Eight-year ADHD backlog at NHS clinics revealed

5 comments

1. the criminal thing is that ADHD is very treatable, and the medication is very cheap when you consider the quality of life improvements you get, so medication shortages aside that’s up to 200,000 people being denied significant help because of insufficient provisions (i imagine the actual number is even higher as many can’t even get a referral these days!)

   plus, those waiting will skew younger so it’s exactly the kind of cohort we need to be treating, if anyone asks why record numbers of younger people are out of work due to sickness/ill health I give you exhibit A! (obviously ADHD doesn’t account for all cases but this is emblematic of MH care across the board unfortunately)

   personally, i had to go privately in the end as i couldn’t get nhs care (long fucking story) and it wouldn’t be hyperbole to call the meds a miracle pill in my case, took a whole lot of effort to get back on track too but the pill was the enabler and it’s truly been life changing… only downside is i’m now on the hook for £350/400 yr private costs to maintain the shared care agreement ><

2. As someone with ADHD, this fucking horrific. I’m lucky to be diagnosed and medicated, which is probably one of the main reasons I haven’t taken the easy way out. 

   ADHD is often downplayed by people that haven’t experienced it, but it is hell. There’s a reason why people with ADHD are 5 times more likely to attempt suicide. 

3. I’m coming up to two years after my referral now. Apparently that is the average wait time in my area, and I’m praying that’s still true.

4. Awful. Diagnosed and medicated at 37 for me. Changed my life. 

5. One of those on the waiting list for 3 years now. I cleaned everything I could in my life, only social media I use is Reddit, I fixed my diet, sleeping, no drugs apart from sertraline as without it I’m a walking crying mess with anxiety and daily suicidal thoughts. I’m still in this limbo of doing 2 steps forward and 2 steps back from the time I was a child. It’s tiring man, I’m happy I found out what is wrong with me but waiting for help is a hell and I can’t afford private yet.

   System is punishing for people like me with “invisible” illness.