04/09/2026
Hi. I'm Katie, one of the founders of Creative 4 You. I'm an Art Psychotherapist, which is one aspect of my identity, but I'm also a woman who is late diagnosed with ADHD and in that assessment, it was suggested I have some autism in this brain of mine as well, (diagnosis pending when I have the funds/ patience to battle my GP and mental energy to look into it properly).
You've probably seen our posts about our creative support group for parents of SEN children, you've probably also seen a certain documentary from Channel 4 about ADHD, with the most infuriating title, specifically designed to rage bait people into watching.
I have not watched the documentary. I will not watch the documentary. This is for my own, for want of a better word, sanity. The title alone is enough to show me that the documentary has not been made in good faith, or in the interests of providing a balanced/ nuanced argument.
Here is my stance, as a late diagnosed, flew under the radar because I'm smart and quiet when I'm scared of getting into trouble, woman in my late 30's, art psychotherapist that wants to support other neurodivergent people.
This documentary in just it's title is deliberately harmful. I'm not going to speak on something that I haven't watched but judging by the social discourse, it's also breaking a few medical rules as well.
ADHD is a well studied, and well documented neurodevelopmental difference, categorised by differing brain structures which translate into differing behaviours in attention and hyperactivity.
There are studies which show this difference in brain imaging. There is a study which was able to show the brain of the ADHD population sampled, "turning off" when asked to concentrate on a boring task. ADHD is, and always will be, real, documented and has traits that can be traced back in history. ADHD is described in indigenous cultures and valued for its positive contribution to those cultures. In short, ADHD exists. It may not be properly defined yet, the DSM 5 is constantly being updated, but the fact remains that no matter what new name they give it, ADHD as a brain configuration exists.
The fact also remains that ADHD-ers, especially late diagnosed people, are more likely to have mental health problems. They have 4.7 fold higher rate of su***de (sensoring for facebook purposes) where a co-morbid mental health condition is present. 4.1 fold higher rate of su***de where no other mental health conditions occur. (study linked below) Telling the general public that there is some sort of questioning around the validity of diagnosis (already had that "documentary" a few years ago) and even the validity of the existence of biological, from birth differing brain chemistry, is directly harmful to a population that is already at a higher risk of mental health problems.
If you have/ are (however you like to phrase it for yourself) ADHD, or if you're questioning why everything is so damn hard compared to everyone else and being told you're depressed and anxious just isn't sitting right, I see you. You are not put together wrong, or failing because you're broken compared to everyone else. You are functioning in a world that has had all of it's natural flexibility ripped away to be replaced by societal structure so rigid it's hard to breathe. You were born to dance, be creative, try everything all at once and be joyful doing it. You were born to live your life, not just perform it for other people.
Go out there, find your whimsy and be proud in it.
Most of all, take care.
Katie xx
Photo description: The image shows Katie, a white woman with brown hair, wearing a black t-shirt, with her head on a pillow looking at the black cat that has stolen said pillow. There is a blue background of patterned wallpaper, and an orange pine bed frame behind them both. The look on Katie's face shows both love and mild annoyance at the cat. The cat is called Gizzard.
Sources:
neuroimaging of brain function during tasks-
https://neurolaunch.com/fmri-adhd/
Staitistical su***de study- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/suicidal-behaviour-among-persons-with-attentiondeficit-hyperactivity-disorder/6CECF48A64E415C871D233B2607114ED
Other information - https://adhduk.co.uk/
