a diagnosis can also be hugely beneficial.
I am a children’s health professional who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 56 and ADHD at the age of 57. I cannot overstate the difference this has made to my mental health and my approach to my life. I spent my life pre-diagnosis unknowingly developing strategies to cope with my neurodiversities, while at the same time suffering from depression and low self-esteem, wondering why on earth I couldn’t just do things like everyone else and wondering why people told me I was “weird”. If I had been diagnosed at an early age, I would hopefully have understood myself better, not had to mask my difficulties and not been so hard on myself. I am now able to reflect on past behaviours and mistakes and forgive myself for these.
These diagnoses are not “labels”. They are explanations of who people are. In my professional role I advise parents to pursue assessment for ADHD or autism for their children. The process of diagnosis is robust and not undertaken lightly. Please don’t campaign to take this away from us.
Francesca Finch-Andrews
Belper, Derbyshire
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