Adrian Chiles has voiced his fears for himself and wife Katharine Viner, who will have to “cope” amid a shortage of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication in the UK.
The 56-year-old presenter, who was diagnosed with a conduct disorder that typically begins in childhood and is characterized by a short attention span and poor impulse control, said in 2016 that the idea of not getting daily treatment for his symptoms was “terrifying” ” seemed to overcome his thoughts.
Adrian told The Mirror: “I can’t bring myself to take part because the prospect of not getting any more of the stuff called Elvanse that I use, which is likely, is devastating.”
The TV star, who has been married to journalist Katherine since 2022, continued: “It’s terrible for me and especially for my wife who has to live with me.”
According to the NHS website, the national shortage is expected to continue until December due to post-pandemic demand, but dates are subject to change.
Health concerns: Adrian Chiles has voiced his fears for himself and wife Katharine Viner, who will have to “cope” amid a shortage of ADHD medication in the UK.
Scary: The 56-year-old presenter, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2016, said the idea of not having his symptoms treated daily was ‘terrifying’ (Mrs Katharine Viner pictured)
Elvanse improves activity in underactive parts of the brain. The medication can help improve attention and concentration and reduce impulsive behavior.
Adrian said last year that he reassessed his beliefs about the effectiveness of professional ADHD treatment after discovering that some patients were desperately waiting five years for treatment.
He was diagnosed after he had already spent thousands of pounds on private healthcare and mental health treatment after being unable to concentrate on anything for more than 15 seconds.
But his belief that ADHD is easily treatable and widespread was put to the test when he met a fellow sufferer.
Adrian wrote for The Guardian that he got a reality check when he spoke to Henry Shelford about the disorder at the Global ADHD Conference.
He recalled: “I had some opinions for a long time that, thanks to him, I no longer have.” First, I developed the feeling that ADHD, which was largely underdiagnosed, had now gone the other way and was being diagnosed and treated left, right and centre.
“I was wrong – wrong, because I saw it through the prism of my own experience: essentially, I could have paid to see a specialist.” For everyone else, Shelford explained, the wait is very long.
And the stakes can be very high. “His charity’s biggest donor is the family of a teenager who committed suicide because the world overwhelmed them without treatment for ADHD.”
Scary: He said: “I can’t bring myself to take part because the prospect of not getting any more of the stuff called Elvanse that I use, which is likely, is terrifying.”
Health: The TV star, who has been married to journalist Katherine since 2022, continued: “It’s terrible for me and especially for my wife who has to live with me” (Elvanse medication pictured)
He added: “An unwelcome confirmation of all this came from an old school friend of mine, a GP, at his practice in the Midlands.” He told me the wait time for a referral for adult ADHD on his patch is five years. ”
However, the presenter also acknowledges that those who do not have the financial reserves to pay for private care can shorten the wait for treatment through the NHS’s ‘Right to Choose’ system, which provides referrals to various health authorities that support across the country become
Chiles also rejected the popular view that ADHD benefits the patient once they learn to control their fragmented thought patterns.
He wrote: “Yes, if one can harness the chaotic flow of thought, there is the potential to achieve great things.”
“But for every Heston Blumenthal … there are probably hundreds of aspiring chefs with this disease who, unlike Heston, have never managed to use it to their advantage.”
If anything in this article bothers you, please contact the National Attention Deficit Information and Support Service on 020 8952 280.
Source: Daily Mail
Ashley Root is an author and celebrity journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for all things celebrity, Ashley is always up-to-date on the latest gossip and trends in the world of entertainment.
