I don’t know the inner-workings of pharmaceutical companies, nor am I privy to all the reasons behind our current drug laws. I do know that getting an Adderall prescription filled can be stressful, especially with the recent shortage.

The Adderall Shortage: The Supply Chain

There are many things that can affect the Adderall supply chain…

• The controversial theories that childhood ADHD is over-diagnosed or misdiagnosed, and
• Pharmaceutical companies that are not prepared to handle
  • The increase in ADHD diagnoses in children with inattentive symptoms
  • The staggering rise of diagnoses during COVID lockdown
  • ADHD becoming a “spectrum disorder”
  • The growing research of how ADHD presents in adults and minorities populations,
  • And More.

When the FDA first announced the shortage, I chose to ignore the various anxiety-stricken headlines for the sake of my own sanity. If you don’t mind going down the rabbit hole, all you have to do is type “Adderall shortage” in your search engine and go nuts.

Controlled Substance

An additional obstacle to ordering Adderall is the fact that it’s a “controlled substance”.

Basically, too many people were abusing Adderall…

• for recreation
• to pull all-nighters
• to work harder, etc.

The government wants to make it harder to obtain Adderall without a prescription. Insurance companies have also stepped in to make sure a valid diagnosis is attached to the prescription.

I have a “valid diagnosis”, so why is it difficult to get my drugs?

The strict protocols in place for controlled substances make it so that you cannot have too much of the substance at a given time. I can only refill my prescription a few days before I run out of my current bottle. On top of that, a doctor/psychiatrist has to approve each refill. If communication fails between the doc office and pharmacy, there’s a chance I’ll be without Adderall for a few days.

Or weeks…

It’s a legit struggle.

Withdrawal

Everyone’s experience with Adderall withdrawal is different.

I give my brain a break from Adderall a few times a year, on purpose, unless I am unable to get my prescription on-time (happens more than I thought it would).

I know what to expect when I purposely pause my meds. Forced pauses are a different story.

I sleep A LOT the first few days. When I’m awake, I get migraines that knock me back out again. Stringing words together (or English-ing) is a chore.

I can deal with all of that when I’m on vacation (aka doing a whole lot of nothing). It’s not great when I have to adult.

I’ve had to learn to let go of the fear (of not getting my meds on-time each month). I don’t need that anxiety in my life. I thank God for my husband who goes through these roller-coaster rides with me!

What gets you through the Adderall struggle?