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Data on NHS spending revealed the bill for five medicines used for ADHD soared by 40 per centCredit: Getty<\/p>\n
Drugs<\/a> used to treat it, such as Ritalin, were prescribed to 25,904 people in 2022\/23. <\/p>\n But that jumped by a third to 34,440 in 2024\/25.<\/p>\n Separate Public Health Scotland<\/a> data on NHS<\/a> spending revealed the bill for five medicines used for ADHD<\/a> soared by 40 per cent from \u00a39.1million in 2021\/22, to \u00a312.8million in 2023\/24, as dispensed items leapt from 206,548 to 288,143.<\/p>\n Experts warn the rise in sufferers and costs is making it harder for our crisis-hit health service to deliver safe care.<\/p>\n READ MORE ON THE SCOTTISH SUN<\/p>\n The stats emerged two weeks after we revealed devolved benefits handouts for Scots with ADHD are set to hit \u00a3100million only three years after the payments were introduced. <\/p>\n Dr Pavan Srireddy, vice-chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, said: \u201cThe impact on mental health<\/a> services has been immense.<\/p>\n \u201cTeams that were already stretched are struggling to meet demand, leading to lengthy waiting lists.<\/p>\n \u201cThis growing pressure is compromising the ability of services to deliver safe, timely and effective care.\u201d<\/p>\n And Dr Srireddy warned: \u201cThe current situation is neither sustainable nor safe.\u201d <\/p>\n But many medics fear the problems will only get worse because they reckon the condition is actually underdiagnosed.<\/p>\n Do you or your child have ADHD- Here\u2019s the NHS test as Brits waiting two years for diagnosis<\/p>\n Symptoms include being easily distracted, forgetful, having difficulty following instructions, losing personal items often, being impulsive, restless and making quick decisions without considering consequences.<\/p>\n The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland and other experts believe the huge increases may be being driven, in part, by awareness of ADHD being raised on social media<\/a> sites such as TikTok<\/a>. <\/p>\n But there are also fears of misinformation being spread online about the condition. <\/p>\n One study identified that more than half of the info on TikTok relating to ADHD was inaccurate.<\/p>\n Geraldine Mynors, co-founder of the Scottish ADHD Coalition, said: \u201cA large number of adults have never been diagnosed, or were diagnosed as children<\/a> but fell out of the system as teenagers<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cTherefore, there has been a big unmet need for help.<\/p>\n \u201cStudies show that perhaps 1.5 per cent to three per cent of the population<\/a> have it \u2014 and we are still very far short of this in terms of adults in treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n Concerns have also been raised about shortages of drugs, especially for children with severe cases.<\/p>\n We previously told how ADHD benefit claimants on a standard rate for Adult Disability<\/a> Payment get almost \u00a34,000 a year.<\/p>\n They don\u2019t need a formal diagnosis of having the condition in order to get approval for payouts. <\/p>\n But they must have supporting information from medical<\/a> specialists.<\/p>\n Read more on the Scottish Sun<\/p>\n Some legal firms are even offering sufferers \u201cno win, no fee\u201d services to help them with claims.<\/p>\n