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The Conversation
The Conversation
Matthew Smith, Professor in Health History, University of Strathclyde

How to solve our mental health crisis

Advert for a universal basic income (UBI) scheme in New York, May 2016. Such schemes could offer significant benefits for recipients' mental health. Generation Grundeinkommen via Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

When BBC journalist Rory Carson sought online consultations for a potential mental health issue, three private clinics diagnosed him with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They charged between £685 and £1,095 for these consultations, which lasted between 45 and 100 minutes, and all prescribed him medication.

ADHD is a highly controversial disorder which emerged in the US in the late 1950s during the cold war, and quickly became associated with stimulant drugs such as Ritalin. Now diagnosed throughout the world, ADHD is central to many debates about neurodiversity.

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