Medications For ADHD
Medicines can aid people suffering from ADHD to focus, feel less impulsive and develop new skills. They can also help improve the quality of their interactions with others and improve school performance.
But millions of people with the disease are struggling to obtain their medication due to shortages. Many are rationing their medication or stockpiling. A taskforce is working to help ease the situation.
Stimulants
The drugs used to treat ADHD are classified as stimulants. This means that they boost the levels of certain chemicals that are present in the brain. This helps you to control your impulses and concentrate on the task at being done.
The stimulants are the most common type of ADHD medication used in the UK. The methylphenidate (such as Ritalin) and amphetamine-salts (such Adderall) families are included in this category. Both drugs work in a different way but they both reduce the amount of dopamine released in the brain when an impulse occurs.
In Europe and the UK The methylphenidate drug family is the most widely used. It includes methylphenidate hydrochloride, dimesylate of dexamfetamine and lisdexamfetamine. adhd medication uk are available as short acting or long-acting medicines, or as a combination of the two called 'immediate ' release or modified release'. Short-acting tablets typically last for two to three hours, while modified release medications can last up to 12 hours.
Last year the government issued an alert to patients warning about shortages of these ADHD medication. The shortages were caused by manufacturing issues as well as an increasing demand in the world. Certain products were unavailable for a time but supply has since been restored.
As the supply of these ADHD medications increased, more adults were able receive them. For the first time adults in England are now receiving these medications more frequently than children. As a result, more women are being diagnosed with ADHD. They are now receiving the same medication as their male counterparts.
In the UK, more than 200,000 people are prescribed stimulant ADHD medication. This is a tiny portion of the 2 million people in the UK with the condition. The decision to take or not take medication is often an individual choice. Some people choose to take medications, whereas others opt for therapy.
There are also non-stimulant ADHD medications available with a different effect on the body. This kind of medication boosts the noradrenaline levels in the brain. Noradrenaline acts as a messenger chemical that transmits information between nerve cells. This can aid in concentration and lowering of impulses. However, it takes several weeks to affect the brain. This is the reason why non-stimulant ADHD medications are often required to be monitored by psychiatrists more closely. It's also more expensive than stimulants. It is nevertheless important that adults are aware of their options and can discuss the options with their doctors or ADHD services. They can provide more information on the options available to them and their families. This is especially important, because the recent shortages in the UK have affected the availability of these drugs.