Long slender neck wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 12:25 am
The conclusion seems to be that modern life and particularly the education system has become too rigid, dull and sterile and kids who dont conform to it may get diagnosed and medicated until they do. Dystopian really.
Do you think modern life and the education system is more rigid, dull and sterile, than say, 100 years ago? I think it's the opposite. Which begs the question, is ADHD new or have the same amount of people % wise suffered with it forever but there's never been a real route to get help.
I think there is something to be said for how our society, schooling and work is set up to only focus on productivity = good, anything else = bad - which makes it all worse because people feel like a failure and are seen as such if they aren't productive. Hence some of the views on here that it's just a personality trait, being lazy and all.
There's a theory that ADHD brain stems from hunter gatherer days when you needed a set of people to be motivated by fear and challenge and be able to hyper focus on one things i.e. hunting despite the peril attached.
Long slender neck wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 12:25 am
The conclusion seems to be that modern life and particularly the education system has become too rigid, dull and sterile and kids who dont conform to it may get diagnosed and medicated until they do. Dystopian really.
Do you think modern life and the education system is more rigid, dull and sterile, than say, 100 years ago? I think it's the opposite. Which begs the question, is ADHD new or have the same amount of people % wise suffered with it forever but there's never been a real route to get help.
I think there is something to be said for how our society, schooling and work is set up to only focus on productivity = good, anything else = bad - which makes it all worse because people feel like a failure and are seen as such if they aren't productive. Hence some of the views on here that it's just a personality trait, being lazy and all.
There's a theory that ADHD brain stems from hunter gatherer days when you needed a set of people to be motivated by fear and challenge and be able to hyper focus on one things i.e. hunting despite the peril attached.
I think kids get nowhere near enough outdoor and hands on time and i think if you compare that to years ago, its got worse as time has gone on. Stuck indoors, stuck on screens, no outlet for all that energy. Schools obsessed with boring subjects where you're at your desk with a book. Not enough sports, arts and practical skills.
Wally Banter wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 8:13 am
I prefer to focus on the social model of disability, rather than fixate on the whys, whos and hows of ‘qualifying’ for a neurodivergence label (while respecting that the label can be very empowering and illuminating for individuals). Most of the world hasn’t been set up with different abilities and neurologies in mind.
As others have testified, certainty the Victorian educational system of sitting for hours learning to be some kind of clerk is no longer useful to many.
Workplace environments can be adjusted to ensure employees have a better and fairer experience.
Businesses can adjust their premises, communication and product design to cater to a wider range of people.
In my mind, the focus should be on what barriers people experience going about their everyday life and how these can be removed or reduced, rather than getting into culture wars about neurodivergence and whose fault it is.
Long slender neck wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 12:25 am
The conclusion seems to be that modern life and particularly the education system has become too rigid, dull and sterile and kids who dont conform to it may get diagnosed and medicated until they do. Dystopian really.
Do you think modern life and the education system is more rigid, dull and sterile, than say, 100 years ago? I think it's the opposite. Which begs the question, is ADHD new or have the same amount of people % wise suffered with it forever but there's never been a real route to get help.
I think there is something to be said for how our society, schooling and work is set up to only focus on productivity = good, anything else = bad - which makes it all worse because people feel like a failure and are seen as such if they aren't productive. Hence some of the views on here that it's just a personality trait, being lazy and all.
There's a theory that ADHD brain stems from hunter gatherer days when you needed a set of people to be motivated by fear and challenge and be able to hyper focus on one things i.e. hunting despite the peril attached.
I think kids get nowhere near enough outdoor and hands on time and i think if you compare that to years ago, its got worse as time has gone on. Stuck indoors, stuck on screens, no outlet for all that energy. Schools obsessed with boring subjects where you're at your desk with a book. Not enough sports, arts and practical skills.
I agree to an extent. I dont think going outside more is going to rewire my brain but it has its benefits. Personally, one of the benefits of me realising i probably have it is how much impact my diet has on it. Really is a bit of a game changer if i can get into good habits with that.
Generalising but i do think a lot of ADHD'ers are more on the creative side so you are right that we're still obsessed with the academic stuff. When I was at school Maths and Science literally felt like torture. I didnt do what i was supposed to do, had 0 focus, was told i was sh*t and failing and then I went to music and could spend hours doing one thing to a high standard.
Screen time is an interesting one and perhaps a newish social element that is leading to the rise. Algorithms designed to ping your dopamine. I find myself scrolling endlessly through reels designed to make me feel good and basically deplete my dopamine, which makes other life stuff seem less fun.
Wally Banter wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 8:13 am
I prefer to focus on the social model of disability, rather than fixate on the whys, whos and hows of ‘qualifying’ for a neurodivergence label (while respecting that the label can be very empowering and illuminating for individuals). Most of the world hasn’t been set up with different abilities and neurologies in mind.
As others have testified, certainty the Victorian educational system of sitting for hours learning to be some kind of clerk is no longer useful to many.
Workplace environments can be adjusted to ensure employees have a better and fairer experience.
Businesses can adjust their premises, communication and product design to cater to a wider range of people.
In my mind, the focus should be on what barriers people experience going about their everyday life and how these can be removed or reduced, rather than getting into culture wars about neurodivergence and whose fault it is.
Is fidgeting a disability?
