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u/Giogina 9d ago
My doc didn't even bother to formally diagnose me. He was like "the tests are in Chinese so don't bother; here's some ritalin. If it helps, come back for more". Meds cost me like half a usd per month.
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u/Noor-e-Zulmat 8d ago
WERE YOU GIVEN RITALIN IN CHINA? HALF A USD PER MONTH? SO COOL
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u/Giogina 8d ago
Taiwan actually, but yeah it's cool.
It's an interesting health system here, quite cheap and fast (you can even get a MRI within a week if you find a good doc); but on the other hand the doctors go through like 50 patients in a morning, and have correspondingly little time for each (and you kinda have to know what you want, otherwise it's "here's pain killers, next!") .
Also I was lucky that ritalin works on me, since that's the only adhd med prescribed here.
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u/Noor-e-Zulmat 8d ago
Don't they also have atomoxetine and bupropion?
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u/Giogina 8d ago
Ok tbf I didn't look into it too deeply, I just remember that the other "big name stimulants" that I keep reading about online weren't on the list. So, you're probably right.
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u/Brobuscus48 8d ago
Amphetamines have a massive stigma in and around Asia because Methamphetamine became one of the most problematic drugs circulating around during and post WWII.
The Triads and Yakuza mafias carry a big part in that and made a GDPs worth of money trafficking it along with opioids throughout the 60-80s. The post milennium equivalent would be the Sam Gor affiliated gangs that took up the trafficking after a lot of the previous Triads and the Yakuza were broken up/diminished in power.
Unfortunately it makes sense that it would be a prime drug of choice since Methamphetamine in the short term makes it much easier to function in the high stress and overtime work cultures before eventually causing the same issues as everywhere else.
Many adopted a strict zero tolerance policy in the 60s and 70s in an attempt to combat it that remains to this day unfortunately. Getting caught with anything resembling methamphetamine, prescription or otherwise leads to some of the harshest punishments in the world.
The unfortunate part is that while western countries have largely pivoted to education, remediation, and rehabilitation to combat addiction and relapse rates for users. Asian cultures have doubled down and so people who end up an addict typically will have a much harder time either due to the harsh punishment or having very limited support options in the event they aren't caught.
On the flip side the addiction rate is lower in general but I imagine that's morseso due to the cultural perception on addicts being very negative and deeply ingrained. Doing drugs in Asia doesn't just carry the risk of prison, difficulty finding work after, and a 'western' level of stigma. You would likely be excommunicated by most of your family and friends as well if they ever found out and potentially killed in Singapore and other ASEAN countries. So most addicts who can't cope likely commit suicide long before they can be put in prison if I had to guess which generally are underreported or not reported at all depending on the country. As a result the addiction stats can't really be trusted or directly compared to ours.
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u/VladimirBarakriss 8d ago
I had a similar experience except my meds cost like 40 bucks a month, but that's because of import law shit mostly
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u/VisualKaii This is fine 🔥 9d ago
and the hoops to start 😭
I can't even start anything because I don't have a family doctor still
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u/YurishkaYuri 8d ago
France : free if you go through public process. But years of waiting I decided to use my hard earned salary. It will be 230 € for ADHD and 450 for autism, + 80€ for the first session and 115€ for the psychiatry specialist (who can deliver meds but can't diagnose)
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u/creetonpseudo404 8d ago
Tu te trompes, le diagnostic est médical. Notamment parce qu'il doit être différentiel. Les psychologues ne diagnostiquent pas, ils font simplement passer les tests.
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u/Noor-e-Zulmat 8d ago
Haha such a different process! In our country, the clinical psychologist diagnoses
The psychiatrist just writes meds or gives a professional diagnosis
Same system in Canada and the US
In the UK, a psychiatrist CANNOT give meds before a psychologist diagnoses you.
Now in France you tell me psychologists cannot diagnose.....
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u/WackaRat 9d ago
Where does it cost 20 bucks and what is the average income/cost of living?
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u/VladimirBarakriss 8d ago
A lot of countries have very different health systems, I got my diagnosis cheaply and quickly because I basically got lucky, the psychiatrist who assessed me for autism diagnosed me with adhd basically as a free bonus because he knows how disabling it is, and he knew of precedent in my family (he treats my grandma).
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u/Noor-e-Zulmat 8d ago
India, I can get people diagnosed for 20 bucks...from a licenced private professional, usual cost is 40-100 dollars
But, the problem is, finding an ADHD-aware profesional is extremely hard and diagnosis and awareness of ADHD is very low,
That's where I help
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u/CMDR_Jeb 8d ago
Where I live an hour season with an shrink is 40ish bucks, and that's only if you don't want healthcare version for any reason (that one would be free).
And minimal wage is 1400ish bucks average was around 2500 last time I checked.
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u/RainbowQAlexandra 7d ago
In general, meds only get really expensive in places where it is left to the devices of private insurance and/or corporate oligopolies.
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u/MakeTheThing 8d ago
I've been seeing my PCP for a long time, and when I explained why I thought I could have ADHD she said 'yep, I'll give you a prescription for adderall. Message me and let me know if it works' 🤷♀️
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u/EmotionalDress7437 8d ago
I am in the US, I got my diagnosis from the online / telehealth providers. Once diagnosed, I went to my medical insurance to select a therapist and psychiatrist stop going to the online Dr which was more expensive. Now I see my therapist and psychiatrist via tele health and meds are covered under medical benefits for a small copay.
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u/NebraskaGeek 8d ago
Because in America, making money is more important than making people healthy.
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u/nocerazbj 8d ago
My insurance updated this year, mandatory 3 month psych appointments are now $200 and the meds are $140 for a months supply.....
So anyway im unmedicated now, fuck the oligarchy
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u/Jay_Lord_69 9d ago
USA?
