ADHD Isn’t Suddenly Everywhere: Why More Adults Are Being Diagnosed (and Why That Doesn’t Mean “Everyone Has ADHD”)
It feels like every week, another friend, colleague, or celebrity is talking about ADHD. If you’ve wondered why so many adults are being diagnosed now or heard the claim that “everyone has ADHD these days”, you’re not alone.
Here’s the key truth: ADHD hasn’t suddenly become more common. We’re finally recognising people who were overlooked in childhood.
How Common Is ADHD?
Around 8.2% of Australian children aged 4–11 and 6.3% of teens aged 12–17 meet ADHD criteria (https://adhdguideline.aadpa.com.au/about/about-adhd/
About 533,000 Australian adults live with ADHD — far more than the number of diagnosed children (https://www.deloitte.com/au/en/services/economics/perspectives/social-economic-costs-adhd-Australia.html).
Globally, adult ADHD affects about 2.6% of the population (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7916320/).
These figures haven’t exploded. They’ve been consistent for decades. What’s changed is awareness, not incidence.
Why Were They Missed as Kids?
ADHD was seen as “just for kids” – Until the 1990s, clinicians assumed most children “grew out of it.” Research now shows 60–80% of kids continue to have symptoms into adulthood (https://www.ranzcp.org/clinical-guidelines-publications/clinical-guidelines-publications-library/adhd-across-the-lifespan).
Girls and inattentive types flew under the radar – Kids who weren’t “disruptive” often didn’t get flagged.
Masking and coping – Bright or conscientious kids worked twice as hard to hide difficulties. They developed coping strategies that worked for years, but adulthood brought heavier loads - work, parenting, bills and, for many women, the hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause. Those strategies stopped being enough.
Guidelines have changed – The 2022 Australasian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA) guidelines gave GPs and psychologists clearer pathways for adult assessment.
Why Do People Think “Everyone” Has ADHD Now?
More missed adults are finally recognised. People diagnosed in their 30s, 40s or 50s aren’t “new cases” — they’re cases delayed.
Social media fuels awareness and confusion. TikTok clips and memes make ADHD relatable, but relating to a meme isn’t the same as meeting diagnostic criteria.
Stigma is dropping. More people feel safe seeking help, which naturally increases diagnosis rates — without changing prevalence.
Headlines oversimplify. News reports about “ADHD rates soaring” rarely explain that most of those “new” diagnoses are adults who have had ADHD their whole lives.
Closing Thought
ADHD isn’t the latest fad. It’s not an “epidemic.” It’s a condition that’s been there all along, for both children and adults.
What’s new isn’t the number of people with ADHD, it’s the number of people finally being understood. And that’s not something to roll our eyes at. That’s progress. Would like to explore your own ADHD symptoms? Click here.
