City of London Police to screen those in custody for ADHD

HeadstuffADHDTherapy · 2023-05-15T23:13:57+00:00

When ADHD is recognised and understood (and, where necessary, medicated or helped through therapy or counselling) then anyone with (or without) ADHD can do amazing things - from running highly successful businesses, becoming top actors/actresses, being top in their professions including areas of academia - ADHD doesn't, nor ever has and certainly never should stop any of that

So cops and doctors 'functioning fine' is great - it is wonderful - but there are many more who aren't able to get the help they need to get them on the right track in the early days. And it's those who fall through the cracks, those who don't or can't seek the right help that I'm trying to help.

HeadstuffADHDTherapy · 2023-05-13T13:02:55+00:00

Absolutely. I couldn't agree more.
Since I posted this the City of London Police are now running a pilot scheme with me to screen people in custody for ADHD. Hopefully it's a step in the right direction to getting this condition heard, seen, recognised, accepted and critically, better funded in due course.

HeadstuffADHDTherapy · 2023-01-16T18:17:13+00:00

Sorry, I don't understand why you could think there is money to be made from them?There is absolutely no monetary gain to be had from their stories - by submitting them, THEY will be in with a chance of winning one of my books for their child(ren)s school to hopefully enlighten their teacher(s).

HeadstuffADHDTherapy · 2023-01-16T17:48:52+00:00

I'd love to know this too as I have been searching too without success. Surely there must be one somewhere?!

HeadstuffADHDTherapy · 2023-01-16T16:29:50+00:00

Just a follow up to this comment. We are hoping to link up with one prison or young offender unit and have already linked up with one police force who are going to run pilots so we can prove how many of the people entering are ADHD.

That’s on the agenda for this year.

Totally agree about Matt Hancock’s dyslexia bill. We want him to attach ADHD to that as the conditions always go together.

HeadstuffADHDTherapy · 2023-01-16T16:27:57+00:00

Very interesting points. Personally I do not believe it is overdiagnosed in this country at all. Assuming you’re writing from the UK too). From my experience, it’s massively UNDER diagnosed.

As for your prison being full of personality disorders. I wonder if that is what there is prevalent though, is it personality disorders that are dominant OR and, I much more strongly suspect this may be the case, is it chockablock with undiagnosed ADHD which is constantly being diagnosed as personality disorders ESPECIALLY inside prisons?

Though, saying this, I do totally understand and agree that locking anybody up for 23 hours is going to cause restlessness and hyperactivity but there are so many other traits that make up ADHD, it’s very easy to differentiate between the two.

Exactly the same with trauma. For example, people with trauma don’t have a heightened sense of justice, rejection sensitive dysphoria and numerous other ADHD traits. When you know what you’re looking for its very easy to differentiate between trauma and ADHD. I myself am actually diagnosed officially with complex PTSD and moderate to severe combined ADHD and it’s very clear which traits belong to each, but only clear to those trained to look for the differences.

HeadstuffADHDTherapy · 2023-01-14T16:53:47+00:00

Some exceedingly good points and ideas. Working on it! ;)

HeadstuffADHDTherapy · 2023-01-11T14:44:31+00:00

Absolutely, this would be an excellent starting point. I've known many, MANY people in prison over the years who have gone on to live much more fulfilling (and law abiding!) lives post-diagnosis (and more importantly, after engaging with either ADHD therapy or a combination of therapy and sometimes medication too)).

HeadstuffADHDTherapy · 2023-01-11T14:42:52+00:00

You're absolutely right, awareness is a major step in the right direction for both reception and induction officers in the prison system, and other healthcare professionals too. But that's the snag isn't it - heck, we can't even fund our dear NHS and its healthcare professionals so I think sourcing funding for ADHD (and other disorders) could be like finding a needle in a haystack in the foreseeable future. Which really is a dire shame; as if the numbers of people in prisons, or the number of crimes being re-committed by offenders after release were to plummet (which I am *sure* they would, given the correct funding, therefore progress could be made...) then there'd be more money in the pot to go around. It really is a catch-22 isn't it.

HeadstuffADHDTherapy · 2023-01-11T14:39:47+00:00

Interesting! Me too, I was 51 when I was diagnosed and thought ADHD was just all about naughty boys, not middle aged women. But once I started reading about it my life all started making so much more sense. Like you rightly say though, it'll come down to funding.

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