ADHD Is Not A Trend

Over the past few years, conversations about ADHD have exploded across media and social platforms, and while increased awareness can be a positive thing, there’s also been a concerning trend: ADHD being portrayed as a quirky personality trait, a punchline, or even a passing fad.

As someone who is not an ADHD person myself, I wanted to approach this conversation with care. So, I sat down with my husband, who is ADHD, to gather his insights and lived experience. This post isn't designed to speak for everyone — every ADHD journey is unique — but I hope it sheds light on why genuine understanding (not just surface-level awareness) matters so deeply.

ADHD Is Not A Trend But A Lifelong Reality

ADHD is the most common mental health condition in Australian children aged 4 to 17, and about half of these individuals continue to experience significant difficulties well into adulthood.

Recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show around 800,000 Australians live with ADHD, and diagnoses are rising not because it’s “trendy” but because public awareness is finally catching up to the reality neurodivergent people have faced all along.

The cost of untreated ADHD is enormous — personally and nationally. Research estimates that the impact on Australia exceeds $20 billion every year, affecting education, employment, healthcare, and the justice system.

Awareness isn't enough. We need real acceptance, real support, and real action.

What The ADHD Senate Inquiry Revealed

In 2024, a Senate inquiry was launched to investigate how Australians access ADHD diagnosis and support. After 700 submissions, including my husband, and evidence from 79 witnesses, the findings were clear:

• Access is broken. Long waitlists, soaring costs, and a lack of public services, particularly for adults and regional Australians, leave many unsupported.

  
  

• Stigma still hurts. Many people with ADHD face judgment, disbelief, and dismissal—not only socially but in medical, educational, and workplace systems.

  
  

• Intersectionality matters. Girls, women, AFAB people, gender-diverse individuals, First Nations peoples, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities face even greater barriers to diagnosis and support.

  
  

• The human cost is immense. Beyond economic numbers, the biggest impact is on people’s health, self-esteem, relationships, education, and financial stability.

The committee emphasised that Australians with ADHD deserve consistent, timely, best-practice assessment and lifelong support—and that the current system is letting too many people down.

Lived Experience

I asked my husband what he wished more people understood about ADHD beyond the social media memes and how the media portrays it. Here’s what he shared:

💬 “ADHD doesn’t mean I’m forgetful and funny. It means my brain struggles to regulate, plan, and prioritise basic daily tasks. Things like replying to a text message or making a phone call can feel mentally exhausting.”

💬 “It affects relationships, work, sleep, health. It’s not just being ‘scatterbrained’—it’s fighting through executive dysfunction every single day.”

💬 “Without diagnosis until I was 30, I spent a large proportion of my life thinking I was lazy or broken. Proper support changed my life—but accessing that support was a battle and expensive.”

💬 “It’s not a vibe. It’s real. And it deserves more than being treated like a joke.”

Everyone’s experience is different, but what is universal is that ADHD is not a "trend" — it is a legitimate, lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that deserves respect, understanding, and support.

What Can We Do?

✅ Listen to lived experiences. Not everyone experiences ADHD in the same way. Listening without judgment or assumptions matters.

✅ Challenge stereotypes. Stereotypes like “ADHD is just little boys who’ve had too much red cordial” are outdated and harmful.

✅ Push for better support systems. Diagnosis shouldn’t cost thousands of dollars or take years to access. Everyone deserves timely, affordable, best-practice care.

✅ Use affirming language. We say "is ADHD" or "ADHD person," not "has ADHD" — because it's not something you catch or cure. It's part of who someone is.

✅ Acknowledge the nuance. Some ADHD people view their identity through a disability lens, others through a neurodivergence lens, and others through both or neither. All experiences are valid.

We are so grateful for the courageous individuals who shared their experiences with the Senate Inquiry — including my husband, who lent his voice to the cause. Change is coming, but there’s still so much work to do.

If you're navigating ADHD, either for yourself or your child, know this: you are not alone, you are not broken, and you deserve support that sees the whole you.

Understanding beats stereotypes, advocacy beats awareness alone, and most importantly, every brain deserves to be celebrated for exactly what it is.