TOKYO - An increasing number of adults in Japan are being diagnosed with developmental disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as greater awareness encourages people to recognize lifelong difficulties and seek support through discussion groups and personal accounts.
Developmental disorders arise from differences in how the brain functions from birth, affecting communication, attention, learning and other aspects of daily life. While some people receive diagnoses during childhood, others only become aware of their characteristics in adulthood.
On a Saturday afternoon, 19 people gathered for a discussion organized by Developmental Partners, a support group for people diagnosed with developmental disorders and those considered to be in the "gray zone," meaning they experience certain characteristics without meeting the criteria for a formal diagnosis.
Participants openly shared the challenges they face in everyday life, from forgetfulness and difficulty understanding others' emotions to anxiety when unexpected situations disrupt their routines.
One participant described leaving house keys on a Shinkansen train and boarding the wrong train when traveling to an important appointment. "I get really frustrated at those moments, wondering why I always make the same mistakes," the participant said.
Another expressed a strong connection with the difficulty of understanding other people's feelings, while someone working in customer service described becoming overwhelmed when customers unexpectedly reported problems such as spilled drinks.
"When something gets added to my usual routine, I panic," the participant said.
Others spoke about feelings of isolation and emotional distress, including the difficulty of being alone.
Tomoo Ishida, head of Developmental Partners, said about half of the attendees were participating for the first time, reflecting growing interest in opportunities to discuss such experiences.
"The number of people receiving diagnoses for relatively mild developmental disorders has increased considerably," Ishida said.
The rise is particularly evident in ADHD diagnoses among adults. Over the decade beginning in fiscal 2010, the rate of new ADHD diagnoses among people aged 20 and older increased approximately 21-fold.
At the discussion group, participants exchanged experiences and explored ways to understand and accept their own characteristics.
One participant said recognizing certain difficulties as part of their condition helped relieve feelings of frustration. "When I think, 'This is just how I am, so it can't be helped,' I feel much calmer," the participant said.
Another agreed, explaining that after repeatedly struggling with personal difficulties, acceptance often becomes the eventual conclusion.
For a woman in her 40s who was diagnosed with a developmental disorder in 2025, the diagnosis brought both reassurance and despair.
"Ever since I was a child, I felt that I was different from everyone around me," she said. "I always had a vague sense that there was some kind of separation between myself and other people."
She described how her attention sometimes shifts to something else while working, causing her to forget tasks she has already started.
When asked how she felt about receiving the diagnosis, she said, "I felt despair at the thought that I would be this way for the rest of my life, but at the same time, I felt relieved knowing that some things couldn't be helped because of my condition."
Beyond support groups, manga depicting the everyday experiences of people with developmental disorders are also attracting attention.
One example is "Naori wa Shinai ga, Mashi ni Naru" ("It Won't Be Cured, but It Gets Better"), a manga series by Kaoru Curryzawa, an artist who has a developmental disorder.
Drawing on her own experiences, Curryzawa uses humor to portray the frustrations, misunderstandings and personal discoveries associated with living with the condition.
The series has sold more than 100,000 copies, reflecting growing public interest in firsthand accounts of developmental disorders.
Izumi Yagi, manager of the comics floor at Junkudo Bookstore's Ikebukuro flagship store, said there is a steady number of customers specifically seeking manga about developmental disorders.
The growing popularity of these publications suggests that personal stories are becoming an important way for people to understand conditions that may not be immediately apparent to others.
Unlike physical disabilities that can be readily recognized, developmental disorders often involve difficulties that remain largely invisible, making it harder for those affected to receive understanding and consideration from people around them.
Ishida emphasized that behaviors sometimes interpreted as carelessness, unwillingness or a lack of effort may instead result from neurological characteristics that make certain tasks more difficult.
"People aren't failing because they don't want to do something. There are simply things they struggle with because of their characteristics," Ishida said. "I hope others will look at them without misunderstanding or prejudice."
Source: FNN
