Ritalin has experienced a real boom since the pandemic

A packet of the drug Ritalin sits on a table where a ten-year-old boy is doing his homework. There has been a significant increase in the prescription of ADHD medication in Switzerland. (symbolic image)

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Since the pandemic, ADHD medications such as Ritalin have seen a significant increase in prescriptions in Switzerland. An analysis shows possible causes for this trend.

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The number of prescriptions for ADHD medication is rising in Switzerland.
Wastewater measurements and health insurance data confirm the increase in the number of people being treated.
Pressure to perform and the role of chemical exposure in the environment are considered possible triggers for ADHD.

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This study makes us sit up and take notice: since the pandemic, there has been a remarkable increase in the prescription of ADHD medication such as Ritalin. After a period of stagnation, the figures have shown an annual increase of 10 percent since 2021, according to data from "Swissmedic". This trend is supported by wastewater measurements and health insurance data, which also show an increase in the number of people being treated.

Possible causes of the increase

Experts discuss various reasons for this trend. On the one hand, the increasing pressure to perform in society is seen as a factor that could lead to a higher diagnosis and prescription rate. On the other hand, the role of chemical exposures in the environment is also being considered as a possible trigger for the increase in ADHD symptoms.

"This is alarming and should definitely be investigated further," says Nicole Probst-Hensch, epidemiologist at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), to the Tages Anzeiger newspaper. "Even if the estimate is subject to considerable uncertainty, there is much to suggest that pyrethroids could have a significant influence on the development of ADHD."

Influence of the pandemic

The pandemic may also have an influence on the rising numbers. The changes in everyday life, such as working from home and homeschooling, could have led to an increased perception of concentration difficulties in many people. This could have contributed to more people seeking medical help and receiving an ADHD diagnosis.