Comedian opens up about ADHD diagnosis and explains the importance of support at home and school

It has been said that through our biggest internal battles, we might see our biggest healing. This was reflected in a video recently uploaded on TikTok by comedian Asher Glean, where he revealed how he takes medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. He also gave his backstory. He had trouble concentrating as a child and his school also informed his parents. But there was stigma around mental health treatment and his parents refused to acknowledge that he needed professional help. He said, "I take medication for ADHD. Open about that, right?" He added, "I'll tell you something, I have had it since primary school. They have been telling my parents. I remember going to a meeting."

He revealed he had African parents and they were not aware of ADHD. He revealed that he would go home and his mom would beat him. She would say, "'Why are you acting stupid?' They think, you are disabled." He said the school could not do anything about it as his parents did approve of him getting treated. As per the law, he needed his parents' approval and he could not get treated just by the school's efforts. Schools can support kids who have a learning disability, only if their parents approve. The comedian also said, "So, I'm going through primary school and no help. Secondary school, I get to year 10. They are like, it is getting worse."

But some help awaited him as one teacher, "Deputy head teacher, Ms. Burrows. She was amazing. You see, they are saying and trying to understand you. That's all that needs to happen. She tried to get what was going on with me. She said you know what, forget about his parents. This guy needs help. She brought in someone special to help for my last year. Obviously, she still could not get papers signed to get me medication or anything because my parents need to sign it." He revealed, "But she was getting people in to get me passed. She got me in the gym instead." He said that he was getting into a lot of fights as he had a lot of repressed anger. "Instead of me going out for lunch. She got me for lunch. She got me to gym. We used to have a gym in the school. And do boxing with her husband. So, I loved it. I was focused on class so I could get to lunchtime."  

"Last year of school was the best year. Because she got me support. I get to college now and in college, your parents don't need to sign anything. That's when I started taking any medication." He also emphasized the value of support for most kids studying in school. The video resonated with people as it got 7,000 likes and over 2,000 retweets. It is an important video as it contributes to the never-ending conversation around kids and adults being diagnosed with ADHD and the need to support them at every level.