Megan Marx has been slammed by influencers like Abbie Chatfield after making “ableist” statements about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and “stigmatising” medication.
The Challenge Australia competitor took to Instagram on November 28 to share her “problematic” belief that influencers are making ADHD a “fad” or “trend”.
We’ve broken down every claim Megan has made about ADHD, related medications and the impact of neurodivergent influencers, as well as how prominent Australian media personalities have responded to these unsubstantiated allegations.
Firstly, What Is ADHD?
ADHD is a common, chronic neurodevelopmental condition that can include symptoms of attention difficulty, hyperactivity, hyper-fixations, forgetfulness and impulsiveness, according to APS.
Being diagnosed with ADHD is a long and often stigmatised process, especially for adults and patients assigned female at birth (AFAB).
According to the US organisation Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD), experts have concluded that AFAB patients more commonly exhibit more often exhibit a predominantly inattentive presentation of ADHD.
This can be more difficult for educators and parents to pick up during childhood when compared to hyperactive presentations that often emerge in patients assigned male at birth.
What Did Megan Marx Say About Influencers with ADHD and ADHD Medication?
During an Instagram Q&A, Megan addressed whether she thought ADHD was an “influencer fad“.
“I do think that ADHD diagnosis, there’s a possibility that it could be a little bit of a trend,” she said, after admitting she knew she would “get herself into trouble” with her controversial statement.
The reality starlet went on to claim that some people with ADHD may have symptoms that were brought on by “environmental factors”, including being “overstimulated” by social media use.
“Who doesn’t have problems concentrating?” Megan questioned, writing on her story: “We need to address as a society why we aren’t concentrating.”
However, APS notes that ADHD is defined as when these “problems” directly impact the person’s daily functioning, including having a negative or unmanageable impact on their personal and/or professional life.
Megan Marx Claimed Influencers Were “Making” Their Followers Seek a Diagnosis For ADHD
Megan wrote in her initial Story that “many high functioning influencers are warking on about how it’s changed their lives and driving other people who feel shitty to try to get medicated too [sic].”
The term “high functioning” has been widely regarded as an “ableist” concept by the neurodivergent community, according to numerous publications like Spectrum News.
In a later post, Megan added: “They’re influencers, they make people seek treatment and it could be a plethora of other issues going on, [such as] Depression, Bipolar [Disorder].
“There’s a bunch of different mood disorders it could be. It could be an overstimulation of using social media. But this isn’t discussed.”
Megan also claimed that those who were misdiagnosed with ADHD “might be medicated and become addicted to something that’s not for you or is a fad”.
There is a myriad of scholarly articles and firsthand accounts about how people with ADHD are disproportionately misdiagnosed with other conditions, in addition to research that proves ADHD is often comorbid (can be found alongside other conditions).
How Did Abbie Chatfield and Em Rusciano Respond to Megan Marx’s Unsubstantiated Claims About ADHD?
Abbie and Em Rusciano were two of the most prominent voices to speak out against Megan’s “unfounded, invalid and ableist opinions”.
Having spoken openly about her ADHD diagnosis, Abbie explained she hoped to spread awareness, and destigmatise certain conditions.
She aimed to provide education that ADHD was more than just hyperactive presentations, which she described as “naughty boys running around ripping things apart”.
“It’s actually a diagnosis and a health condition that affects people’s lives,” Abbie said. “This idea that [ADHD] is a trend or you shouldn’t be on medication is so ableist [and] so offensive.”
She continued: “Only now – through social media and speaking about the f*cking symptoms that are debilitating – are they able to f*cking see that they might have it… Now, there’s been this collective answer discovery because of social media.”
Em Rusciano later congratulated Abbie for “eviscerating” Megan in her “adrenaline” fuelled Instagram “rant, having previously shared her personal experience with having ADHD and her recent diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Speaking to Megan on her Instagram story, Em wrote: “This is fked on about 78 different levels. I’d suggest educating yourself before speaking about a topic you clearly know nothing about [sic].”
She shared a link to her National Press Club speech about her being diagnosed with ADHD at 42.
Abbie Chatfield Shared Her Personal Experiences With Having ADHD
Speaking of her own experience being diagnosed in adulthood, Abbie shared that she gained a better “understanding” of herself and was able to let go of the “guilt” and “regret” she felt because of her ADHD symptoms.
