About

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly shortened to ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattentiveness, hyper-fixation, impulsivity and excessive energy. The disorder is relatively common, as over 84 million people have been diagnosed with ADHD. The disorder has proven to be a point of debate, as some believe that the diagnostic criteria for ADHD is within the range of normal behavior and should not be treated, while others view it as a more serious condition. Online, that debate has translated into arguments about the disorder's seriousness, leading some to joke about the way ADHD is discussed on social media.

Background

ADHD has been present throughout human history; in 1798, Sir Alexander Chricton described observing what is now understood to be ADHD as "the fidgets."^[1] In the 20th century, it was included in all five versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) with the terminology around the disorder broadened to include the Inattentive and Hyperactive-Impulsive forms of ADHD. The disorder can be treated with therapy and/or behavioral medications such as stimulants.^[2]

Online Presence

In the 21st century online, there have been differing opinions on how ADHD should be discussed on social media, with some making posts implying the disorder is very serious and others arguing against that claim and making jokes at its expense. For example, in early 2021, a Twitter user posted, "People with ADHD are not motivated by rewards. They are motivated by the joy they get out of doing things. It's very hard for ADHD people to force themselves to do work they don't enjoy, even if the reward is money or something they need. They need to feel good about what they do." This inspired Twitter users to criticize and joke about the premise of the tweet (examples shown below).

In July of 2021, some Twitter users began poking fun at the seriousness with which some discuss having ADHD. For example, user @gracecamille_^[3] posted a fake story about her boyfriend breaking up with her due to her ADHD, gaining over 3,100 likes (shown below, left). User @bobbyteriyaki^[4] posted a joke about getting out of a speeding ticket due to their ADHD, gaining over 160 retweets and 2,600 likes (shown below, right).

On July 19th, 2021, YouTuber Gabbie Hanna posted a video explaining her break from the platform after getting embroiled in controversies with several YouTubers. In the video description, she discussed having ADHD, saying her ADHD made her act in negative ways.^[5] This attracted criticism from people who felt she was trivializing ADHD and blaming bad behavior on the illness.^[6]

Search Interest

External References