ADHD Among Most 'Self-Diagnosed' Conditions In UAE, Doctors Warn

2026-02-23 02:18:34

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Most patients who believe they have ADHD turn out to be struggling with something else, most commonly anxiety or sleep problems

PUBLISHED: Mon 23 Feb 2026, 4:38 PM UPDATED: Mon 23 Feb 2026, 5:02 PM

By:
Haneen Dajani

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Scrolling through social media, it's easy to relate to stories of people losing focus, forgetting things, struggling with motivation. For many, those moments prompt a quick self-diagnosis of ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).

However, psychiatrists warn that while the symptoms are real, the label often isn't - and mistaking other conditions for ADHD can do more harm than good.

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“Everybody says they have ADHD - at least that's how it feels in clinics today,” said Dr Muhammad Farhan, staff physician at the Psychiatry and Behavioural Health Department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He said patients now arrive convinced they have ADHD, often after watching social media videos or completing online quizzes.

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“What I see in the clinic is a snowball effect,” he said.“People hear about ADHD on social media, relate to the symptoms, and come in already convinced they have it.”

What concerns clinicians, he explained, is not the symptoms themselves - but what gets missed when people lock onto a diagnosis too early.

When symptoms aren't ADHD

Difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, irritability, and lack of motivation are real struggles. But Dr Farhan stressed that these symptoms can stem from many other conditions that look like ADHD on the surface.

“Sometimes forgetting things or losing your keys is normal,” he said.“If we pathologise everything, we start seeing normal behaviours through a medical lens.”

In his clinical experience, between 80 and 90 per cent of patients who believe they have ADHD turn out to be struggling with something else, most commonly anxiety or sleep problems.

One recent case involved a teenager who arrived with both a self-diagnosis and a preferred treatment already in mind.

“He came in saying he had ADHD and wanted to try a specific medication,” Dr Farhan said.“But when we took a proper history, we found he was sleeping two to three hours a night.”

For a teenager who needs around nine hours of sleep, the consequences were predictable.“Of course he couldn't focus or concentrate,” he said.“That's sleep deprivation, not ADHD.”

Why diagnosis takes time

ADHD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition, Farhan explained. He noted that the key diagnostic criteria is that symptoms must be present before the age of 12.

“You don't suddenly develop ADHD in your twenties or thirties,” he said.

A proper evaluation cannot be done through online tests or symptom lists alone. At Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, diagnosis involves a detailed psychiatric history - covering childhood symptoms, trauma, anxiety, depression, substance use and sleep - followed by three to four hours of formal psychological testing.

“It's a team approach,” he said.“The patient, the psychiatrist, and the psychologist all need to be on the same page.”

The danger of misdiagnosis

Misdiagnosis doesn't just delay the right help - it can actively make things worse.

“If someone's symptoms are driven by anxiety and you treat them with ADHD stimulant medication, their anxiety will worsen,” Farhan said.“They might feel more focused for a few days, but ultimately their condition deteriorates.”

Stimulant medications also carry serious risks, including cardiovascular side effects, and should not be prescribed unless clearly indicated.

“We should not be treating sleep deprivation with stimulants,” he added.“That's a recipe for disaster.”

Burnout, stress, and the 'tired' brain

Outside the clinic, wellbeing coach Dr Hanadi Al Jaber sees the same pattern from a different angle.

“Many people self-diagnose ADHD because social media creates a false sense of symptom matching,” she said.“They hear about distraction, forgetfulness and poor focus, and immediately assume they have ADHD.”

In reality, she explained, many are dealing with burnout, chronic stress or nervous system exhaustion - not a neurodevelopmental disorder.

“This is not a sick brain,” she said.“It's a tired brain.”

From a coaching perspective, one of the biggest red flags is timing.“If someone tells me they were functioning well five or ten years ago, or before Covid, then this is not ADHD,” she said.“ADHD doesn't start suddenly in adulthood.”

Prolonged stress, she added, can inflame the nervous system to the point where the brain struggles to focus as a protective response.

“The mind starts forgetting and zoning out to reduce pressure,” she said.“It's a defence mechanism.”

