ADHD

This is one of the benefits of being on non-stimulant meds, the hoops to jump through are way less (I still had to fight insurance for a prior auth, which took nearly a month). I use an online Psychiatrist (Talkiatry) and have been really happy with my doctor. I also only need to see him as often as we think is medically necessary since atamoxetine can be refilled. It's been shown in trials to be as effective as methylphenidate and works well for me so far.

The diagnostic piece though is indeed hard, but I can sort of understand that. It's a pathway to drugs with a high probability of abuse, and no sure fire way to diagnose. So from a liability and care viewpoint I get why psychologists do due diligence in evaluating people (especially adults) for ADHD. It still sucks if you need help, but in theory you only have to deal with that process once to get a diagnosis. Also, as many people have pointed out, many PCPs are willing to fill scripts for controlled substances if needed, especially once you are on a stable dose that you know works. Like many things, the start up is the hardest and it gets easier once you hit steady state.

I've been self medicating for decades with nicotine and THC. It works well for me. I guess I'm lucky.

Chances are someone did make it as hard as possible on purpose. US is the source of eugenics...

Shout out to all my spiritual siblings who skip days to stockpile meds because we live in a nightmare world.

The shit that pisses me off is the 4 week refill time because over the span of several months the refill date and appointment date get out of sync. Just make it so you can't fill more than three times in 90 days or whatever and it would accomplish the exact same shit but with way more flexibility.

Damn. I don't know where you live but I live in VA and my pcp just refills my prescription every month. We check in via what are basically text mesages and I do telehealth visits every 3 months.

maybe i got lucky, but my psychiatrist is private practice, and she lets me skip every other month and i just text to remind her to fill my meds. she's great.

oh, and offered to see me quarterly because she is encouraging me to find a therapist and i told her my budget is too tight to add another bill.

..yeah, i think i got lucky.

Germany here. It’s kind of similar here. The system is rigged against us.

My strategy is to use medication to enable me to build a support structure and learn techniques that help with dealing with symptoms. E. g. meditation, physical exercises that help mind-body connection, CBT, routines, etc. So that when I’m without meds, I can fall back on skills I acquired and trained.

What I also do is hoard medication. Ask for a higher dose or more pills, than I actually need. That way I can miss an appointment and still have enough for the next month or so. I even hide pills in different places around my apartment.

Healthcare shouldn't be political currency. Healthcare care is an inherently political issue, as each government has to determine the best strategy for them, but like many things in the US politicians see it as just another talking point and something that actually impacts people. This leads to policy being made by people who aren't knowledgeable about healthcare for people who have strong about healthcare but often aren't impacted by these policies and don't have a strong understanding of the topic.

While it would still be a horrible thing to have happen, I'm starting to think that having a bunch of LLMs run/control the government wouldn't necessarily be worse than what we have now (at least in the US).

Yes.

My anxiety, depression, and executive dysfunction prevent me from talking to a therapist and getting a diagnosis. I am so sick of this...

You guys don’t have repeat prescriptions?

I just order mine on an app when I get a reminder and then pick it up from the chemist a few days later when I get a ping.

As someone with unmedicated ADHD and a severe heart condition, I feel this rant deep, deep in my soul but more for my heart stuff.

You mean I have to call for follow ups every three months and also remember to fill my multiple medications every month or else I am sent on a death spiral? And you also mean to tell me that I can't take any of the typical ADHD drugs because it might hurt my heart?

Win win.

Shoutout to ADHDcentral. They tried to make the process as clear and accessible as possible. With automated reminders.