Is ADHD Overdiagnosed? What’s Behind the Rise 

Written By Dr. Alexandra Spessott, Medical Director at AIM

It can feel like ADHD is everywhere right now. Your coworker just got diagnosed. Your sister thinks she might have it. Half of TikTok seems to be talking about it. So what’s going on—is ADHD actually more common than it used to be, or are we just better at recognizing it? The answer, as with most things in medicine, is a bit of both. 

As a psychiatrist and the Medical Director at Advaita Integrated Medicine I think this is one of the most important conversations happening in mental health right now. Let’s unpack what’s really driving the increase—and where we need to be careful. 

ADHD Diagnoses Are Rising — And Some of That Is a Good Thing 

We are definitely seeing higher rates of ADHD diagnosis across the board, and there is research to suggest that broadened diagnostic criteria, increased public awareness, and better recognition in underrepresented populations have all played a role. I think that’s right, and I’d add a few things. 

There’s been an expanded awareness about ADHD symptoms — but especially about how ADHD shows up in adults and in adult women specifically. For a long time, ADHD was seen as a childhood condition that kids “grew out of.”

We now know that’s not the case, and people are recognizing themselves in these descriptions for the first time. That’s genuinely a positive development. 

Modern Distractions Fuel ADHD

I also think life in the 21st century has a lot to do with it. Our world is filled with potential distractions 24/7, 365. You can access the news, social media, and a hundred of your closest friends with any other app—just by tapping an icon. For a person whose brain is already prone to distraction, that can be really challenging. 

And in the workforce, we’re very much tethered to our desks for hours and hours at a time. It’s difficult for any brain—ADHD or not—to sustain focus for hours on end. That’s just not a realistic expectation for your brain. 

I think this drives a number of people with mild to moderate ADHD symptoms to reach out for help who wouldn’t have needed to 20 years ago—and definitely not 100-plus years ago, when more people were farmers and doing jobs that involved activity and movement. For some brains, that’s simply a more suitable way of living. Our environment has changed; our brains haven’t. 

The Danger of Over-Medicalization 

Now, here’s where I want to pump the brakes a little, because there are definitely some pitfalls to look out for. Probably the biggest danger I see is over-medicalization, because it’s actually totally normal to be distractible sometimes. 

You might lose your train of thought; you might misplace your car keys—those are just life things that happen, and it doesn’t mean you’ve got a problem. Not every moment of forgetfulness is ADHD, and we have to be careful about pathologizing normal human experiences.

Humans are susceptible to group influence, and when you fall into a social media rabbit hole feeding you content about the latest diagnosis — and you see everyone around you self-diagnosing — it can be tough not to read that into yourself. 

When It Looks Like ADHD But Isn’t 

Another major issue is what I would call misattribution. Often someone will be experiencing symptoms that look like ADHD, but it’s actually something else entirely. 

Cannabis, for example, can have profound effects on attention, organization, and the ability to start and finish tasks. Given how widespread cannabis use is, this is a major issue that doesn’t get talked about enough. Anxiety is another common mimicker. Being chronically worried can really affect somebody’s ability to pay attention.

If your mind is racing with “what ifs” all day, of course you’re going to have trouble focusing—but that’s not the same thing as ADHD, and the treatment is very different. This is exactly why a thorough, multi-step ADHD evaluation matters so much. We need to rule out what it isn’t before we can confidently say what it is. 

ADHD in the Workplace: Why More Adults Are Seeking Help 

One trend I’m seeing more and more is adults seeking an ADHD evaluation not because something suddenly changed, but because their work environment did.

The modern workplace demands sustained focus for hours on end — back-to-back meetings, long stretches at a desk, constant email and Slack notifications. For someone whose brain was already prone to distraction, that’s an incredibly difficult setup. And here’s what’s interesting: many of these individuals managed just fine in previous roles or earlier stages of their careers. It’s often a promotion, a shift to remote work, or an increase in responsibilities that tips the scale.

The ADHD was always there — but the demands of the environment finally outpaced their ability to compensate. That’s not a personal failure. That’s a brain that needs a different kind of support. 

Common Misconceptions About ADHD 

ADHD is a complex condition that can be challenging for both the individual and the people around them. Simple things like forgetting household responsibilities, becoming easily distracted, or fixating on certain activities can create strain in relationships — and over time, that strain builds frustrating narratives.

These narratives can become persistent and start to shape how a person sees themselves or how they understand the impact of their symptoms. 

On top of all this, there are some common misconceptions that muddy the waters even further. 

ADHD Means You’re Lazy or Not Smart Enough 

One of the most common and painful misconceptions is that ADHD is willful — that it’s a sign of laziness or poor intellectual functioning. Neither of those are true. ADHD is a brain condition. It says nothing about a person’s intelligence or their character. 

If You Have ADHD, You Need Medication 

Not everyone with ADHD needs medication or is even a candidate for it. A person can learn to change and modify their behavior without medication. That’s a really important point. There are also alternatives to stimulants like Adderall that carry less risk. 

Medication Will Fix Everything 

It won’t. What medication can do is make it easier for an individual to participate in the therapy that will help them work through the real challenges. That interplay between medication and psychotherapy is critical — and it’s something we take seriously in our ADHD treatment programs. 

Why a Proper ADHD Evaluation Matters More Than Ever 

With all of this noise—rising awareness, social media self-diagnosis, conditions that mimic ADHD, and misconceptions about what it even is—getting a proper evaluation has never been more important. A quick online quiz or a relatable TikTok video is not a diagnosis. And jumping straight to medication without a thorough assessment can do more harm than good. 

A real ADHD evaluation involves a structured clinical interview, collateral information from people in your life, and a careful process of ruling out other explanations. It takes time, and that’s by design. We need to understand whether what you’re experiencing is truly ADHD, or whether it’s anxiety, sleep deprivation, cannabis use, or something else entirely—because the treatment for each of those looks very different. 

The goal isn’t just to hand you a label. The goal is to actually understand what’s happening in your brain so we can help you in a way that’s meaningful and lasting. That’s the standard of care we hold ourselves to at AIM, and it’s why we’ve built our diagnostic process the way we have. 

ADHD Evaluation and Treatment in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Cary

We don’t rush to a diagnosis. We take a thoughtful, comprehensive approach to make sure we get it right — because what looks like ADHD isn’t always ADHD, and you deserve a team that takes the time to find out. Our Medical Director has built rigorous diagnostic protocols designed to get the full picture of what’s going on before we ever talk about treatment.

With locations in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Cary, we’re here to help wherever you are in the Triangle. Learn more about our ADHD evaluation and treatment process, or reach out to schedule a consultation.