The Bachelor and The Challenge Australia star Megan Marx has copped a (much deserved) bit of backlash from Aussie icon Abbie Chatfield after sharing an “ableist” take on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) being an influencer “trend”.
Marx took to her Instagram to answer a fan question about whether she believed ADHD was a “fad” amongst influencers.
“I do think that ADHD diagnosis — there’s a possibility that it could be a little bit of a trend,” she said.
“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? We need to address as a society why we aren’t concentrating.”
We’ve seen many informed takes in the past about how platforms like TikTok can sometimes perpetuate stereotypes and untruths regarding ADHD and encourage self-diagnosis. However, Marx’s take on the disorder being popular amongst influencers as a way to garner clout is simply misinformed, inaccurate and dangerous.
Her colourful opinions didn’t end there. She went on to call ADHD medication “basically meth” and accused influencers of getting on ADHD meds as a way to lose weight. She also said “high-functioning influencers” are leading people to medicate themselves blindly.
A lot of bullshit to unpack there. It’s worth noting though that the idea of a “high-functioning” person with ADHD is largely considered an ableist way of viewing the disorder. There is no “perfect” way to have ADHD. Everyone’s experience with the disorder is different, and isolating disabled individuals from their peers because some are more “broken” or “low-functioning” than others in their community is absurd. We’re not robots that “function” at different levels — we’re fkn humans.
Abbie Chatfield took to her Instagram to rip Megan Marx a new one, and it was absolutely perfect.
“It’s actually a diagnosis and a health condition that affects people’s lives,” she said.
“This idea that it’s (ADHD) a trend or that you shouldn’t be on medication is so ableist and so offensive.
“Only now — through social media and speaking about the fucking symptoms that are debilitating — are [people] able to fucking see that they might have it.
“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 fucking money and time just, so I can fit in with a trend’.”
She also slammed Marx’s claims that ADHD meds are being used for weight loss.
“Who the fuck do you think you are saying that people are owed an explanation for anybody’s weight loss or weight gain?” Abbie asked.
“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.”
YES. TELL HER ABBIE.
Marx then responded to Abbie’s video with an Instagram story calling out those who are “jumping on board the hate train,” saying she is ADHD diagnosed and medicated.
Abbie then called this out as being “worse”. Someone with ADHD should understand the struggle and shouldn’t be perpetuating myths and falsehoods on their public platform.
Another day of influencer drama when people could just choose to sit and home and not record themselves spouting absolute madness.
Thank the heavens for Abbie Chatfield shutting Marx down, it’s a fucking pain having to explain yourself constantly to others, and it’s even worse having to explain to someone with a huge following why they’re being misleading.
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