America’s Adderall shortage is driving ADHD patients to use meth instead, social workers claim.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an official shortage of Adderall in October 2022, but more than a year later, people are still struggling to get the drug.
People can become dependent on the drug, meaning that they will no longer be able to think or function properly if they suddenly stop using it. This addiction can drive people with ADHD to turn to the black market to get a dopamine rush.
Both Meth and Adderall are amphetamines and central nervous system stimulants that help restore dopamine imbalances in people with ADHD.
Garrett Reuscher, a licensed social worker in New York who counsels people who use drugs, told The Daily Beast that clients who suffer from ADHD but have never tried meth have begun “looking for safer meth use.” to inquire about the consequences, [saying] “I can’t get my medication. I need to find something that helps me function.”
Britney Spears’ ex Adnan Ghalib recently said he was afraid the pop star would overdose on Adderall in 2008.
The number of Adderall prescriptions has steadily increased over the past twelve years. The figures include prescriptions for Adderall, both brand and generic, in the US
Prescriptions for Adderall have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2020, just before the virus broke out in America, the drug accounted for 1.1% of all medications. By September 2022, this figure had more than doubled to 2.31% of all scripts written
The ongoing Adderall problem is blamed on labor and supply shortages at Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals, which manufactured one in four brand-name and generic Adderall drugs in U.S. pharmacies last year.
It is also related to the increasing number of new prescriptions filled during the pandemic, as telehealth services increased thanks to Covid-era prescribing rules that relaxed the criteria.
Adderall is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and contains a mixture of the stimulants amphetamine and dextroamphetamine.
Nearly five million American adults use prescription stimulants like Adderall. In 2021, 41.4 million prescriptions for the drug were filled.
People can become dependent on the drug, meaning that if they suddenly stop taking it, they may feel like they can no longer think or function properly.
Withdrawal symptoms can include depression, irritability, headaches, oversleeping, insomnia, fatigue and nightmares.
Both meth and Adderall can be abused. Britney Spears’ ex, Adnan Ghalib, said he was concerned that his girlfriend had taken too much Adderall in 2008, shortly before she was admitted to her father’s psychiatric treatment.
Mr Ghalib told The US Sun: “She was taking medication prescribed by doctors, mainly Adderall – which to me is like legal speed.”
Elijah Hanson (pictured), 21, died by suicide in June 2022. He struggled with mental health problems for years. His family said a recent Adderall prescription received through online telehealth platform Cerebral played a role in his death
Adnan Ghalib, Britney Spears’ ex, said he became concerned that his girlfriend had taken too much Adderall in 2008, shortly before she was admitted to her father’s psychiatric treatment.
Although Britney’s use of Adderall was legal, her boss was concerned that she was addicted to the drug.
Her ex said, “I was driving Britney to pick up her prescriptions at Rite Aid and her manager at the time, Sam Lutfi, called and said, ‘If the prescriptions are for Adderall, you have to confiscate them.’
“You have to get rid of it.” I know it is prescribed, but it can be fatal at the same time if she takes more than the prescribed dose.
“I know she prescribed it, but she doesn’t limit her intake. You have to get rid of it.’
About one in FOUR high school students abuses Adderall
One in four American teenagers in some schools abuse prescription stimulants like Adderall, according to a government-funded study.
The growing awareness of what ADHD is has seen the demand for ADHD testing and treatment skyrocket, meaning long wait times for diagnosis.
Even those who have a prescription struggle to get the drug, putting them at risk for meth addiction.
Meth, like Adderall and many other ADHD medications, is an amphetamine and a central nervous system stimulant.
People with ADHD have low levels of certain brain chemicals, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which allow the nerves in the brain to communicate with each other. Stimulants increase levels and improve people’s concentration.
The drug is so effective against attention deficit disorder that there is a legal pill form of meth approved by the FDA for ADHD, but not widely prescribed.
Meth falls under Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act and is mainly used as a recreational drug.
Without medical supervision it can be incredibly dangerous and overdose can easily occur.
Meth-related overdoses have increased exponentially in the United States over the past decade, killing more than 30,000 people in 2021. Most of the deaths also involved fentanyl — a deadly synthetic opioid that is increasingly entering the drug supply.
Many people with ADHD started using meth before their disorder was diagnosed and found that the stimulant helped them focus.
Brianna, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, is a massage therapist in Las Vegas.
She never managed to become heterosexual in school, telling The Daily Beast: “It was like Bs and Cs, and I couldn’t understand how anyone could become heterosexual. Like I did my best, you know?”
In college, she started using meth and discovered that she could become as heterosexual as her fellow students.
Now in her 40s, she still buys about a gram a week to help her concentrate on work, but admits she is constantly worried about random drug tests.
Brianna decided to seek legal ADHD treatment, but realized that because of her history with meth, she would have to undergo a drug test to receive treatment.
She decided to forgo the official path to diagnosis because she didn’t want to stop using meth, even for a short time, because it allowed her to do her job.
She said, “I’ll go to the doctors and tell them, ‘Hey, I think so.’ [ADHD] is my problem.’ And they said, ‘No, it’s because you’re a drug addict and that’s why you feel that way’.”
She finally found a doctor who diagnosed her and prescribed Adderall. It helped her reduce the amount of meth she consumed, but she couldn’t stop completely.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
