Converging Representations of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism on Social Media: Linguistic and Topic Analysis of Trends in Reddit Data

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Abstract

Our study clarifies how discourse around these 2 conditions has converged during a period when they have both attracted rising public attention. These findings contribute to wider discussions about the impacts of rising public interest in mental health concepts. They illustrate that public understandings of relationships between conditions are dynamic and changing in ways that diverge from diagnostic frameworks. Future research should continue investigating changing mental health conceptualizations on social media, as these dynamics are becoming increasingly important for the future of psychiatric practice.

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