Many celebrities are speaking out about NPF — for better or worse

ADHD and autism are becoming increasingly visible in streaming media, and the list is long nowadays celebrities Who reported their diagnosis. Among the latest in this category is Laura Johnson, who spoke recently Express About the journey towards sobriety and autism seems to be in the picture. Comedian Kristen Meltzer recently received a diagnosis of ADHD in connection with discovering that her son has dyslexia.

-I've been doing this for 20 years nonstop, and I've been driving for 220 years. Everything fell into place when I got the diagnosis. […] Quite a few people my age do an investigation and get a diagnosis. Whatever gives understanding is good, she told member newspaper Riksförbundet Attention.

Celebrities being open about their diagnosis is a positive thing, if you ask chief physician and researcher Lotta Borg Skoglund. Celebrity stories can contribute to hope, confidence, and self-confidence.

– Shows that the diagnosis is not something to be ashamed of or hide. There's tremendous power in identifying with someone and seeing that it's possible to live a rich, successful life with a diagnosis, when you can find strategies that cover up the difficulties, she says, but she adds an objection:

– But of course it is very important that you have enough time to process your situation and choose what you want to share and what you want to keep to yourself, before you tell your story to the rest of the world.

“Not everyone has these resources.”
During the first wave of celebrities speaking out about their ADHD diagnosis, it became common to describe ADHD as a superpower. And soon he came The answer is to speak. Riksförbundet Attention said celebrity stories risk giving a distorted image that minimizes the suffering involved with disability. The celebrities heard and seen in the media belong to the small crowd that makes it through the eye of the needle, and rarely represent what the average person with the diagnosis experiences. When the comedian Jonathan Ong is interviewed In Special Nest he highlighted that successful people have resources that compensate for a disability.

– ADHD is a huge problem: I miss my meetings, I forget my bills, I get push notifications, the power goes out, and I mess up things that a normal person could handle without a drone. I don't understand how ADHD is a godsend – how many people with ADHD aren't in Swedish prisons? I still manage my business fairly well, because I earn enough to afford the help of cleaners, accountants and agents. In addition, my father had money to pay off my debts and repair the apartment. “Not all people with ADHD have these resources, and I don't know how they deal with it,” he said.

Lotta Borg Skoglund says it's easier to talk about ADHD or autism when there's a successful life story at the forefront. Her analysis is that it can be easy to confuse diagnosis with the key ingredient in the recipe for success.

– If you are successful, you often have other strong personality traits that can compensate for your disability – for example, being very verbal and sociable, it is easier to surround yourself with people who think you are nice and likeable, and are willing to do so. To stand up. So, it's not the diagnosis that made you move forward in life, but other positive qualities.

At the same time – long queues and over-diagnosis
Lotta Borg Skoglund criticizes the media that tries to exploit the public's health anxiety by portraying ADHD and autism as serious, hidden diseases.

-I get very upset about posts like “4 Signs You Have ADHD – Go to a Doctor.” It feels like fodder for dry news, scaring people into seeking care even though they may not need it. its a problem. You don't have to worry that you're “walking around and have ADHD without even knowing it.” Because if you have ADHD, you won't be able to make life go well, even though you try and try.

Investigation lines are many years old in many places. SVT Västerbotten I recently interviewed a mother who chose to pay for a private investigation into her seven-year-old son's ADHD, after it became clear that the waiting list at BUP could be over five years long. In addition, one has Discuss overdiagnosis It has gained momentum in recent years.

– Now I sit here and say that overdiagnosis must end […]. Today, fewer symptoms of autism are needed to make a diagnosis than 15 years ago. Professor Christopher Gilberg said in his interview with Newsweek that the frequency of what we call autism traits or symptoms was stable, but the number of recorded diagnoses went very quickly. Life Academy Podcast.

“Applies to criticizing sources”
Regarding the influx of information about ADHD and autism in the media, Lotta Borg Skoglund says it's difficult for the common man to fact-check between personal anecdotes and click-bait exaggerations. For accurate, science-based information, she recommends experienced research groups, such as the Gelberg Center in Gothenburg, KIND in Stockholm, and also the patient associations Attention and Autism Switzerland.

– They are good at communicating research and science without affectation. As researchers, we like to be a voice that can be trusted, but many of us find it difficult to translate the language of research into something that people in everyday life can understand. In addition, there is Very bad Research, so it is important to criticize sources and find studies that can be trusted.