Summary
A TV doctor and author, Dr. Alex George, shared how being diagnosed with ADHD and OCD in adulthood changed his life. He expressed concern over long waiting times for mental health assessments and called for better access and support. He highlighted the challenges he faced without a diagnosis in his childhood and noted that getting diagnosed earlier could have significantly improved his life.
Key Facts
- Dr. Alex George was diagnosed with ADHD in 2022 and OCD in 2025.
- He paid for private assessments due to long NHS waiting times.
- Dr. George argued that an earlier diagnosis could have helped him significantly during his school years.
- He mentioned a personal cost of £3,000 for these private assessments.
- As of June 2025, over 236,000 people in England were waiting for an autism assessment.
- Long waiting lists in the NHS lead some people to seek private diagnoses, although acceptance varies.
- UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced a review of mental health service demand, including ADHD and autism.
- Dr. George disagreed with suggestions that ADHD and autism are over-diagnosed, asserting they are under-diagnosed.
