ADHD numbers have doubled because people like drugs that make them productive, and the victimhood points you get for being "neurodivergent" ... aka, its all fake.
Your first swing at a reason doesn't make any sense either, as ADHD numbers have not solely affected adults. Even if you account for those "just wanting to be productive" by apparently ruining their entire ability to compensate dopamine naturally, the numbers are still increasing.
The number of people in my life diagnosed with various disorders, with accompanying drugs, via short meetings with doctors they've met once is staggering.
Re: children, do you know many parents? I know many and many of their children are medicated for ADHD. They are usually active and healthy boys who don't like sitting still in class or have grown accustom to video game and screen time, so when they don't have those things, flip out. On demand entertainment and smart phones have created a screwed up reward system for young children. ADHD medication is usually the prescribed solution to that problem. By the time they reach middle school, they have no chance. Its an uphill battle to stay ahead with school and maintain all the hobbies/extracurriculars. I blame the parents, and while they're responsible, the FDA/"doctors"/pharma companies facilitate it.
I'm not saying people are faking things like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Mostly ADHD, anxiety, and depression disorders. Seems like 1/3rd of people I interact with have one of those, or all of them.
There is zero evidence that there is an increase of people who are diagnosed via short meetings and immediately drugged especially when the drugs are under far heavier restrictions than say Ozempic.
The rest is anecdotal, just as easily as you say you've met so many who have been diagnosed and drugged, I can say I have not met many. Most of them seem very anti-diagnosis even when it's clearly affecting them due to this stigma. Yet you'll discount my position because it's anecdotal.
If you think your worldview holds water, why are there so many studies proving the efficacy of both non-stimulant and stimulant drugs in trials that are double-blind, placebo controlled, and using parallel groups? (eg https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3000197/) Shouldn't it be identical to placebo for reducing ADHD symptoms?
Far more interesting to me is how you've met so many neurodivergent people. Many studies have talked about subconscious biases of those who are neurotypical (eg: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5286449/) which goes both ways, as we gravitate to those most similar to us. Unless you're a social worker or creating statistical anomalies in your head of course.
Are there people out there who have been drugged by their parents without having a real problem? Probably. But these are parents who would go through a hundred doctors to find one who can be bought, as now they would have to specifically avoid the plethora of alternative solutions doctors offer due to ADHD stigma (stigma noted in papers like https://sites.ucmerced.edu/files/laura-hamilton/files/metzge...).
I struggled with many of these things -- primarily time blindness, executive function and impulsiveness -- for most of my almost six decade life, and finally understanding what was happening -- and getting help for it -- has been life-changing.
As one friend put it, he would cut off his left testicle if it meant having working executive function. The idea that I -- and friends and acquaintances who share similar experiences -- are faking it is ignorant and insulting. That you do not suffer is a gift; be grateful. Maybe don't be so dismissive of the struggles and suffering of others.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh4RKnr7ygXsO1ImoyB0K...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2894421/ https://news.mit.edu/2014/inside-adult-adhd-brain-0610