Surviving the Adderall (and other ADHD Meds) Shortage
By now, you’ve probably heard about the Adderall shortage. It has been dragging on for months and shows no sign of ending anytime soon. Word on the street is that other ADHD medications are beginning to see shortages as well. This is bad news for those of us who take our medication daily to combat the effects of ADHD. Many are finding it hard to find their medication which raises the question: What is an ADHDer to do? Here are some ideas.
Talk to Your Doctor
Your doctor will be able to guide you through any shortages that affect you and probably has better ideas than the ones listed in this blog post. While there are not enough ADHD specialists out there, doctors are better equipped to handle medication questions than most people. If you have a good doctor, talk to them. If you do not, try finding a new doctor.
Take Care of Your Brain
Be careful about what you put into your body. Certain things can affect your brain and cause impairments. However, eating healthy foods and exercising can help a great deal with managing your brain. Exercise is fantastic for the brain.
Be Smart
If you are out of meds and are unable to get them, make smart decisions about how you spend your time. You might need to drive less or cut back on other activities that place heavy demands on brain power. Additionally, use aids to prevent yourself from giving into impulses. Double down on those strategies you have to avoid saying or doing something impulsive.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep is crazy important for the brain. This is especially true for those of us with ADHD. Without sleep our brains do not work adequately. However, when one gets enough sleep, the brain can work well. If you find yourself struggling to focus and/or to get stuff done throughout the day, ask yourself how much sleep you are getting. Reminder: Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night. If you are younger than “adult,” that number is higher.
Be Vocal
This shortage will not end because of the status quo. Things have changed. More people are getting diagnosed. Yes, companies like Cerebral overprescribed ADHD medication, but that doesn’t change the fact that the pandemic created environments where it was easier to notice ADHD symptoms. We have more people getting diagnosed than ever before. Production and government quotas will have to go up. However, it won’t happen unless we do something. The wheels of government and bureaucracy move slowly. It is time for us to stop sitting on the sidelines and act. We need to put pressure on those in power to make the changes necessary to avoid problems like this in the future.
Coaching
While there is no substitute for medication, coaching can help you learn to work with your brain, not against it. By working with a coach, you will develop new coping strategies and come to a better understanding of what you need to be successful. Now is a good time to sign up for a Free Reset Session to see if coaching is right for you.
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