ADHD Resource Guide

The internet, and social media aren’t the cause of ADHD. But there are a lot of connections. Everyone, especially young adults stayed online during the pandemic.

To put it in perspective a study revealed:

• Young people who use the internet for more than 14 online activities have a 10.5% higher increase in ADHD symptoms.
• Adolescents that used half of these activities still showed a 9.5% uptick in symptoms.
• Not participating in any online activities have a symptom occurrence of only 4.6%.

The activities included:

• Online gaming (33.3%)
• Interacting or browsing social media (53.5%)
• Messaging and video chatting (52.1%)
• Online shopping
• Reading blogs or forums
• Streaming or downloading music (38.5%), shows, or movies (25.2%)

While everyone sat online during COVID-19, telehealth services boomed. As a result, more people got diagnosed and Adderall usage ramped up. The accuracy of the diagnoses is up for debate.

In a world that craves attention, an announcement from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) stole the show. One of those record-scratch moments. The sudden pause stopped 16 million inattentive individuals in their tracks. Amid the absence, headlines filled the media.

Out of stock. Out of options. This was in October 2022.

ADHD invades how the brain prioritizes actions and thoughts. Managing this can take a heavy toll on your work and personal life. You can view a comprehensive list of symptoms for all ages here. There are three types of ADHD recognized:

Thriving with Treatment
Stimulant and non-stimulant medications are the two types of ADHD drug interventions. Combined with modified CBT therapy and wellness activities, you’re cooking with the right ingredients.

Stimulant Treatments
Stimulants for ADHD are schedule II drugs. This means they are addictive and easy to abuse. There are a lot of stipulations and rules about dispensing these. These strict rules include some ingredients in common amphetamine pills like Adderall. Once the amounts are met, no more drugs can be made for the year. There are two types of stimulant medications:

• Amphetamines (Adderall, Vyvanse, Dexedrine)
• Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), which hold the top rank of stimulants prescribed.

These fall into two main categories based on how long the effects last:

• Instant-release (IR) lasting 5-8 hours
• Extended-release (XR) lasting 10-12 hours

Stimulant meds treat ADHD symptoms in 70% of adults and up to 80% of children. The drugs wake up the chemicals in your brain to interact in harmony. Starting with slow and steady doses mimics how your brain produces these chemicals.

DEA limitations and the flurry of adults diagnosis made the pending drought inevitable. Non-stimulants/alternatives for ADHD. The anti-stimulant versions are used when stimulants aren’t doing the job or if an individual has a previous substance use disorder (SUD).

These non-addictive meds can take weeks to begin working. They can also raise the risk of suicidal ideation. The upside? They’re safer from the perils of shortage situations and cravings. Atomoxetine (Strattera) is the first non-stimulant with an advisory to watch for suicidal thoughts. Otherwise, It has a strong safety profile and mild side effects.

Other brands include: clonidine, guanfacine. Learn more about non-stimulant medications here.

Once you’re diagnosed, managing ADHD isn’t just about medication. Shortage or not, a well-rounded plan reduces the havoc of ADHD. There’s a lot of ways it does this and you probably don’t want these in your life.

Don´t forget therapy
The solution? Therapy or counseling is a highly effective treatment when paired with meds. For adults, cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) lowered symptoms by about 20% in 31% of the participants. CBT for ADHD works well in both individual and group settings. Add to this that 69% of adults who received ADHD meds and modified cognitive therapy showed improvement. This took their “much improved” to “very improved” levels.

Find an ADHD-specific coach here.
Find an ADHD-geared psychologist or therapist here.

Diagnosis Trends
The number of people that started taking stimulants increased from 3.6% in 2016 to 4.1 in 2021. Prescription stimulant fills for females ages 15–44 and males ages 25–44 increased more than 10% from 2020-2021 (peak pandemic). Along with adults in general, females are gaining recognition. Until recent times, males led the diagnosis data.

Women aged 23-49 who received an ADHD diagnosis from 2020 to 2022 nearly doubled. Did females suddenly develop ADHD traits out of thin air? We can turn to societal factors to determine why ADHD is dismissed, misdiagnosed, and treated insufficiently for women. Women need lifestyle support too. Does this apply to you? Take this ADHD test for females. This article outlines the underrepresentation of females with ADHD and why this happened for so long. Follow up with this recommended read on How to Make Friends: Advice for Women with ADHD.

Aside from this guide, much information awaits at your fingertips. Get into ADHD resources whether you want to log off or keep your eyes on the screen.