Dr. Asad Rafi

ADHD, the way it's presented, the way we as doctors and professionals are taught this particular subject, it's archaic.

Look at the diagnostic classification systems.

Look at the guidelines.

Respectfully, well, it's not respectful.

I'm being very disrespectful here now.

The female presentation of ADHD doesn't even resemble

what it says in the NICE guidance or within the DSM-5 criteria.

So how is a clinician who's effectively using a checklist going to be able to diagnose any woman?

They're going to struggle.

You know, we've got these preconceptions, these misconceptions.

What we have with regards to assessment tools, what we have with regards to the understanding is all based on a male-centric presentation.

It does not apply to women.

It certainly doesn't apply to people of colour either.

So we've got a lot of work to do.

I'm going to answer that in quite a controversial way, which is to say no.

Because I think words are cheap, and we need to demonstrate action.

We can talk about things all day long, but actually what we need to do is to engage as a community.

We're a very fractured community within the neurodivergent community, I have to say that.

We have to unite, and we have to have a common goal and a common purpose.

And therefore action is far more important.