South Africa, Sept. 19 -- In South Africa, poor identification and access to specialist resources of common mental disorders indicate a treatment gap of up to 75% with ADHD specifically going undetected.

Attention economy

"Smartphones, TikTok feeds and streaming platforms deliver an endless stream of dopamine hits.

"For individuals with ADHD, who already wrestle with impulsivity and difficulty sustaining attention, this constant stimulation can be devastating," says Professor Renata Schoeman, convenor of the Southern African Multidisciplinary ADHD Congress and head of the MBA in healthcare leadership at Stellenbosch Business School.

Nearly half (49%) of adults believe their attention spans are shorter than they were before, with 66% n...