De-constructing the ADHD narrative in the UK

ADHD is a diagnostic category of psychiatry. According to our estimate around 156,000 young people are currently being drugged “for ADHD” in the UK. There is no biological condition ADHD. And no medical test. Thus there is no “treatment” in any medical sense. The drugs simply curtail the disruptive behaviours which constitute the ADHD “diagnosis” (in some users). The main drug used is methylphenidate which the US DEA describes as being “pharmacologically similar to amphetamines and cocaine”. The new drug atomoxetine is linked to suicidal thinking and behaviour.

In this paper we look at how the narratives about ADHD are constructed. We critically review a number of key papers and we review the NICE Guideline on the diagnosis and “management”