The role of screens and constant stimulation

Al Jaber also pointed to heavy social media use as a growing contributor to attention problems.

“When the brain becomes used to fast, constant stimulation - short videos, rapid visuals, constant scrolling - it struggles with normal tasks,” she said.

Over time, this can lead people to believe something is fundamentally wrong.“They can't focus, they get irritated, they feel restless, and they assume it must be ADHD,” she said.“The symptoms look similar, but the diagnosis is not.”

In coaching, she said, the first steps are often basic but transformative: regulating sleep, reducing screen time, managing stress and reintroducing physical activity.

“When those improve, many people realise they don't actually have ADHD,” she said.“And that's important - because otherwise they ignore the real problem.”

How ADHD manifests

To illustrate what genuine ADHD looks like in practice, Al Jaber pointed to cases where symptoms are unmistakable, persistent, and present from early childhood.

Dr Jaber shared a case of a boy diagnosed in primary school after years of severe hyperactivity and inattention. From a young age, he couldn't sit still in class, struggled to listen to teachers, could not stand in the morning school assembly, and frequently wandered around the classroom. Studying for long periods was impossible, and his symptoms repeatedly disrupted learning and daily routines.

After assessment, both his family and school changed how they supported him - introducing short, focused study sessions, frequent movement breaks and classroom accommodations, such as giving him small tasks that allowed him to move without disrupting lessons.“The diagnosis changed everything,” Al Jaber said.“Once the environment adapted to his brain, his functioning improved.” Now in his final year of school, he is fully aware of his condition, supported by his family and teachers, and no longer blamed for behaviours he cannot control.

Why early diagnosis matters

She contrasted this with another case - a woman who was only diagnosed in her twenties, after years of conflict at work and strained family relationships. The symptoms had always been there, but without early recognition or behavioural support, they escalated into serious interpersonal difficulties. Unlike the school-age case, medication became necessary alongside behavioural strategies.“The difference wasn't intelligence,” Dr Al Jaber said.“Both cases were highly intelligent. The difference was early diagnosis and support.”

Dr Al Jaber stressed that untreated ADHD often gets misread as laziness, disrespect or attitude problems, particularly when diagnosed late.“When people understand what's really happening, the focus shifts,” she said.“Instead of trying to suppress the behaviour, we work on channelling energy, building alternatives and recognising strengths - because many people with ADHD are exceptionally capable when supported correctly.”

ICF Senior Professional Coach Sanaa Khadir said that while ADHD-like symptoms are common, true ADHD is far less so.

“Real ADHD shows up across most areas of life and has been present since childhood,” she said.“It doesn't disappear with rest, motivation or a better environment.”

In her practice, most clients who suspect ADHD are actually dealing with burnout, anxiety or poor job fit.

She pointed to one client who came to her convinced he had ADHD after months of struggling to focus at work, missing deadlines and feeling constantly overwhelmed.“He was smart, capable and highly motivated - but exhausted,” Khadir said.

After exploring his routine, it became clear the problem wasn't attention, but an environment that demanded long hours, constant availability, and repetitive tasks with little autonomy. Once the client shifted to shorter work sprints, clearer boundaries and a role that allowed more variety and control, his focus improved significantly.

“Nothing about his brain changed,” she said.“What changed was the structure around him.”

ADHD vs PMDD - an important distinction for women

Another commonly confused condition is premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Farhan explained that ADHD symptoms are not cyclical.“They are lifelong,” he said.“PMDD, on the other hand, is cyclical. Patients will have symptom-free days every month.”

The treatments also differ. ADHD may be treated with stimulant or non-stimulant medications alongside psychological interventions, while PMDD is most often treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Understanding the pattern, he said, is critical.

So what should people do?

Farhan's message to those who strongly relate to ADHD content online is not dismissive - but cautious.

“Self-awareness is a good thing,” he said.“Being curious about what's going on with you is good.”

Self-diagnosis, however, is not.“Even as a physician, I'm not allowed to diagnose myself,” he said.“I have to go through the same process as everyone else.”

His advice is simple: seek professional help, but with an open mind.

“Your symptoms are real,” he said.“But let the expert help you figure out why.”