ADHD Jersey has opened its hub to Islanders feeling “unsettled, upset or left with questions” following the broadcast of a controversial Channel 4 documentary about the condition.
The local support group said its ADHD Jersey hub would be open today for anyone wanting “a chat, a cuppa or simply some company” after The Great ADHD Myth? aired last night.
The organisation had previously warned that the programme risked shaming people who had spent years struggling before receiving an ADHD diagnosis.
Following its broadcast, ADHD Jersey said: “Following last night’s Channel 4 programme, we know some people in our community may be feeling unsettled, upset or left with questions.
“The ADHD Jersey Hub will be open today for anyone who would like to come in for a chat, a cuppa or simply some company.
“Whether the programme affected you personally, as a family member, friend, colleague or supporter, our door is open.
“We are here to listen, offer support and provide a calm space for anyone who needs it today.”
Ahead of the documentary, ADHD Jersey said it welcomed scrutiny of diagnosis, assessment quality, prescribing and support, but argued that debates around the condition “must reflect the full picture”.
The organisation warned that questioning whether ADHD was “real” risked harming people who had finally found an explanation for difficulties they had experienced for years.
There are currently almost 1,200 adults in Jersey waiting for an ADHD diagnosis, with the median wait close to two years. Those joining the list now can expect to wait around five years for an assessment.
Before asking why so many people now need support, perhaps we should first ask what happened when support was denied to them for decades
ADHD JERSEY
Channel 4 previously said the documentary did not deny the experiences of people with ADHD traits, but featured medical and academic experts questioning the conventional understanding of the condition and examining whether modern life could be contributing to rising diagnoses.
Presenter and NHS psychiatrist Dr Max Pemberton said people seeking diagnoses were “genuinely struggling”, but that the programme asked whether ADHD was “really the best explanation for that struggle”.
ADHD Jersey had said before the broadcast: “Questioning whether ADHD is ‘real’ does not happen in a vacuum. It risks shaming thousands of people who have finally found an explanation for struggles they have lived with for years.”
