ADHD impacts the parts of the brain that control executive function, which is the ability to plan, prioritize and execute tasks, whether it’s completing a complicated, long-term project at work, or figuring out how to still get work done, while juggling the chaos of parenting young children. Without the medication, ADHD patients are concerned about job loss and, in some cases, self-harm.Īlthough ADHD is commonly thought of as a children’s disorder, characterized by little boys who just can’t sit still, it is a far more complicated and pervasive condition, one that can have a significant lifelong impact. The shortage, due in part to a lack of the active ingredient used in Adderall, and an increase in the number of prescriptions, has stretched on for months, with no clear end in sight. In the past year, as the FDA declared a shortage of Adderall, making it more difficult to access ADHD medications, leaving many patients unable to fill their prescription.

For people with the disorder, accessing medication such as Adderall, which is considered a first-line treatment, has always been difficult, due to factors such as a shortage of trained healthcare professionals and restrictions required for stimulants, which are controlled substances because of their potential for abuse.īut now the problem is worse.

Once she did, her new health insurance refused to pay for the medications that worked best for her, forcing her to try cheaper drugs, which either didn’t work as well, or came with side effects.Īccording to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 4.4 percent of adults have ADHD. First, she couldn’t find a psychiatrist who treated adults with ADHD. For Jessica McCabe, who has attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), moving to Seattle meant navigating major hurdles to access her medication.

Binder vs evidence of insurance