{"id":124037,"date":"2021-09-28T11:00:57","date_gmt":"2021-09-28T10:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=124037"},"modified":"2023-03-05T16:21:26","modified_gmt":"2023-03-05T16:21:26","slug":"adhd-medications-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/adhd-medications-uk.htm","title":{"rendered":"ADHD Medications in the UK – What Are Your Options?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"ADHD

By: Practical Cures<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

by Andrea M. Darcy<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Have adult ADHD<\/a>? And wondering what your treatment options<\/a> are when it comes to ADHD medications in the UK?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[Not sure you would qualify for a diagnosis? Try our free online ADHD test<\/a><\/span>].<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ADHD medications in the UK<\/span><\/h2>\n

Medication has come a long way<\/a> since ‘ADD’ became<\/strong> a recognised diagnosis back in the 1980s. There are now far more options to choose from \u2014 if you live in the right country.<\/p>\n

Europe, for example, prescribes less medications<\/strong> than the leader of ADHD drugs, America. The UK falls in between Europe and the USA, with a decent choice on offer, if not everything on the market.<\/p>\n

If you would like to try ADHD medication in the UK, then you must go see a psychiatrist<\/a>. They are the only mental health professional who can give you an official diagnosis (should you need paperwork for insurance<\/a> or otherwise) and then prescribe medication.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[Watch Dr. Stephen Humphries, ADHD specialist psychiatrist in London, discuss ADHD meds in the UK here<\/a>].<\/p>\n

Licensed vs unlicensed ADHD meds<\/h2>\n

A ‘licensed medication’ means that it has<\/strong> gone through research trials that were approved by a regulatory body here in the UK.<\/p>\n

An ‘unlicensed medication’ can refer to a medication that <\/strong>has not been fully tested. More often than not, though, it means a medication that is an import. Or, that a medication has been found to work for various issues beyond its original intention. So the maker has decided it’s too expensive to license it for everything and has made it ‘off license’.<\/p>\n

When it comes to ADHD meds, an ‘unlicensed medication’ usually just means that the medication is licensed in other countries but not here in the UK, so is imported. It will generally be a more expensive option, and is more likely to be something you have to get through a private psychiatrist over the NHS.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[Learn more in the NHS “Guide to Unlicensed and Off-Label Medications<\/a>“].<\/p>\n

Stimulants in the UK<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
\"ADHD

photo by Karolina Grabowska<\/p><\/div>\n

ADHD medications are divided into those that are classed as stimulants, and those that are classed as non-stimulants.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Stimulants have been around the longest when it comes to ADHD meds.<\/strong>\u00a0U<\/span>nless your health or previous experiences with medication indicate otherwise, a stimulant is generally offered to you first. <\/span>They work by increasing activity in the parts of the brain that help control your attention and help you take action.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stimulants have the benefit of working right away. And they can be short or long acting,<\/strong> also called \u2018immediate release\u2019 and \u2018modified release\u2019. <\/span>If you are nervous about trying ADHD medications you might want to ask for a short-acting medication which can give you an idea of what it’s like to be on meds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The two types of stimulants for ADHD are the methylphenidate <\/em>family (such as the infamous Ritalin), and the amphetamine salts<\/em> family (like Adderall).<\/p>\n

Methylphenidates<\/span><\/h2>\n

These are the most prescribed medications across Europe and the UK.<\/strong> The full scientific name is ‘methylphenidate hydrochloride<\/a>‘. When short acting they last around two to three hours. <\/span><\/p>\n

Ritalin, the most famous\u00a0 methylphenidate of all, is<\/strong> available in the UK, but only licensed for children<\/a> over six and not for adults.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Licensed choices available are:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n