[jijijijij]

> Denmark's medical system generally will not prescribe Adderall for ADHD.

Not sure about Denmark, but at least in Germany immediate release stims for adults are not covered/approved. Neither methylphenidate, nor amphetamine. However, both are covered as extended release formulations (e.g. Medikinet/Ritalin adult, Elvanse adult). And both can be prescribed as IR, or XR privately, which means you have to pay for it yourself (e.g. ~20€ per for 50 pills Ritalin).

[globnomulous]

That would make much more sense, though if I got this wrong at the time, then I suppose my mistake further illustrates how difficult it was for me to plan for the move (I even reached out to the Danish health service). Alternatively, maybe I'm incompetent or have a terrible memory.

[jijijijij]

I think the general sentiment is correct, as the US is, for better or worse, much more laissez faire about prescribing and approving certain medications, like opiates and psychotropics. Which means, if something less common works best for you, there is a chance you won't get it in Europe, or at least it's not accepted as first-line medication.

Generally, if a medication is available on the market (can be purchased by pharmacies), a doctor can usually prescribe it to you privately ("off-label" etc). However, this implies they are accepting legal liability, if things go wrong. E.g. an ADHD psychiatrist may prescribe immediate release methylphenidate to an adult, but probably wouldn't take the risk of abuse with IR amphetamine, or "experiment" with "newer" drugs like guanfacine, which is not approved for ADHD in Europe. It's mostly a mentality difference tho, I think.

Another thing is, finding a psychiatrist knowledgeable in ADHD in adults may be a painful process to begin with. Depending on where you are your options may be very limited and if the doc is an idiot you may be stuck with them for the moment (depends heavily on the country). Smaller medical issues can be a bit bothersome with socialized healthcare processes, but it's really paying off when you become seriously sick, or unemployed. And of course, in Europe you got more leisure time, so you have more opportunities to break your legs hiking ;)