20/08/2026
UKAAN United Kingdom adult adhd network. In response to C4 sensationalist programme.
Is ADHD a myth?
Professor Philip Asherson on behalf of UKAAN, 19th August 2026
The idea that ADHD can be dismissed as a myth or social construct has been around for decades. The NICE 2008 guidelines for example included an entire chapter on this topic, the only condition NICE has done this for before or since. So, controversy has always followed this condition.
There are wonderful publications summarising all the data that is established on ADHD, showing it to be a good predictor of impairment, genetic and environmental risks, functional brain differences and predictable treatment effects. It is important to identify ADHD, as there are effective evidence-based treatments which make a positive difference to people's lives. Hence consistent recommendations from NICE and other guideline groups around the world.
Heritability is around 70-80% which confirms the reliability of the measures used and the importance of genetic influences. Interplay between genes and environment is expected but identifying modifiable environmental risks has not proven straightforward.
It is associated with important negative outcomes including increased risk of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, accidents, deaths from accidents and su***de, poor educational outcomes, smoking and obesity - among many others. It is strongly associated with emotional dysregulation and sleep problems. Medication effects on core symptoms are well established. reducing the severity and impact of ADHD symptoms.
Any outstanding controversy appears to stem from the quantitative nature of ADHD symptoms in the general population. Research has clearly demonstrated that ADHD (the clinical disorder) reflects the extreme of ADHD traits in the entire population - like hypertension and obesity. So many people experience some level of ADHD symptoms but do not meet clinical criteria. Around 80% of adults report very few ADHD symptoms, around 5% report four or more symptoms and 2.5% meet criteria for the clinical disorder.
The clinical disorder includes not only a cluster of symptoms but also persistence over time and across different situations and, importantly, significant impairment from the symptoms. Impairment should be at a level that most people would agree requires medical, educational or psychological interventions to prevent both immediate and long-term harms.
It’s true diagnosis rates have shot up in recent years but from a very low level. For years ADHD went undiagnosed or mis-diagnosed for other conditions.
If ADHD is a myth, it’s a reliably identifiable, heritable and treatable myth.
Resources for further reading in relation to Channel 4's "The Great ADHD Myth?":
Science Media Centre expert reactions to the programme
Royal College of Psychiatrists statement
RCPsych blog from 19th August
