Nootropics as a substitute to treat ADHD in China and Asia

If you have ADHD and you’re relocating to Asia, you should be aware of the availability of drugs like Ritalin and Adderall in China and Asia. It is recommended you bring enough of your prescription to last you due to the difficulty you may have in getting your prescriptions filled.

Alternativelly, Nootropics can be an ideal substitute due to their effectiveness and greater availability across Asia.

Should you still require prescription treatments for ADHD, here is the situation you’ll find on a country by country basis:

China and Hong Kong
ADHD is rarely diagnosed by doctors in China. As a result, Adderall is not available at all in Mainland China. Ritalin is available in small doses, so you’ll need to get a new prescription every week. However, Ritalin is rarely prescribed for attention problems. Rather, it is prescribed as an aid for weight loss.

However, in Hong Kong, ADHD is more often diagnosed and treated with Ritalin prescriptions. Due to the high pressure academic culture in Hong Kong, there’s a strong market for Ritalin as a study aid.

In the rest of Asia, Ritalin is widely prescribed as a treatment for attention deficit disorder. Nonetheless, availability varies from country to country.

Japan
Currently, Ritalin is rarely prescribed in Japan. At one time, it was widely prescribed to treat ADHD in children. However, abuse of the drug became very widespread. Due to a series of investigative newspaper articles published in 2007, public concern grew and the government later banned Ritalin as a treatment for ADHD in children and adults. Today, Ritalin can only be prescribed in Japan as a treatment for narcolepsy under very strict guidelines.

Thailand
Western mental health experts and clinics in Thailand’s larger cities have physicians on staff who with experience diagnosing and treating ADHD. You can get upwards of a one-month supply of Ritalin, Concerta or Strattera up to the doctor’s discretion. Here is a limited list of mental health experts practicing in Bangkok who may or may not agree to fill your prescription.
http://bangkokpsychotherapist.blogspot.com/p/list-of-expatriate-mental-health.html

Vietnam
In Vietnam the amphetamine-based ADHD medications are on a banned list that puts them on a par with narcotics. Which means that it’s simply not available — not from hospitals, western clinics or even pharmacies that might be willing to sell you other medication without a prescription.

Singapore
Ritalin and Concerta are available medications by prescription while Adderall is not.

India
Manufacturing prescription drugs has become an important industry in India. Even though the drug is rarely prescribed in India, generic Ritalin from India is a significant part of worldwide supply and is often diverted for recreational use.

Conclusion: If you plan on a long-term stay in Asia, expect some difficulty getting prescriptions for ADD/ADHD filled and stockpile no more than a 3-months supply before coming. To be on the safe side, make sure you keep the prescription with the physician’s signature, pharmacy receipt and contact information for both.

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