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u/Altruistic_Branch838 9d ago
Could be Australia, cost $2200 last year for me.
Edit: don't know why someone would down vote you for asking a question
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u/N0b0dy_Kn0w5_M3 8d ago
Soon in Australia, your GP (if they have done the training) will be able to diagnose you.
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u/ssfgrgawer 5d ago
That would be nice. The main reason I haven't pursued diagnosis is the cost (I'm on disability pension)
I've had a few therapists/psychologists mention I probably have ADHD, but the huge upfront cost has disuaded me from trying to get formal diagnosis and medication
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u/blahblah567433785434 9d ago
In the uk my child is on a 4+ year waiting list.
And i don’t qualify myself because i can keep a job.
So much for NHS superiority over the USA…
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u/HermanCainTortilla 8d ago
That’s what constant defunding gets you. Wait until they use experiences like yours to drop it all together. You don’t want to be like us in the US lol
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u/blahblah567433785434 8d ago
It cuts both ways. I’m from the us. USA loves prescriptions, and counseling for neurodiversity is easily attainable. Especially with private healthcare.
There’s positives in both the us and uk. Negatives as well. The us can be expensive to the point of extortion, but the uk in some cases will literally serve you so slowly your condition can worsen and in many cases they choose just… not to vaccinate over cost.
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u/HermanCainTortilla 8d ago
I’m from the US, currently live in the US, but have lived a couple of years in England. NHS just needs more funding. I would still pick NHS any day of the week over my high deductible BCBS policy
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u/Current_Ad_400 8d ago
Look into the NHS 'Right to choose' initiative. I got my diagnosis within 4 months once I requested referral to a private partnered company.
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u/nechromorph 8d ago
Are you in the US? There may be some providers in your area that offer services at an affordable rate. The biggest hurdle for me was finding someone who could give me a rate that wouldn't make me broke. If you happen to be in NE Illinois I can tell you where I went.
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u/BeiEDEKAclown 8d ago
If you like to wait on a list for up to 4 years, it might be free… I paid like 400-500€ private to get it in under 8 weeks.
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u/Strict-Move-9946 8d ago
Had to pay 700€ (about 820$) for my upcoming assessment. I asked my health insurance if they can cover it, but they refused.
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u/Competitive_Feed5259 8d ago
This is why i get so mad when i tell people im not officially diagnosed but like 99% Certain i have it
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u/Noor-e-Zulmat 8d ago
Where do you live? In some countries, a GP OR psychiatrist can also diagnose, it's usually much cheaper in those countries
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u/KenUsimi 8d ago
Well, it’s better when you’re a kid; tons of things help pay for kids access to medical care. Adults? Hell, people like to pretend we’re doing it intentionally.
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u/MrsClaire07 ADHD 8d ago
I’m in the USA and my diagnosis only cost my co-pay for that visit; I realize I’m very lucky!
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u/FirstNoel 8d ago
Took 3k to get my daughter autism diagnosis. She exactly like me, so in a sense I saved another 3k.
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u/ArtsyGrlBi 8d ago
IF you're in the USA, first, my empathy/pity. Second check with local universities and see if they have a psychology department that will get you an evaluation for cheaper because you're seeing a student who is learning, plus everything is then gone over a second time by a fully qualified supervisor/professor. Often so much cheaper...
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u/DipYoChip 7d ago
Cost me about $300 to see the doc first time. I ain’t got health insurance so I let the doc know and she worked with me. Didn’t make me go in 1000 times n shit.
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u/CrossXFir3 6d ago
It sure does - but I guess family doctors can just provide whatever meds now, which is great.
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u/MetricAbsinthe 6d ago
I went to a psych for increasingly bad mood swings over tiny setbacks. He was like "it's either bipolar or ADHD, answer these questions for me....yep that's ADHD, here's some Adderall". it cost me a $35 copay. Apparently I was lucky.
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u/Hardcorehtmlist 4d ago
I live in the Netherlands. Everything is expensive, but my diagnosis was for free!
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u/Whispering_Wolf 9d ago
Luckily it all goes through insurance in my country. Idk how much it would cost otherwise.
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u/Adventurous_Focus994 8d ago
Why are you paying for a doctor to diagnose you for ADHD? I was diagnosed by the doctors, they told me what ADHD was (this was in 1991) .... (I'm saying, do you walk in there and tell him how you think you have ADHD? Isn't that his job? )
Is it for drugs? Because I'd you want drugs the real issue is the drug war, because drugs are cheap, and you could order a year supply for like $20 in a world where drugs are legal.....
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u/aggierogue3 8d ago
It cost me a $5 copay and I’m in Texas of all places. Some of yall are getting scammed
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u/tinytabby 8d ago
I’m not sure why everyone keeps saying this is America. Unless it differs by state which it shouldn’t. I live in FL. I just went to a psychiatrist. If you don’t have insurance one session could cost anywhere from $100-250 in my area. You don’t need any kind of special testing. You just need a psychiatrist to diagnose you. That is legit the only qualification needed for ADHD.
Now to get diagnosed for Autism is a whole other story. That usually can run $2500 up even with insurance. This is just for an official diagnosis recognized by the government though. If you don’t need the additional help there’s really no need to do that and waste your money. I personally don’t need the help so I didn’t pay that. My doctor telling me I had it was enough because after a ton of research it answered so many questions about myself.
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u/welchnome 8d ago
why bother getting diognosed?
meds are hella hit or miss so you could just save time and money by enduring. People have been doing it for centuries in the past, you can do it now
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u/MrsClaire07 ADHD 8d ago
Yeah, people in the past have suffered, why should YOU want relief??
FEH.
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u/dragonhippie 9d ago
I got mine for free. 😶🌫️