How to cope if you can’t get your ADHD medication (f/ Dr. Ned Hallowell)

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Hello Brains & Hearts! I sat down with Dr. Edward "Ned" Hallowell to talk about the medication shortage and what we can do when we're struggling to find our meds.

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We've listed a few here as well:
ADHD 2.0
Driven to Distraction
Delivered from Distraction
Married to Distraction
Answers to Distraction
Driven to Distraction at Work

Video chapters:
00:00 How to ADHD book
00:05 Intro
01:26 Introducing Dr. Hallowell
02:14 Try other medications (talk to your doctor first)
02:50 Try using non-medication treatments
03:10 Education yourself about your ADHD
03:55 Medication should never be the entire treatment
05:40 There are more solutions than "try harder"
05:56 Be with the right person and find the right job
08:08 Get enough sleep - don't stay up too late
08:40 Meditate and learn about mindfulness
09:02 Find an accountability partner
09:36 Find the right nutrition for you
10:14 Put positive images into your imagination
10:34 Take your vitamin C (connection)
11:36 Try other stimulants (caffeine)
11:57 Reevaluate your priorities
12:22 Curtail - Delegate - Eliminate

Music for "What to do if you cannot get your ADHD medication (featuring Dr. Edward "Ned" Hallowell)":
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

[sandradelaney]

Thank you for this video!! 2 years ago, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, and the first thing that my doctor did was yank my Adderall ER from me. I went from being a super productive, happy and satisfied RN with a great career to a house bound hermit in the messiest hovel. After watching this episode, I think that I need to find an ADHD knowledgeable psychiatrist. Thanks to both of you.❤

[frozenraspberries]

I'm glad this video was made. On average, my pharmacy has been taking 2 weeks to have my meds ready for me from the date they're requested. Half a month is a perfect amount of time to have my life fall apart again.

[puppypoet]

I hope this doesn't sound weird but when I am stressed or struggling, for two years, you have been who I go to for help. You're unintentionally my ADHD coach, and I hope someday I can help someone like you help me every day.

[pourpeopledrinks]

Oh my god I've NEVER heard anyone else say "find the right job." I WISH I'd heard that 10 years ago (when I was being routinely reprimanded for not being "productive" enough or "detail oriented" enough and "you work too much overtime" (ah yes, these are ALL things I REALLY want to be doing and feeling, thanks boss). Like I was trying to scam the corporate system. Got a job in hospitality and am now a wine expert and educator...and the level of self esteem that I get from knowing I'm GOOD at this and that people like the work I do is unreal. 10/10 game changer.

[PracticerOfMetta]

I’m 64 years old and I know I’ve always been ADHD back in the old days they thought that the more they hit me the more I would change. It is so relieving to hear these things. But I found out that research for elderly and ADHD is lacking. I have never tried medication and at this age I’m not sure it’s worth it or if it could hurt my blood pressure. Thank you for this channel so much! I don’t feel so alone because pretty much everybody but my son has no idea what it’s like.

Right now for the first time in 40 years my job is on the line. I’m only a few months from retirement. Quite stressful.

[katysaier]

PLEASE PLEASE if you're struggling to find your medication, check the outpatient pharmacies at local hospitals! My CVS hasn't been able to get my Adderall, so I i called up every pharmacy in my area and found it at an outpatient pharmacy. According to the pharmacist there, they have access to the same suppliers as the inpatient pharmacies and they get a much higher priority compared to "regular" pharmacies. Even needs that have been on backorder for months and months, they said they can normally get within a week.

[simon-white]

Great video and well-timed!

6:08 The right job for you is:
- what you're good at
- what you enjoy
- what people will pay you to do

Add to these three:
- what the world needs

and as a whole it becomes the Japanese concept of your ikigai, their concept for happiness at work.

[mikeleddyphoto]

This is so timely for me. Had to go to 14 different pharmacies before one would give me my meds, and just last month they told me they’ll no longer be able to give me the medication. So I have to do the process all over again. It’s been soul sucking

[JasonVanished]

I struggled with getting new medication because I got new insurance and they only payed for generics. Thank God they finally made a generic for Vyvanse. Before being switched to Vyvanse's generic they had me on Adderall Xr and it helped during the work hours but once it wore off I crashed mega hard. My body felt like it has been up for 2 days straight.

I like to say that when I did get my first job I always thought I would be there foverever then someone told me that I seem more like a night owl and I really don't interact with people "correctly" so they mentioned that I should work overnights and since then I felt better. Less customer interaction, more quiet, and I get to listen to music which helps me do work better.

[danaalexander]

Finally someone who gets it I started crying when he mentioned that for some of us, not taking our medication means we, we might lose our job or fail a really important test. I’m one of those people and every time I go day without my medicine. If it’s during the week I have to call off of work and when I was in school and then possibly not getting something done on time it’s so nice to hear someone recognize and acknowledge the struggles that go through. ❤❤❤

[AdamKueflef]

I love that this is actual self help for ADHDers not just the clean your room and do what your are suposed to

[maryeveylon]

Something that struck me is that you described your life as “still in shambles.” I reflexively wanted to give you a hug bc I’ve felt the same way so, so many times. It sucks. And in many ways I feel like my life is there too rn (for me, it’s divorce, not having a job rn, and a newish ADHD diagnosis among other things…) So maybe I’m saying this to both of us… Let’s not use qualifiers like that to describe where we are. There are seasons to life and this is a hard one for me. Maybe instead of “shambles” that has a decidedly negative connotation it can simply be “hard.” Like it may end up being hard for while, but not in shambles. You just finished your book, right? That’s not something that someone’s whose life is in shambles can do. No guilt, no shame, no nitpicking! Just a gentle reminder that negative self talk is the worst. 🧠❤

[starflier]

Ooof. I especially feel you about the MD going "Are your meds good? Okay, here's the new scrip"

[miniciominiciominicio]

5:44 Telling people with myopia to just squint harder... wow. That may be the best analogy I've ever heard.

[helenfhnin]

This is tremendously helpful for me! I'm from Myanmar and it's rough over here. I can't get a diagnoses or meds because we're backwards over here and anything ADHD is pediatric problems so as an adult, I can't find any good resources. Meds are a pipe dream for me. Watching this, I realize I've really learned how to cope with my ADHD because I have no access to meds.

[dphillips]

I’ve been putting off getting a diagnosis because I’ve been worried about not being able to get medication, but I finally got an assessment a few days ago! Will hopefully have a diagnosis in a few weeks 🤞

[house]

Please, please release your book on audible too!

Yours a hopeless dyslexic with ADHD who will never get to read this otherwise!

[MnMEminem]

Excercise is HUGE for ADHD, its probably better than meds! I had trouble excercising regulary because getting prepared for the gym costed more energy than the training itself... What saved me and I recomment to everyone is home workout, I have a bar and everytime I feel like it I just do pull-ups, get some elastics, get some weights and don't forget to train your legs! After getting those it was really life changing for me!

[RA-pfmt]

At least people in US are aware about ADHD someone living in third world country like me having ADHD where ADHD is barely recognised the struggle is real...In my country there is no medication available for ADHD and i have suffered immensely since last 26 years hope one day everything will be fine!!

[mgills]

This is hilariously relevant. I lost access to my meds when my doctor moved and despite only being on them for a few years, it was a huge blow. I finally got that fixed and have since realized I need to switch jobs because it turns out not all of the struggles were just being unmedicated! Whoops!