The Right Kind of Attention : a qualitative analysis of the ADHD community on Instagram

Abstract: Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) has been a contentious disorder for years and incorrect beliefs and assumptions about the disorder are still common both in the medical community and the public’s perception. Previous research has exemplified this by demonstrating that the representation of ADHD in traditional mass media consists of few depictions and homogenous stereotypes. In recent news, the growing ADHD community on social media has been widely documented and discussed. This study was conducted to further deepen the insight and understanding of this phenomenon through qualitative interviews with five ADHD creators on the platform Instagram. By incorporating users’ agency this study demonstrates the ways lingering outdated assumptions on the disorder has impacted several large demographic groups. The findings of this study argues that the rising popularity of the growing ADHD community on social media can be understood as a reaction to the neglect these individuals have experienced over the years.