Are Neurodivergent Conditions Like ADHD and Autism Overdiagnosed in the UK in 2025?

01 May 2025

By Andrew Lambert

Are Neurodivergent Conditions Like ADHD and Autism Overdiagnosed in the UK in 2025? featured image

Why are so many people being diagnosed with autism and ADHD?

Short answer? Because they were missed the first time.

The spike in diagnoses isn’t because these conditions are suddenly trendy. It’s because people, especially women, non-binary folks, and those assigned female at birth, were overlooked for decades. The diagnostic criteria were built around hyperactive schoolboys. Not quiet girls daydreaming out the window. Not adults juggling burnout, anxiety, and sensory overload while trying to "hold it together."

Sad female lightbulb character with a blue bow, sitting on the floor with a tearful expression, conveying feelings of exclusion and sorrow.

Is ADHD and autism overdiagnosed? No, What we’re seeing now is the backlog catching up.

Late diagnosis often comes after years of internal struggle. People learn to mask so well that they don’t realise they’re doing it. Until something cracks - burnout, a breakdown, a job loss, a health scare, and they finally start putting the pieces together.

It’s not about more people “having” ADHD or autism. It’s about more people finally having language for what they’ve always experienced.

What happens if you have both ADHD and autism?

It’s more common than you might think. Studies suggest 30–50% of people with one diagnosis also meet criteria for the other.

Having both can feel like internal contradictions fighting for control. ADHD might push you to act on impulse, while autism makes you crave predictability and routine. You might be hyperverbal one moment and completely shutdown the next. You might thrive in novelty but need recovery time that no one sees.

The diagnostic system likes neat boxes. But lived experience isn’t neat.

That's why services like ADHDaptive Coaching and Consultancy exist, to support the full, messy picture of how these conditions overlap.

Many of us don't want a label for the sake of it. We want support. Tools. Language. Relief. We want to stop blaming ourselves for not coping in a world that was never built for us.

What is the controversy over the diagnosis of ADHD?

There’s a growing narrative, especially in media and politics, that ADHD is being “overdiagnosed.”

That it's a “trend.” That people are self-diagnosing for convenience. That kids are just misbehaving. That adults want an excuse.

It’s not new. And it's not helpful.

This backlash usually comes from a misunderstanding of what ADHD actually is. It’s not just “can’t sit still” or “forgot my keys.” It's executive dysfunction. Emotional dysregulation. Rejection sensitivity. Chronic overwhelm.

It’s struggling with the day-to-day things that neurotypical people take for granted, and then being made to feel lazy, selfish, or incompetent because of it.

When public figures claim that ADHD is overblown or invented, it sends a clear message to those quietly suffering: you’re not valid.

Is ADHD overdiagnosed now?

Let’s be honest: some private providers are handing out diagnoses faster than they should. That’s not in dispute.

But that’s a symptom of a bigger problem.

The NHS waiting lists are years long. People are desperate. And desperation creates a market.

Still, even with rising numbers, research suggests ADHD is still underdiagnosed, especially in women and people of colour. Many who do get diagnosed do so after decades of being misdiagnosed with anxiety, depression, or personality disorders.

So is it being overdiagnosed? Maybe in isolated cases.

But systemically? No. We’re finally getting closer to the real numbers.

What’s actually behind the rising numbers?

A few things:

Increased awareness and education
Better screening tools (though still flawed)
Social media giving people language and connection
A cultural shift toward questioning neurotypical norms

People aren’t “catching” ADHD or autism from TikTok. They’re recognising themselves in stories that were invisible ten years ago.

And that matters.

Why this backlash is dangerous

When we treat rising diagnoses as a problem, we miss the point.

These aren’t trends. They’re truths finally coming to light. People who spent decades thinking they were broken are realising they were just unsupported.

ADHDappi, a cartoon lightbulb character, looking confused while reading a book with a question mark above his head.

That’s not overdiagnosis. That’s justice.

And if we’re serious about inclusion, we need to meet this moment with more than debate. We need accessible pathways. Informed clinicians. Trauma-aware support.

That’s what ADHDaptive is here for. Through coaching and neuroinclusion consultancy, we help people stop masking and start understanding themselves.

Final thoughts

Every time someone says “ADHD is being overdiagnosed,” I think about the people who still can’t get diagnosed at all.

Cartoon lightbulb character smiling with one hand resting on its cheek and the other gesturing outward, expressing warmth and friendliness.

The single mum who can’t afford a private assessment. The Black teenager told he’s just disruptive. The late-diagnosed woman who spent years believing she was just bad at life.

This conversation isn’t about numbers. It’s about people. And they deserve better.

So if you’re wondering whether ADHD and autism are overdiagnosed in the UK, here’s my answer:

Some systems are flawed. Some stats are skewed. But more people are being seen, and that’s not a crisis. That’s a long-overdue correction.

If any of this sounds familiar, get in touch. And if you’re after tools that actually make a difference, our online store is a good place to start.

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