Adult ADHD stimulant prescriptions are surging, and doctors are raising concerns
“We’re living in a culture that increasingly pathologizes normal human difficulty, and that should be concerning to everyone,” said Alpert.
The study also highlighted a shift in who is writing these prescriptions. While the number of stimulants prescribed by psychiatrists remained relatively stable, there was a significant increase in prescriptions from primary care providers and nurse practitioners.
By June 2024, the monthly rate of adults dispensed stimulants reached 10.4 per 1,000 people, a more than sevenfold rise since the start of the study period in 2016. (iStock)
The rise of large telehealth companies during the pandemic could be a contributing factor, according to Keyashian, because there could have been an uptick in diagnoses for individuals who didn’t actually have ADHD.
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“Medication should treat a disorder, not become a performance enhancer,” Alpert noted. “Over time, that can lead to psychological reliance and reinforce the idea that normal struggles require medical solutions.”
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The researchers acknowledged some limitations of the study, including lack of access to detailed medical records and uncertainty regarding whether these findings apply to all geographic regions.
Some stimulants may have been prescribed off-label as an adjunctive treatment for depression or anxiety, which also surged during the pandemic, they noted.
“Many people, particularly women, have received a new diagnosis of ADHD … in adulthood.”
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/adult-adhd-stimulant-prescriptions-surging-doctors-raising-concerns