Fact check: Do I suffer from ADHD? What are ADHD symptoms? Why TikTok trends and influencers are cashing in on misinformation

The Scotsman’s health correspondent, Joseph Anderson, investigates the rise of ‘ADHD influencers’, misinformation and how some social media stars are cashing in on the trend.

On TikTok, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is big business. Videos tagged with ‘ADHD’ have garnered more than 26.7 billion views. Content creators such as ‘adhd_love’, ‘adhdvision’ and ‘adhd_coach_ryan’ have millions of followers between them.

The videos created by ‘ADHD influencers’, which collect millions of views each, often paint universal human experiences – such as forgetting why you walked into a room, having random bursts of energy or becoming obsessed with a new song – as symptoms of ADHD. This can lead to young people potentially self-diagnosing with a condition they don’t actually suffer from. And yet, research shows more than half of these videos contain misleading information.

Inevitably, some influencers are making money from the popularity of their videos. Some content creators sell ADHD self help manuals, books, and tutorials – while some even sell “plant supplements” and other alternative medicines to “alleviate ADHD symptoms”.

If TikTok influencers are to be believed, the symptoms of ADHD are incredibly varied.

‘Click the link in my bio’

If TikTok influencers are to be believed, the symptoms of ADHD are incredibly varied.

One content creator, Toronto-based ADHD influencer ‘meltsinfusions’, claims “chewing the inside of your cheeks” is a symptom of her condition, as well as “picking skin for hours”. The video has 1.1m views, and concludes by directing viewers to purchase the creator’s “nootropic plant supplement that helps alleviate ADHD symptoms”.

Australian content creator Coby Watts has 1.3m followers, and in one popular video claims struggling to wake up and not liking people talking to you for the first hour of your morning are part of an ADHD sufferer's normal routine. Mr Watts’s profile contains links to a $15 “mental health checker”, which claims to check for “24 common mental health disorders”, and also directs followers to purchase his “ADHD hand book”.

Some content creators, such as ‘adhdvision’ and ‘connordewolfe’, claim to have “ADHD strengths” and “superpowers” which “neurotypical” people do not have

Creator ‘ingeniosupplements’ alleges people with ADHD keep their belongings organised in “piles” that have no real categories. Like a laundry pile, or a drawer full of miscellaneous items. Some of his videos receive hundreds of thousands of views, and he also sells supplements to his followers.

Several content creators, such as Cambridge-based ADHD influencer ‘neuronush’, advertise “neurodivergent sensory clothing”, which purports to be made from materials ADHD and autism sufferers find comfortable.

Other examples seen by The Scotsman include ‘camillebobic’ telling her followers that sitting on your haunches is a symptom of ADHD, ‘livingwith.adhd’ claiming ‘being highly sensitive to criticism’ is caused by her condition, and ‘mindovermatterwithemma’ alleging that “appearing confident/bubbly, but anxious on the inside” is a symptom of undiagnosed ADHD. The latter’s profile links followers to purchase ADHD assessments and ‘nootropic’ supplements.

Some content creators, such as ‘adhdvision’ and ‘connordewolfe’, claim to have “ADHD strengths” and “superpowers”, which “neurotypical” people do not have, making the disorder seem aspirational. Both sell products via their TikTok accounts – the former sells self-help material while the latter sells clothing saying ‘follow the dopamine’.

While ADHD is a condition often associated with children, it can also affect adults (Picture: John Devlin)

No TikTok content creators responded to The Scotsman’s request for academic and/or professional qualifications, or for comment.

But what are the actual symptoms of ADHD?

ADHD diagnosis

The Scotsman spoke with two experts – Helen Minnis, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Glasgow, and Dr Sinead Rhodes, a developmental psychologist at the University of Edinburgh – to talk through ADHD, misinformation and social media.

“The symptoms of ADHD are hyperactivity, impulsivity, and poor concentration,” said Prof Minnis, “it’s really as simple as that.”

Dr Rhodes said: “Most psychologists, psychiatrists and paediatricians in Scotland, and in the UK, would use the DSM, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual [of Mental Disorders] version five, or the ICD (International Classification of Diseases) 11 version.

“Diagnosis depends on functional impairment. So either your symptoms are affecting your relationships, your occupation, your academic learning, well being, or mental health.

“One in two people, whether it's ADHD, autism, or dyspraxia, develop depression and anxiety, which is often the reason why someone might end up pursuing the diagnosis, because they realise there’s actually something behind the depression.”

It is thought just 3.5 per cent of the adult population of the UK has ADHD, with a much lower figure actually receiving treatment.

Prof Minnis said: “You know, all of us will sometimes suffer from not being able to watch a movie without going on our phones, or getting distracted. But if you can never watch a movie without interrupting it, by having to get up and do something else, so you never get to watch a movie. That's a different story.”

Prof Minnis said she would encourage anyone who is concerned they might have ADHD to go to a GP and be referred to a specialist.

“In the current climate, people will have to wait, but the general feeling among professionals at the moment is that ADHD is a life-long condition, and is something that will manifest in different ways at different ages,” she said.

“In that sense there isn’t a rush – you may have to wait, but this is probably something that you've been struggling for your whole life.

“Don’t try and diagnose yourself. It's certainly not a good idea to try and treat yourself.”

What are the main treatments?

Prof Minnis said: “So the main thing is, ADHD isn't only treated by drugs. Structure, routine, wall charts and things like that can be really helpful for adults with ADHD, but the main drug treatments are stimulant medication.

“What stimulant medications do is they help people with ADHD to focus and to be a little bit more than alert. That tends to improve symptoms such as problems with concentration and attention to help people with ADHD.”

On the treatments sold on social media, Prof Minnis said any treatment would need “rigorous research to underpin it, because treatments can have benefits and harms”.

“People wouldn't be looking for snake oil, if mental health services were well enough funded,” she said.

Misinformation thrives in a vacuum

The waiting times for ADHD assessments, as well as autism spectrum disorders, in Scotland are often measured in years, not months. In this vacuum, young people are increasingly turning to social media and other poor sources for information, claims Dr Rhodes.

“Every second video on TikTok contains ADHD misinformation,” said Dr Rhodes, referencing the 2022 study that found 52 per cent of videos are misleading.

“You only have to watch a couple before an erroneous belief is formed.”

Where the misinformation is coming from appears to have shifted – where once tabloid newspapers were questioning whether the condition exists, now the stigma of mental health has lifted.

However, according to Prof Miller: “With de-stigmatisation there will also be misinformation. We just have to educate ourselves.”

Dr Rhodes added: “People should go to trusted resources, but finding them can be tricky.

“The first port of call would be the NHS website, but also university-based projects are generally a reputable source.”

Dr Rhodes contributes articles to EPIC – the Edinburgh Psychoeducation Intervention for Children and young people – which includes free, downloadable information on neurodevelopmental conditions at epic-information.com

Similarly the UK neurodiversity charity ADHD Foundation has reams of information on its site, adhdfoundation.org.uk