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ADHD Chatter PodcastThe Doctor With 23 Years ADHD Experience: We Let Women Down! | Dr Martin Brunet
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WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT
GP Reflects on Missed ADHD, Burnout, Anxiety, RSD and Medication
- Dr Brunet admits that when he qualified ADHD was seen as a 'naughty boy' condition that adults grew out of, and says views among doctors and patients have changed massively in the last five to ten years.
- He argues that women and 'well-behaved boys' are often diagnosed late, and that anxiety presentations in GP appointments can easily hide undiagnosed ADHD.
- He criticizes terms like 'disorder', 'deficit' and 'sensitivity', and prefers describing ADHD as a brain wired for interest over importance, with a spikier profile of strengths and challenges.
- He explains burnout as the fall from merely surviving under rising stress, and discusses how avoidance, rejection sensitivity and loneliness shape social anxiety.
- On treatment, he says medication is a personal choice with immediate, easily tested effects that should not replace understanding, and he wants a more joined-up, better-funded NHS.
IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING
5 ideasADHD is easily missed in GP appointments
Dr Brunet says anxiety consultations cover so much, such as physical symptoms, self-harm and OCD, that doctor and patient may never get to asking about ADHD, especially in women.
Asking how long a problem has existed helps separate ADHD from burnout
He says that if difficulties began only in the last two or three years, it is probably burnout or anxiety rather than ADHD or autism, whereas a long lifelong history points toward neurodivergence.
The words used for ADHD can put people off
He says 'disorder', 'deficit' and 'sensitivity' can leave people feeling the wrong way, and encourages people to reframe a label in a way that feels right to them.
Burnout often follows a long period of just surviving
He describes performance staying the same as stress piles up while people are only surviving, then falling off a cliff, and notes that strong people who take on a lot are the ones who burn out.
Avoidance worsens anxiety, but not every avoided thing is anxiety
He says avoidance is the worst thing for anxiety, so people should practice anxiety-driven situations, while genuinely unpleasant ones like sensory overload may call for adaptations such as headphones or online shopping.
WORDS WORTH SAVING
5 quotesIt's only strong people that take on enough that tend to burn out.
— Dr. Martin Brunet
You've got an excess of attention. It's just trying to focus it that's the challenge.
— Dr. Martin Brunet
One thing we know about anxiety is that avoidance is the worst thing you can do with anxiety.
— Dr. Martin Brunet
Labels can be very freeing 'cause you understand yourself, but if you use them in a way that restricts you, you can, you can get stuck.
— Dr. Martin Brunet
The balls that someone with ADHD throws up are not made of glass, um, and you can relax a bit and enjoy them being thrown up and catch them.
— Dr. Martin Brunet
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SPEAKERS
Alex Partridge
hostHost of the podcast ADHD Chatter with Alex Partridge.
Dr. Martin Brunet
guestNHS GP with around 23 years’ experience and author who discusses ADHD diagnosis and treatment constraints in UK primary care.
High quality AI-generated summary created from speaker-labeled transcript.
