A Brief History of ADHD in the UK
ADHD has a long and often misunderstood history, evolving from early descriptions of “restless” or “inattentive” behaviour into the recognised neurodevelopmental condition we know today. Over the past century, researchers and clinicians have gradually pieced together how attention, impulse control, and activity levels relate to brain development—shaping modern understanding, diagnosis, and support for people with ADHD.
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A Brief History of ADHD in the UK
Understanding ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) in the UK requires looking back more than two centuries. Concepts resembling ADHD have appeared in medical writing since the 1700s, long before the condition became formally recognised in diagnostic manuals. Over time, the UK’s understanding of ADHD has shifted from early behavioural descriptions to a recognition of ADHD as a neurodevelopmental condition affecting both children and adults.
Below is a timeline of key developments.
1775 – Early Clinical Description
German physician Melchior Adam Weikard included one of the first known descriptions of ADHD-like traits.He described inattention, distractibility, impulsive decision-making, and difficulty sustaining effort:
“An inattentive person won’t remark anything but will be shallow everywhere. He studies his matters only superficially; his judgements are erroneous and he misconceives the worth of things because he does not spend enough time and patience to search a matter individually or by the piece with the adequate accuracy. Such people only hear half of everything; they memorize or inform only half of it or do it in a messy manner… They are mostly reckless… They treat everything in a light manner since they are not attentive enough to feel denigration or disadvantages.”
Although written long before modern psychiatry, his observations closely resemble what we recognise today as symptoms of ADHD.
1798 – Sir Alexander Crichton
Scottish physician Sir Alexander Crichton described a mental state similar to ADHD. His work included detailed explanations of attention difficulties:
“The incapacity of attending with a necessary degree of constancy to any one object, almost always arises from an unnatural or morbid sensibility of the nerves, by which means this faculty is incessantly withdrawn from one impression to another. It may be either born with a person, or it may be the effect of accidental diseases.”
“When born with a person it becomes evident at a very early period of life… it renders him incapable of attending with constancy to any one object of education.”
“Every impression seems to agitate the person… People walking up and down the room, a slight noise… all destroy constant attention in such patients…”
Crichton’s descriptions are now considered one of the earliest recognitions of childhood attention disorders.
1902 – Sir George Still and the First Formal Description
The most significant early milestone came in 1902 when British paediatrician Sir George Still presented lectures describing children with what he called “abnormal psychical conditions”. These children were impulsive, inattentive, and struggled with self-control despite otherwise normal intelligence.
He noted:
“There is a defect of moral consciousness which cannot be accounted for by any fault of environment.”
And:
“A notable feature in many of these cases… is a quite abnormal incapacity for sustained attention.”
Still’s work is widely considered the foundation of modern ADHD diagnostics.
1917 – The Encephalitis Epidemic
Children who survived the 1917 encephalitis lethargica epidemic often developed behavioural symptoms such as restlessness, impulsivity, and inattention. This led clinicians to associate similar behaviours in other children with brain injury — a theory later revised.
Early–Mid 1900s – Shifting Understanding
As thinking evolved, ADHD-like symptoms were gradually understood as not necessarily caused by infections or brain damage. Terminology changed repeatedly:
- “Brain-injured child syndrome”
- “Minimal brain damage”
- “Minimal brain dysfunction”
- “Hyperactivity”
- “Learning/behavioural disabilities”
This reflected the ongoing search for a framework to describe ADHD-type behaviours.
1968–1990 – “Hyperkinetic Reaction of Childhood”
The DSM-II (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) introduced “Hyperkinetic Reaction of Childhood”, acknowledging attention deficits and hyperactivity.
1980–1987 – ADD Enters the Language
The DSM-III replaced the term with:
“Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) with or without hyperactivity.”
This recognised that individuals could have significant attention difficulties even without being hyperactive.
1987–1994 – ADHD as a Unified Term
The DSM-III-R introduced the term:
“Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)”
Many adults continued to prefer the term “ADD” to describe inattentive-only symptoms.
1994–Present – ADHD Subtypes Introduced
The DSM-IV, DSM-IV-TR, and DSM-5 established three core presentations:
- ADHD – Inattentive Presentation (ADHD-I)
- ADHD – Hyperactive/Impulsive Presentation (ADHD-II)
- ADHD – Combined Presentation (ADHD-III)
These remain the foundations of the diagnostic criteria used today.
