Medications For ADHD
Medicines can aid people suffering from ADHD to concentrate, be less impulsive and develop new skills. They can also improve the quality of their interactions with others and improve school performance.
However, millions of people suffering from the condition are struggling to get their medications due to shortages. Many are storing or rationing their supplies. A taskforce is working to ease the situation.
Stimulants
Medications used to treat ADHD are generally classified as stimulants, meaning they increase the levels certain chemicals in the brain. This helps your brain to concentrate and stop reacting to impulses.
The stimulants are the most popular type of ADHD medication used in the UK. They are a category of medications that comprise the methylphenidate family (such as Ritalin) as well as amphetamine salts (like Adderall). They function in various ways, but both reduce the amount of dopamine that is released by the brain when you have an impulse.
In Europe and the UK The methylphenidate drug family is the most widely used. It comprises methylphenidate, dexamfetamine and Lisdexamfetamine. treating adhd without medication are available in either short-acting or long-acting versions or in a combination known as "immediate release" and "modified release". Short-acting tablets generally last about two to three hours, while modified release medicines can be taken for up to 12 hours.
In the year 2000, the government issued a warning to patients about the possibility of shortages in these ADHD medications. This was due to both manufacturing issues and increased global demand. Some products were unavailable for a period of time however, now they are available again.
As the availability of ADHD medications increased, more adults were able to take these medications. For the first time, adults in England are now receiving these medications more frequently than children. There is also an increasing number of women diagnosed with ADHD as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and they are now receiving these medications as well as their male counterparts.
More than 200,000 adults are now being treated with a stimulant ADHD medication in the UK. This is only a small portion of the 2,6 million people in the UK with the condition. The decision to either take or not take medication is usually an individual choice. Some people prefer to take medication, while others choose to seek therapy.
There are also non-stimulant ADHD medicines available that have a different effect on the body. This kind of medication boosts the levels of noradrenaline in the brain. Noradrenaline acts as a messenger chemical that transmits information between nerve cells. This can help improve concentration and lowering of impulses, but it takes several weeks to affect the brain. This is the reason that non-stimulant ADHD medication is often required to be monitored by psychiatrists more closely. It is also more costly than stimulants. It is nevertheless important for adults to be aware of the options available to them and to discuss this with their GP or ADHD service. They can give more details about the options available to them and their families. This is crucial due to the fact that the availability of these drugs is being affected by recent shortages in the UK.