There hasn’t been a single week in the past few years where I haven’t wondered whether I have ADHD or autism. I, like many people, have symptoms of both. Daydreaming. Poor time management. Restlessness. Sensitivity to sound. Taking things too literally. Is it one, is it the other, or… is it just being a human?
Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have had a surge in diagnoses as of late, including among young adults. The incidence of ADHD amongst adults under 30 has increased twentyfold in recent years (from 2000 to 2018), according to a study by UCL researchers, and a 2021 study found a 787 per cent rise in the number of autism diagnoses across all age groups between 1998 and 2018 in the UK.
