ADHD stigma can cause social challenges in school and work settings and impose a barrier to treatment. Untreated ADHD is linked to several negative health outcomes, such as obesity and depression.
Stigma is a negative stereotype or perception about certain characteristics, often based on misinformation or misunderstanding. It can lead to harmful consequences, especially when health is involved.
Despite growing public knowledge and awareness of mental health conditions, there are several common misunderstandings about ADHD that persist and lead to stigma.
According to Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), these myths include the following:
- It isn’t a real disorder.
- It only affects children, not adults.
- It only affects boys or isn’t as severe in girls and women.
- It’s diagnosed too often.
- Bad parenting leads to ADHD.
- People with ADHD are overmedicated.
Neurotypical vs. neurodivergent
Neurotypical describes someone who processes information in ways that are typical within the dominant culture and among their peers.
On the other hand, neurodivergent describes people who process information in a different way due to differences in their brain.
People with ADHD sometimes identify as neurodivergent, but ultimately how they identify is a personal choice.
Stigma can make it challenging to live with ADHD. It can also make it difficult for parents or guardians who care for children with ADHD.
ADHD stigma might cause challenges in social, job, and school settings. Individuals with ADHD may be left out of social interactions and treated differently than their neurotypical peers.
It may also affect how a person with ADHD views themself, especially if they start believing the negative stereotypes about ADHD. This is called internalized stigma or self-stigma.
ADHD symptoms like impulsivity and inattention affect every day functioning and interactions with others. According to a 2024 study, this means people with ADHD can sometimes be perceived as:
- disruptive
- incompetent
- “faking” a diagnosis
Stigma can lead people with ADHD and caregivers to avoid seeking care, which means delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Untreated ADHD is linked to an increased risk of several negative outcomes. These include:
There is also stigma attached to treating ADHD with medication. Misperception about medications being an “easy fix” or compensating for inadequate parenting may make people with ADHD less likely to seek treatment.
Stigma in different age groups
ADHD is a condition that affects people of all ages and can affect people differently in different stages of life.
For example, adults with ADHD may fear disclosing their diagnosis at work due to stigma. Children may feel judged by their classmates at school for behaviors related to ADHD, finding it difficult to fit in and make friends.
A 2024 study found that children with ADHD are more likely to face peer rejection and experience lower friendship quality compared to neurotypical peers.
In adulthood, different kinds of stigma can make it more challenging to live with ADHD. Participants in a 2018 study reported experiencing effects from:
- internalized stigma
- anticipated discrimination
- perceived public stigma
In addition, media representation of ADHD is mostly centered on children with ADHD in classroom settings. This creates the impression that adults do not experience the effects of ADHD and reinforces the notion that ADHD ends after childhood.
In reality, estimates suggest 50 to 70 percent of children with ADHD will continue to experience it in adulthood.
Caring for a child with ADHD can present its own challenges. Many caregivers in this situation navigate stigma.
It’s possible you’ve felt scrutinized by other parents, the child’s teachers, and even healthcare professionals. Stigma can affect the caregiving and treatment choices you make, such as deciding whether to have your child take medication.
Affiliate stigma may be causing these feelings. Affiliate stigma is a type of internalized stigma that affects family members or caregivers of people with a condition such as ADHD.
- lower quality of life
- increase stress
- affect the level of care given to the person with ADHD
- lead to less cooperation with healthcare professionals
- cause negative attitudes toward ADHD diagnosis and treatment
Education is a powerful tool that can help reduce stigma. A 2022 study found that a lack of knowledge surrounding ADHD can influence stigma, which can fuel discriminatory behavior and can serve as a barrier to care.
Consider sharing:
- Your own story: If you’re living with ADHD or caring for a child with ADHD, you can raise awareness by sharing your story. Take advantage of opportunities to increase awareness of the condition in your own social network, local school systems and organizations, news outlets, and beyond.
- Information about treatment: Inform others that medication is not a way to compensate for actual or perceived inadequate parenting or laziness. Instead, it works by correcting ADHD brain chemical differences, and it’s usually effective.
- Reputable sources for learning: Organizations, like Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) and CHADD, are good places to start when looking for ADHD resources and support.
For many people, the stigma connected to ADHD makes the condition more difficult to live with. Stigma can interfere with diagnosis and proper treatment, leading to worse health outcomes.
Sharing accurate information about ADHD is an effective way to help reduce stigma. Whether you offer stories from your own experience or facts and statistics from reliable sources, you’re helping build a bridge between people with ADHD and those who have stigmatized feelings about the condition.