I could try to answer that question, if you'll answer this question first:
Where does that question come from?
(a) A passive-aggressive desire to minimise ADHD, because you don't believe it exists?
(b) A passive-aggressive desire to minimise ADHD, because you feel resentful towards people who get some support or adjustments for it?
(c) Just straightforward WUMming?
If I can only pick from those options, I'll go with b.
I have had family members with real disabilities, so in comparison I feel like a lot of people are taking the piss and gaming the system to gain some sort of advantage/benefit that is not deserved. Its the flawed system that bothers me.
Long slender neck wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 11:07 am
If I can only pick from those options, I'll go with b.
I have had family members with real disabilities, so in comparison I feel like a lot of people are taking the piss and gaming the system to gain some sort of advantage/benefit that is not deserved. Its the flawed system that bothers me.
So I guess that's why I'd prefer to focus on the barriers individuals experience and how they might be overcome.
If there are people who attempt to use a diagnosis to shield themselves from work or responsibilites - and I'm sure we could debate about what proportion of people that is - rather than locating that 'problem' in the individual, I'd be more curious about what has generated that mindset and how it can be shifted.
Long slender neck wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 11:07 am
If I can only pick from those options, I'll go with b.
I have had family members with real disabilities, so in comparison I feel like a lot of people are taking the piss and gaming the system to gain some sort of advantage/benefit that is not deserved. Its the flawed system that bothers me.
You know a big trait of ADHD is strong sense of justice and getting upset/annoyed if things seem unfair. You seem to really hate the thought of people getting one over on you or yours. Perhaps it’s time for a diagnosis?
CEB2ElectricBoogaloo wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2026 5:35 pm
Sorry, you seem to be under the impression that you’re the one I’m here to talk to; I’m not, I think you’re an uninteresting tw*t, and I’m not posting to convince you of something.
Ask a question that’s rooted in engagement with something I said rather than in your own preconceived notions and you’ll get a better answer x
The thing is, you don’t contribute to debates you throw in a hand-grenade and see who blows up. You then seem to get unhealthy pleasure from the arguments that then arise and if they do not progress to your desired level, you throw in puerile abuse in a forlorn attempt to provoke it. Pontification in your way is not only attention-seeking twaddle but deeply unedifying.
This board is a much better place without you stinking it up.
Does an ADHD diagnosis lead to any financial benefits to the recipient ? As far as I know any right to PIP is still contingent on an assessment which will focus on what the claimant can and can't do. The diagnosis itself doesn't bestow any cash advantages, does it?
If my understanding here is correct, then how is someone gaming the system by getting a diagnosis ?
I'm not underestimating the strain that the huge rise in numbers of people trying to get seen with ADHD is causing the NHS, nor the massive cost the private providers are skimming off the top, but I am trying to understand how someone trying to understand why they interact with the world differently to "the norm" is such a cause for resentment.
since the 2020 pandemic have been related to mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions, with the share of total claims related to ADHD, autism, depression or anxiety rising from around 16.5% in 2020 to 24% in 2026.
I dont know if PIP is the only benefit available.
For me, its also about it being treated as a disability, total nonsense as far as I'm concerned.
Long slender neck wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2026 9:09 am
For me, its also about it being treated as a disability, total nonsense as far as I'm concerned.
Under the Equality Act 2010, a person is legally disabled if they meet two main criteria:
1 - Physical or mental impairment: This includes sensory impairments, learning difficulties, chronic health conditions, and mental health issues.
2 - Substantial and long-term effect: The adverse effect must be more than minor or trivial (substantial) and last—or be expected to last—for at least 12 months (long-term)
So, ADHD is included a disability if symptoms cause significant, long-term challenges with daily functioning like concentrating, planning, or working.
CEB2ElectricBoogaloo wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2026 5:35 pm
Sorry, you seem to be under the impression that you’re the one I’m here to talk to; I’m not, I think you’re an uninteresting tw*t, and I’m not posting to convince you of something.
Ask a question that’s rooted in engagement with something I said rather than in your own preconceived notions and you’ll get a better answer x
The thing is, you don’t contribute to debates you throw in a hand-grenade and see who blows up. You then seem to get unhealthy pleasure from the arguments that then arise and if they do not progress to your desired level, you throw in puerile abuse in a forlorn attempt to provoke it. Pontification in your way is not only attention-seeking twaddle but deeply unedifying.
This board is a much better place without you stinking it up.
Having been on the receiving end of a number of his obsessive campaigns the thing that I notice about him is that he will self appoint himself as the board “expert” on a topic and proceed to lecture, barrage and talk down to others with this fabricated sense of both ownership of the discussion (as if he is master of ceremonies for all discourse related to the subject) and authority. Look closely. He is never open to having his mind changed, listening to the alternative perspective of others or accepting that differing interpretations exist. His entire output is about him being “right”.
I do sometimes wonder what's so attractive about just posting openly nasty stuff on a lower league football message board populated by a few dozen people? Must be better things one could do.
Proposition Joe wrote: Fri Aug 28, 2026 11:57 am
I do sometimes wonder what's so attractive about just posting openly nasty stuff on a lower league football message board populated by a few dozen people? Must be better things one could do.
Coming on a lower league message board to exclusively throw abuse at the person who moderates it is strange behaviour, I agree.
