Medications For ADHD
Medication can help people with ADHD concentrate, feel less impulsive and also learn new abilities. adhd medications can also help improve the quality of their interactions with others and improve school performance.
Due to the shortages, millions of people are not able to get their medication. Many are stockpiling or rationing the supplies. A taskforce is attempting to solve the issue.
Stimulants
The medications used to treat ADHD are classified as stimulants. This means they increase the levels certain chemicals in the mind. This helps your brain focus and stop you responding to impulses.
The stimulants are the most common kind of ADHD medication that is prescribed in the UK. They are a group of drugs that include the methylphenidate family (such as Ritalin) and amphetamine salts (like Adderall). They work in different ways, but both work by reducing the amount of dopamine which is released in the brain when you have an impulse.
In Europe and the UK The methylphenidate drug family is the most widely used. It includes methylphenidate Hydrochloride, dimesylate dexamfetamine and lisdexamfetamine. They are available as short acting or long-acting medications or as two medications known as 'immediate release or modified release'. Short-acting tablets usually last between two to three hours, while modified release medicines are able to be used for up to 12 hours.
In the year 2000, the government issued an alert to patients warning about shortages of these ADHD medications. This was due to manufacturing issues and a rising global demand. Certain products were not available for a while however, now they are back in stock.
As the supply of ADHD medication increased, more adults could receive them. This meant that for the first time, more adults than children are getting these medications in England. There are also an increasing number of women diagnosed with ADHD due to the COVID-19 epidemic and are now being given these medicines as are their male counterparts.
More than 200,000 adults are now being treated with stimulant ADHD medication in the UK. However, this is only a small percentage of the estimated 2.6 million people in the UK with the condition. The decision to take or not take medication is often an individual decision. uk adhd medication choose to take the route of taking meds, while others choose therapy and may never need or want to take medication.
There are also non-stimulant ADHD medicines available that have a different impact on the body. This kind of medication boosts the noradrenaline levels in the brain. Noradrenaline is a chemical that transmits information between nerve cells. This can help improve concentration and lowering of impulses, however it takes a few weeks to affect the brain and this is why non-stimulant ADHD medication often needs to be monitored by psychiatrists more closely. It's also more expensive than stimulants. However, it is essential 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 on the options available for them and their families. This is especially important considering that the availability of these medications has been affected by the recent shortages across the UK.