Erica, 39, has been taking Concerta since January 2022. The medication helps her to stay focused on tasks, whether work-related or beyond the 9-5 like completing DIY or meeting friends. The shortage, however, has left her struggling.

“I’ve been rationing my meds to days when I know that I need to focus on something important”, she tells Strong Women. “That means no longer taking them on Fridays, which is usually an admin-heavy day at work, or over the weekend. I recently moved house and took a week off to unpack and settle in, and I was off my meds. It just took me much longer than I would have liked.”

Before Erica relocated, three local pharmacies had told her that they hoped the stock would be replenished by November. She’s now only got a couple of weeks’ worth of her current medication left and is going to start experimenting with an alternative drug if her correct one remains unavailable. “Going cold turkey would just be disastrous for my work life”, she adds.

“I’m one of the thousands having to ration their ADHD meds during a nationwide shortage – it's unbearable”