Matt Willis has admitted that his marriage to Emma Willis “would have collapsed” if he’d waited for the NHS to obtain a life-changing ADHD diagnosis.
The ex-Busted star welcomed his personal psychiatrist, Dr James Kustow, an ADHD specialist who has trained in psychotherapy and nutrition, onto an episode of the On The Mend podcast to discuss the condition.
ADHD is a subject that’s “very close” to Matt, who received a diagnosis about four years ago, which he described as a “massive thing” that “changed” his life, but Dr Kustow explained that some people have to wait five years for a diagnosis on the NHS.
Matt said: “I was really lucky to go private and find this out, you know. Like, if I was going through the NHS and waiting five years, I don’t know what would have happened in that time.
“You know, I think my marriage would have collapsed for a start, if I’m honest. That’s definitely what would’ve happened, you know.
He continued: “But I think… I think then we have the problem of the resources out there to show people what they can do and a step-by-step guide of how to maybe back that… maybe deal with the consequences of ADHD in your life are very few and far between.”
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a health condition that impacts people’s behaviour, with patients often feeling restless, struggling to concentrate and acting impulsively, according to the NHS.
ADHD symptoms are usually spotted in childhood and can sometimes be more noticeable when the individual experiences a change of circumstances, including starting school.
Sky News reported in April that the NHS has been facing an “extraordinary, unpredicted and unprecedented” surge in demand for autism assessments and ADHD treatments.
The average waiting time for an ADHD referral is three years in the UK, but this can change depending on where you live, with five years expected in Belfast and more than ten years in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, according to ITV.
Dr Kustow shared his thoughts about the health condition, saying that instead of people getting “assessed and diagnosed” and diving “straight into medication”, there needs to be “work” on “stabilising the ship” and reversing “reversible things first”.
He explained that the NHS has a “limited pot of money” for ADHD, and health services now face “big problems” because “everyone has clicked on that ADHD is a real thing” and is what “explains their problems”.
Matt has previously spokenly publicly about his battle with ADHD, admitting that he didn’t understand what it was and initially thought it meant he was lazy when he finally received a diagnosis.
In 2022, he said: “Just before lockdown, I kind of got diagnosed with adult ADHD. It was a really hard moment for me because I didn’t believe in it.
“I thought it was just another word for lazy, for me. I know that’s wrong and I’m sorry for saying that out loud, but that’s what I thought.
“I thought that’s another word that they call lazy people and I’m a lazy person, that’s what they’re saying.”