I've long known I have ADHD, but it's nice to have official confirmation of my "non-existent" brain difference. Yes, that's how recent Channel 4 documentary, The Great ADHD Myth, framed one of the most heritable neurodevelopmental conditions in the book. They claim there is "no evidence" that there are any differences in ADHD brains & that what we really need to do is more meditation, to put down our phones, eat well, & spend time outside. Well, I already did all of that & I still have ADHD.

Speaking as someone who used to be well into all that new age stuff, as someone who didn't own a smartphone until I was 30, as someone who is late diagnosed with autism, ADHD, hEDS, POTS, dyslexia & dyscalculia, I have a thing or two to say about this "documentary" & why it is not only harmful to all neurodivergent people, but how it is a part of a wide-reaching campaign of neoliberal propaganda, to cast doubt & suspicion over all young disabled people.

Timestamps

Intro - 00:00

1 Max Pemberton - 09:12

2 Katya Rubia - 25:17

3 Mason - 28:03

4 Concepts, Constructs & Brains - 40:57

5 The Key Clinic - 49:18

6 Strategies - 01:04:35

7 The Process - 01:14:58

8 Conclusions - 01:31:04

More info in the YouTube video description.

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[–] 53 points 1 week ago (1 child)

that what we really need to do is more meditation, to put down our phones, eat well, & spend time outside.

There is no difference in your brain, but for unspecified reasons you need to engage in all these practices that change your brain.

They also need to come up with an explanation for those of us that grew up without phones, running around outdoors and still had ADHD.

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  • [–] 27 points 1 week ago

    It’s patently absurd to deny the existence of ADHD if you’ve got someone with it in your life.

    Focus certainly exists on a spectrum, but it’s pretty obvious when it’s there or not.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    The same ones that didn’t believe it was a real condition were also the ones telling me to make eye contact, that I had so much potential if only I tried harder, yelling at me for tardiness, daydreaming, disorganization, etc. The symptoms were right fucking there. Ignorance is dangerous.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 week ago

    More post-factual anti-science BS. What wild times we live in.

    Isn't there some kind of oversight committee that people can complain to? Channel Four does hold a broadcasting license, after all.

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  • [–] 10 points 1 week ago (4 children)

    If it's that horrible why give it views by linking? 🤔

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  • [–] [S] 15 points 1 week ago* (2 children)

    It's a link to a YouTuber who does long critiques and debunkings:

    Video essays & commentary exploring the social, political & philosophical implications of neurodiversity & disability in the modern world.

    She has some nice and rare ones too.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 week ago*

    ...and, here she is critiquing and debunking said documentary, so this is not the horrible video itself.

    That detail doesn't seem immediately obvious to me here without watching the video.

    Sincerely,
    Someone without the attention span to learn things from videos.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago

    If there is no difference in my brain, then how can I take a stimulant drug, drink an entire coffee, then fall asleep for a few hours?

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