Can we talk about ADHD medication and how unnecessarily difficult it is to get a prescription??

A thread.

First of all, you have to get a diagnosis from a psychiatrist (it's rare that your PCP will do it. Some will, but you usually have to go to a psych)

And to get a diagnosis from a psychiatrist, you have to get a referral AND pay a ridiculous co-pay.

Psychiatrists are in pretty high demand, so you'll probably be on a waiting list for a month or two.

When you FINALLY get an appointment, they'll likely just diagnose you with anxiety, even when you have ALL OF THE ADHD SYMPTOMS.

So you'll comply and start on an anxiety regimen. It'll help a little. But it won't help everything because YOU HAVE ADHD.

So you go back to the psych 6 weeks later and explain that you would still like to try ADHD medication.

They'll look at you like you're a drug addict. Or like you're just trying to get the RX to sell. It'll feel hostile, when all you want is some relief from your ADHD symptoms

Some psychiatrists will say yes. Others will say no,& you'll have to start the process again w/ a new doc

So once you FINALLY get the script, the doc tells you that you either

A.) have to come back and get physical scripts Every. Single. Month; or

B.) have to call Every. Single. Month. to get a refill.

(I used to have option A, but now I have option B. It's a little less annoying, but I still feel weird calling my doctor every month for drugs.)