Development of ADHD Recognition in the UK -2000 – NICE Recognises Childhood ADHD
For the first time, major UK health bodies formally recognised ADHD in children.NICE issued early guidance supporting diagnosis and medication for childhood ADHD.This was one of the first 20 guidelines NICE ever produced, highlighting its importance.
2008 – NICE Recognises Adult ADHD
NICE formally recognised ADHD in adults, acknowledging that the condition persists beyond childhood for many people. This marked a major shift in public and clinical awareness.
2009 – Scotland Issues National ADHD Guidance
SIGN (the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) published guidance for children with ADHD, meaning all UK nations now recognised childhood ADHD in clinical policy.
Recent UK Developments
2018 – Updated NICE Guidelines
NICE updated its ADHD guidance. This update emphasised:
- Under-recognition of ADHD in girls and women
- The importance of specialist assessment
- The need for consistent care standards across the UK
2019 – Scotland Withdraws ADHD Guidance
SIGN withdrew its 2009 guideline for being out of date and did not replace it.Scotland has no active national ADHD guideline for children or adults.
2020s UK Developments
Rising Diagnosis Rates
The UK has seen a significant rise in ADHD awareness and assessments, especially among:
- Adults seeking later-life diagnosis
- Women and girls
- Parents recognising symptoms in children
- Educators identifying behavioural and learning challenges
Demand has grown faster than service capacity.
Extreme NHS Waiting Lists
Across the UK, ADHD waiting lists have become extremely long:
- Many areas report waits of several years
- Some adults face waits of seven to ten years
- Some regions have paused new adult referrals
- Demand for private assessments has dramatically increased
These delays impact education, employment, and mental health for many families.
Growth of the Two-Tier System
Because NHS waiting times are so long, many people turn to private assessment services.This has led to concerns about inequality of access and inconsistent post-diagnosis support.
National ADHD Medication Shortages (2023–2025)
A major national shortage of ADHD medications began in September 2023.
It has continued to affect the supply of several commonly prescribed ADHD medicines.
Shortages have impacted:
- Children
- Adults
- Schools and workplaces
- Prescribing clinicians
- Pharmacies struggling to source stock
Many individuals have experienced disruption to daily functioning, treatment stability, and wellbeing.
Government and Healthcare Responses
Recent efforts across the UK include:
- Taskforces focused on improving ADHD pathways
- Proposals to increase specialist capacity
- Work on ensuring consistent prescribing and follow-up care
- Awareness campaigns for schools and employers
ADHD is now widely understood as a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition, though access to diagnosis and support remains uneven.
Conclusion
The history of ADHD in the UK spans more than 200 years — from early descriptions of distractibility in the 1700s to modern recognition of ADHD as a legitimate, lifelong condition affecting millions.
While clinical understanding has improved dramatically, the UK continues to face challenges such as:
- Long diagnostic waiting lists
- Medication shortages
- Gaps in adult services
- Under-recognition in certain groups
- Regional inconsistencies in care
Nevertheless, awareness is at its highest level in history, and more people than ever are receiving support, advocacy, and recognition for their experiences with ADHD.
Do I Have ADHD?
Start Your Journey Today
ADHD affects more people than you think. And now the stigma attached to ADHD is changing. More people are becoming open about living with ADHD, and there is a new influx of people coming forward for an ADHD assessment later in life. This is especially the case for females, as females are thought to be better at masking their symptoms.
It’s estimated that 1 in 20 people in the UK have ADHD, and due to the rise in people requesting an ADHD assessment, the NHS is becoming slower with ADHD diagnosis.
Getting treatment for ADHD quickly is important to help with any adverse effects of this mental health disorder on studies or work, which is why we are proud to offer quick and thorough ADHD assessments online with our ADHD doctors.
Getting treatment for ADHD quickly is important to help with any adverse effects of this mental health disorder on studies or work, which is why we are proud to offer quick and thorough ADHD assessments online with our ADHD doctors.
We offer appointments for ADHD titration too (treatment dosage) and autism appointments.
If you are wondering if you have ADHD, please use our free symptom checker. Research the ‘ ASRS symptoms checker’ and insert statics about the sensitivity and specificity of the symptom checker test.
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