One Week Into ADHD Meds: The Shortage Is Dangerous

As I write this, I am on day ten of taking Medikinet XL for my ADHD. I am on a relatively low dose, and already seeing some significant improvements across my life. Something that stands out to me is the number of ADHD and AuDHD people who are unable to access their medication due to the global shortage. I find this even more concerning now having had my own experience of medication. In my opinion this shortage could be life threatening for some.

What benefits am I seeing on ADHD medication?

ADHD medication has, so far, been extremely helpful for me as a neurodivergent professional and parent. I have seen benefits across the board and am glad that, despite it being a last resort, I gave it a try. Some of the benefits I have experienced so far are:

• Increased ability to engage with conversations that I previously would have struggled to focus on.
• Significantly improved mental health
• Feeling less overwhelmed and burnt out
• I have almost completely stopped smoking
• I have significantly reduced my caffeine consumption
• My eating habits are healthier
• Self-care has been more manageable
• I am less forgetful
• I am not getting as close to Autistic meltdown as I previously was

Obviously it is early days, and things may change over time. However, I believe it is clear from these improvements that I am a person who does well with ADHD medication. I recognise that they are not right for everyone. While I have been having success with the medication, I have also had some realisation  for why this medication is so vital to have available for ADHD people. This has led me to realise that ADHD medication could actually be a protective factor from significant negative outcomes for people.

Why is ADHD medication important?

One of the most painful realisations I have had on this medication is that; if I had access to this in my younger years I may not have gone down the path of drug and alcohol addiction. Even now at over 8 years sober, I am seeing improvements in my caffeine and nicotine consumption that suggest to me that ADHD medication might well have been the answer I was looking for as a teenager. It further occurs to me that for people who can't access medication, illicit substance use might become an attractive option, placing themselves and their loved ones in jeopardy.

I have also found that my mood is better regulated and somewhat elevated compared to before. I believe this is because I am relieving the monotropic split and meerkat mode I have been operating on for many years. It is alleviating the things that burned me out, and making life more manageable. Life does not feel like a painful effort anymore.

These two things alone can be significant factors (anecdotally) in suicide and early mortality for neurodivergent people. I have reached the conclusion that by not addressing the global medication shortage, we are gambling peoples lives. While ADHD medication may not be something everyone wants, we should all want to see neurodivergent people lead happy and fulfilling lives.

What can we do about the shortage?

As I mentioned in my previous article, this is a global systemic issue. It's not enough to make more, it's not enough to change to more readily available medications that may not even be as helpful. Our governments need to address the systematic issues that have led to this situation. We need people in power to take account of neurodivergent lives and do their best to protect them. We can be a vocal minority that will not simply be shrugged off.

Services like CAMHS and adult services need to see the harm being done and care about it. It's not okay that we are being turned away from these services due to a lack of resources. Ignoring our existence is not a sustainable answer to a global issue. We need professionals to be our advocates, soldiers in the trenches alongside us. We require them to work with us, not against us.

This is a challenging situation. Many of us are trying to organise action in the irony of feeling very disorganised due to the shortage. This is why we need to work together, and not leave the work to the few. On our own we may be nothing more than droplets, but together those droplets form an ocean of change.