The Freedom Model
The Freedom Model
Discussing ADHD: Beyond the Diagnosis
Discussing ADHD: Beyond the Diagnosis
Discussing ADHD: Beyond the Diagnosis
Friday 26th September 2025
Mark Sheeran and Michelle Dunbar challenge ADHD myths, exploring free will's role in behaviour beyond labels.
45 minutes
Informative
Engaging
Eye-opening
Honest
Thought-provoking
About this podcast
Author:
The Freedom Model
Overview:
Categories:
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Sobriety Toolkit
Family Recovery from Addiction
Sexual Empowerment & Identity
Body & Mind
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Episodes:
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Get the buttons here!ADHD: Rethinking the Diagnosis
Episode Overview
- ADHD is questioned as a genuine disorder, likened to a social construct.
- Labels can lead to learned helplessness and restrict personal autonomy.
- Procrastination is reframed as doing what you want when you want.
- The mental health system may over-diagnose normal human behaviours.
- Encouragement to explore beliefs around mental health diagnoses.
It's funny how, see how Michelle is like tap dancing there, right? Because it is a religion.
What happens when you peel back the layers of a diagnosis like ADHD? In this episode of 'The Freedom Model for Addictions,' Mark Sheeran and Michelle Dunbar take a critical look at ADHD, questioning the conventional wisdom that labels it as a disorder. They argue that ADHD, much like addiction, is not a disease but rather a social construct designed to control behaviour and sell medication.
With their trademark candour, Mark and Michelle explore the idea that many diagnoses are less about genuine mental health issues and more about fitting people into neat boxes. The hosts share their own experiences with being labelled and how those labels can create learned helplessness. Instead of accepting these labels, they encourage listeners to consider how free will and personal choice play into behaviours often associated with ADHD.
They discuss how procrastination and lack of focus are often misinterpreted symptoms, suggesting that these might simply be expressions of one's positive drive principle—doing what you want, when you want. The episode challenges listeners to reassess their beliefs about mental health diagnoses and consider a perspective where human behaviour is complex but not inherently disordered.
This thought-provoking discussion invites you to reflect on whether the labels you've been given truly define you or if there's another way to understand your actions. So, are you ready to rethink what you've been told about ADHD?