The Adderall Shortage Continues

As the holidays commence, the Adderall shortage continues. Several factors including high demand and supply chain issues have caused shortages for the most effective drug to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Experts say it could last until March.

In the medication’s early days mostly children took it. Then after the ‘90s it became known that adults, too, suffer from ADD/ADHD and it reached people of all ages. Diagnoses increased through the next decades, and so did prescriptions. College students, for instance, are prescribed Adderall 10% more than they were twenty years ago.

The reason Adderall and similar drugs work so well for ADD/ADHD is because they stimulate the brain’s frontal lobe. This controls our cognitive executive/functions, for example, focus and self-control - things most affected by the disorder.  

As with many medications, abruptly stopping treatment may come with some unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. These may include sleep disruptions, nausea, mood changes, depression, and sometimes even vomiting.

Every patient is different so withdrawal may be severe for one person while nonexistent for another.

In many cases withdrawal is short-lived, but sometimes the symptoms are bad enough to disrupt normal life. Then it’s important to reach out to one’s doctor/psychiatrist for assistance.

While getting off Adderall always requires psychiatric consultation, a patient can use self-care to supplement the change in treatment. A healthy diet, exercise, and meditation/breathing exercises are good places to start. Also try keeping a sleep schedule, generally structuring the day, and staying away from distracting elements like social media.

There are alternative medications to temporarily replace Adderall that a patient’s psychiatrist may prescribe.

To hear a discussion with Kim, a patient going through the shortage right now, check out the Breakdown with Dr. B podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more - including our own website www.bregmanmd.com !

Bregman Medical Group has decades of experience treating ADD/ADHD and various other disorders for kids, adults, families, and more. We offer online psychiatry and therapy right to your device! Simple schedule online at www.bregmanmd.com or call 305-740-3340.

References:

https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/behind-the-adderall-shortage/

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html#:~:text=ADHD%20is%20one%20of%20the

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adderall-withdrawal