Dr John Cameron: Registered GP on the concern that adult ADHD is being over-diagnosed
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What does the British GP survey reveal about adult ADHD over‑diagnosis?
The old ADHD debate is back for another round. We've got a new survey of British doctors. Shows seven in ten surveyed believe adult ADHDs overdiagnosed. Where are we at? Dr John Cameron, registered GP, is with us. John, morning to you.
Why does Dr John Cameron believe New Zealand is under‑diagnosing adult ADHD?
We under or over or somewhere in between?
Um using overseas to sti uh statistics, we're probably well under diagnosing. Anywhere as a sort of estimate somewhere between five to six percent of the population will probably carry traits of ADHD. Is there's a lovely thing called the Diagnostic and Scientific Manual of Mental Disorders, right? Call that's our Bible for psychiatric disease. They put in all these levels of symptoms that you can expect if you've got these certain conditions and puts a stamp on it. So if using that sort of data, we are well under diagnosing ADHD in this country.
Right.
How is adult ADHD diagnosed and why does the process take so long?
So uh was sort of my next question. Is it easily diagnosed or as part of the so called overdiagnosis it that it's not easy to diagnose?
It takes a long time, okay, up until so the whole thing about diagnosis is two parts. One is so people can understand this is the way their brain works. Okay. And for some people that's all they really want to know. For other people where it it turns into a disorder, in other words, it's affecting their quality of of life and how they can do things. There are medicines that we can use that will allow you to become in verticomas more normal and control those thoughts a little bit better and succeed more.
What are the new rules for accessing ADHD medication in New Zealand?
Now, on the diagnosis part of it, the access to that medicine is covered by what's called a special authority, which is we've got to apply to the Ministry of Health to actually provide that. Up until now, up until earlier this year, that was only available through consultant psychiatrists, right? This year that's now changed. You are able to for anyone over the age of eighteen, it is any suitably qualified vocationally registered general practitioner or suitably qualified uh nurse practitioners. For the rest of it, for the under eighteens, it needs still needs a pediatrician or a consultant psychiatrist to get that special authority number. Now, some people really find the medicines great. Some people it doesn't do that much.
So but that's that's the real marker of the why we want the diagnosis correct. To give that as an
offer.
Is adult ADHD a modern Western phenomenon or a long‑standing condition?
Has it become a thing? Is it a modern Western world thing?
Probably always been there, we're just recognizing it more, I think. And and this is where you come down to what is a disorder. Um, and that's both a medical s part of it and it's also a societal part of it. The society recognises as this way of thinking is not as good as it could be. Really important kids for their education. When you get to adults, look, I've done the the trial the the questionnaire, I've got ADH H D up the Y Zoo, mate. Yeah. No, we all have, we've all got traits of ADHD, but it hasn't stopped me doing what I can do.
How do societal views influence whether ADHD is seen as a disorder?
So I
No, good on you. Nice to talk to you, John. Appreciate the insight, Dr John Cameron. Caddy says I'm on the spectrum. I don't know whether she says that 'cause it's I am on the spectrum or whether she just, you know I reckon there's several spectrums that we could probably go through. Yeah, the next one is which Which spectrum?
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What does the British GP survey reveal about adult ADHD over‑diagnosis?
0:00–0:13
2
Why does Dr John Cameron believe New Zealand is under‑diagnosing adult ADHD?
0:13–0:45
3
How is adult ADHD diagnosed and why does the process take so long?
0:45–1:19
4
What are the new rules for accessing ADHD medication in New Zealand?
1:19–2:04
5
Is adult ADHD a modern Western phenomenon or a long‑standing condition?
2:04–2:40
6
How do societal views influence whether ADHD is seen as a disorder?
2:40–3:04
Speakers
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