“People have been going through life thinking ‘there’s something f*cking wrong with me’. [They have experienced] severe anxiety, depression and [had] an awful f*cking time,” Abbie explained.
[Before] you get diagnosed with ADHD, you go through your whole life thinking… you’re stupid, incompetent, inadequate or you don’t listen well enough or you’re forgetful. [You’re told that] you’re ‘silly, loud and abrasive’ and you’re ‘too much’,” Abbie said.
Referring to Megan’s suggestion that an ADHD “diagnosis should be taken more seriously”, Abbie noted the current wait time was around 18 months and could cost around $1500 to $3000, not including ongoing psychiatrist appointments.
“People with an ADHD diagnosis didn’t get up one day and go, ‘I’d like to spend 18 months on a waitlist and a lot of [my] f*cking money and time just, so I can fit in with a trend’,” Abbie said.
Megan Marx Made Claimed Influencers Were Using “Addictive” ADHD Medication to Lose Weight
The Bachelor Australia alum also made the claim ADHD medication was “basically meth”, as both drugs had the common side effect of appetite loss.
She went on to share her unfounded belief that some influencers may be using ADHD medication to lose weight.
“I thought it was interesting that these influencers have lost quite a bit of weight and they’re not talking about it,” Megan said.
“[Influencers are] happy to talk about being on medication, happy to talk about being on ADHD. But they don’t want to talk about the fact that they’ve lost weight because of their medication and I think that’s problematic,” she said.
In a later statement, she continued: “I know a bunch of people that got ‘diagnosed’ even though they claim not to have ADHD (faked or stretched the truth significantly” because they like the effects… as a party drug AND for weight loss.”
Abbie Chatfield Slams Megan Marx’s “Disgusting” Comments About Weight Loss Due TO ADHD Medication
Abbie pointed out that weight fluctuations of any kind are “deeply personal” and private for most people.
“Who the f*ck do you think you are saying that people are owed an explanation for anybody’s weight loss or weight gain?” Abbie asked.
She added: “The reason why people don’t speak about ADHD medication making you lose weight is these people don’t want to encourage you to take medication to lose weight.
“People are trying to destigmatise medication for mental health issues. It’s important to speak about medication if you feel comfortable. No one has to tell you anything, particularly why they’ve lost weight.”
Abbie went on to explain that it was extremely difficult for her to have a lower appetite, as she’s previously spoken about a bad relationship with food and exercise in high school that she actively had to work on.
“That weight loss comment is also weird because [I’ve spoken about] how traumatic my weight loss has been for me,” she explained.
“It’s been really difficult for me to lose this much weight. Weird thing to say, that people would take it for the weight loss.”
Megan Marx Hits Back At the “Hate Train”
Seemingly targeting Abbie’s comments, in particular, Megan called out “everyone jumping on board the hate train”.
Megan appeared to suggest that because she also was diagnosed with ADHD, she had the right to make unsubstantiated claims.
“I’m ADHD diagnosed and am on medication for it. It’s literally changed my life for the better, so I understand the process very well,” Megan said.
She explained that she had previously taken an addictive medication after being misdiagnosed with a different condition, claiming: “[the other medication] really f*cked me up”.
Megan also retracted previous statements she had made about influencers using medication to lose weight and calling ADHD medication “meth”, claiming it was “quite obvious” that wasn’t what she meant.
Abbie Chatfield Believed It Was Actually “Much Worse” That Megan Marx Also Had ADHD
Abbie pointed out that people were responding to her “deeply problematic and ableist rhetoric”, rather than jumping on a “hate train”.
“It doesn’t matter if you have ADHD and are medicated. I would say it actually makes it much worse,” Abbie said.
She believed that it was “quite twisted” that Megan had personally gone through similar experiences, but still made statements that “harmed others who have ADHD” and prevented people from “getting care”.
“Well done making yourself look much worse,” she concluded.
If you or anyone you know is struggling and needs support, call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
or Lifeline on 13 11 14, both of which provide trained counsellors you can talk with 24/7. You can also speak with someone confidentially at Headspace by calling 1800 650 890 or chat online here. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
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