By Dr Samantha Hiew

Wes Streeting’s 'overdiagnosis' narrative looks in the wrong direction, and it could have prevented me from getting life-changing support.

When Wes Streeting suggests that the UK may be “overdiagnosing” autism and ADHD, it sounds like a call for thorough analysis of where the problem lies. But for thousands of people like me, this public message could have stopped us from receiving the support we now rely on to stay well, work, and participate fully in society.

I wasn’t overdiagnosed, I was misdiagnosed and misunderstood until I turned 40. Like many neurodivergent women, I cycled through medical appointments and mental health services without any of them truly speaking to each other.

My ADHD traits were misread as anxiety. My autistic traits were misunderstood as inflexibility or depression. My hormonal changes were mistaken for a mood disorder, and I was offered antidepressants instead.

This disjointed system isn’t unique to me. It’s the experience of countless women who fall through the cracks because our health narratives don’t fit the........

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