By Ruth Hill of RNZNew rules allowing GPs and nurse practitioners to prescribe drugs to treat ADHD increase the risk of over-diagnosis, over-prescribing, addiction, psychosis and other harms, some clinicians are warning. Caity has since been diagnosed with ADHD but does not currently take medication, and has not had another psychotic episode. In one devastating case, a teenager died of suspected suicide within weeks of being diagnosed with ADHD. "I'm really concerned about this pathway of making it easier and faster for less qualified people to diagnose ADHD." However, they did not work for everyone, and treating ADHD was often much more complicated than just popping a pill.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 01, 2026 19:07 UTC