watch: we take a look at #adhd symptom videos
while social media might help viewers recognize little-known symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, experts warn it's not the same as a diagnosis from a healthcare provider.
3 minute read
we apologize, but this video has failed to load.
try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
while tiktok videos focused on how to identify signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd) can be helpful, it’s important that anyone experiencing symptoms check in with a health care professional in order to be properly diagnosed.
many tiktokers will happily provide viewers with what they perceive as the typical traits of people with adhd — in fact, the videos are so pervasive on the app, especially if the algorithms identify you as someone interested in adhd, that it can begin to feel like everything is a symptom of the neurodevelopmental disorder.
doron almagor, md, frcpc, child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist and director of the possibilities clinic, says that while in general videos providing lists or examples of possible symptoms of adhd may help shed some light on what a viewer is experiencing, and often leads to people coming in for an assessment — it’s not a great idea to rely on them to self-diagnose or self-treat.
“it’s like anything in social media and the internet, there are positives and negatives,” says almagor. “i think the positives are that [the videos] allow for more self-identification and screening…but it doesn’t mean once you’ve screened for something — let’s say cancer, adhd, depression or diabetes — that you actually have that. the next step is a more in-depth assessment.”
advertisement
while viewers may have symptoms of adhd, it’s possible that these symptoms also overlap with a different condition (difficulty concentrating may also be a symptom of anemia or epilepsy, for example,) which a mental health professional will be able to determine.
almagor also warns against any videos or articles that links to a product or clinic, stressing that treatment options should be thoroughly discussed with a health care provider.
greater representation for less-known symptoms
while the symptoms of adhd include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, mainstream understanding of adhd frequently focuses on on the high-energy, impulsive traits that not everyone with the condition will experience. this can lead to a misidentification of the other symptoms of adhd, meaning many people who need help — especially women — don’t get it.
“the hyperactive kind of adhd, that’s easy to spot. it’s the kid who bounces off the wall, won’t sit still, can’t focus on their homework,” michelle allan, a master of journalism candidate researching women’s experiences with adhd, told healthing in 2021. “but people don’t understand that adhd does have the inattentive sub-type, where it can just be someone who daydreams, someone who has a hard time focusing.”
advertisement
so while tiktok can be a great tool for increasing society’s understanding about the various misunderstood aspects of adhd, health-care professionals also need to be involved to help treat what can be a serious condition.
a global decrease in attention spans
attention spans have been on the decline since the introduction of social media, however, this impact isn’t the same as an adhd diagnosis.
one study, published in nature communications, indicates that the ever-increasing demands on our attention may decrease the amount of attention we give to each item. the study monitored how long the top 50 hashtags on twitter stayed popular, finding that in 2013, a hashtag typically stayed in the top 50 list for an average of 17.5 hours. by 2016, this had decreased 11.9 hours.
this study doesn’t indicate that our attention span has decreased, merely that we have more items competing for the same attention span we’ve always had, which leads to a rapid overturn in what we pay attention to.
while many may be feeling the strain of constantly needing to jump from subject to subject, almagor warns against assuming that it indicates adhd. experts say that taking breaks from our social media pages — to take some time in green space or do some physical activity, for example — can help improve our moods and replenish our ability to focus, which isn’t the case for those with adhd.
advertisement
“actual adhd is a neurobiological disorder that is not caused by electronics via social media and so forth. it’s very disabling,” says almagor “it can causes job loss, academic failure, it causes an increased mortality rate…it’s quite different.”
emma jones is a multimedia editor with healthing. you can reach her at emjones@postmedia.com or on twitter @jonesyjourn
thank you for your support. if you liked this story, please send it to a friend. every share counts.
share story
