The demand for ADHD medications among adults significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to ongoing shortages that are causing frustration for both parents and physicians.

According to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry on Wednesday, there was a significant increase in the number of new prescriptions for stimulants, which are used to treat a certain condition, among young adults and women in the two years following the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.

The researchers at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration discovered a significant increase in prescriptions for non-stimulant treatments among adults of all age groups.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common developmental disorders in children, particularly boys. The use of drugs like Adderall to treat it climbed in general during the pandemic.

The use of telemedicine has simplified access to medical assistance, and governing bodies have begun permitting doctors to prescribe medication without requiring a physical in-person consultation with the patient.

According to Dr. Ann Childress, the number of adults seeking her assistance increased after the onset of COVID-19. The psychiatrist in Las Vegas identifies multiple factors contributing to this change.

Some individuals have come to understand their tendency to become easily distracted while working from home. Childress noted that she has identified many parents, particularly mothers, who observed this behavior in their children and recognized that they may also struggle with it.

Additionally, social media has increased awareness of adult ADHD among individuals.

Childress, who was not involved in the study, stated that there is now a greater willingness to discuss mental health concerns among individuals.

The increasing reliance on ADHD medications, combined with issues in production, has resulted in a shortage of Adderall that began over a year ago. Both doctors and patients report ongoing supply difficulties for various treatments.

According to Childress, there is a shortage of approximately 10 items every week.

Last month, Wendy Terry contacted almost 20 pharmacies in search of Focalin for her third-grade son who has ADHD. A few of the pharmacies were located in Diboll, Texas, which is approximately a 45-minute drive from her home. Diboll is a town situated about 100 miles northeast of Houston.

The 42-year-old insurance agent stated that everyone gave him the same response: They are unable to obtain it from the manufacturer and do not have any information on when or if it will be available.

Feeling frantic, she briefly changed her child’s ADHD medication. However, the outcome was so negative that he had to miss school.

With the help of a friend who works at a different pharmacy, Terry was able to locate a drugstore. However, she is not looking forward to the process of getting a refill for her son in the future.

Terry explained that when he is not taking medication, he is unable to sit still in school. He is always moving and his thoughts are scattered.

Federal regulators limit the production of some ADHD treatments because they are controlled substances. Regulators and drugmakers try to anticipate how much of a drug will be needed based in part on how it has been used in the past, said Mike Ganio, who studies drug shortages at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

However, he acknowledged that anticipating demand can be challenging, and sudden increases in usage can lead to shortages.

“It’s a business. No one desires to increase production or have excess inventory sitting on their shelves,” he stated.

In total, there were over 300 instances of drug shortages in the United States last autumn. Along with medications for ADHD, there have also been ongoing shortages of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.

According to Ganio, the current shortage amount is almost equivalent to the 10-year peak of 320, which was recorded in late 2014.

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Murphy filed a report from Indianapolis, while Hollingsworth filed from Mission, Kansas.

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The Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group provides assistance to the Associated Press Health and Science Department. The AP has full responsibility for the content.