What is ADHD?
ADHD is a mental health condition that affects a person’s ability to pay attention and stay focused. People with ADHD are hyperactive and have trouble sitting still or being quiet. These symptoms create problems with family life, at school, and in the workplace. There are many options for treating ADHD and they range from lifestyle changes to psychological treatment to prescription medications. As you read on, you’ll find out exactly what ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is and discover the most tried-and-tested ADHD treatment option.
Causes of ADHD
ADHD is short for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It’s a condition that affects your mind and body. Your mind gets distracted from what it should be doing, causing you to make careless mistakes. Your body may be hyperactive, which makes it hard for you to sit still at a time when you need to focus on something important like school work or family time.
Assessment of ADHD
The assessment of ADHD typically involves the comprehensive evaluation of information gathered from a number of sources, including parents, teachers, partners, family members and/or colleagues, depending on the age of the patient. An assessment for ADHD typically involves. You might have heard of the acronym ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. But you might not know exactly what it means.
Medication for ADHD
These common medications work by affecting the levels of neurotransmitters dopamine, and norepinephrine. Neurons communicate with each other within your central nervous system by sending chemical messages, called neurotransmitters, to one another. These chemicals such as norepinephrine and dopamine help your brain regulate behavior. Medication for ADHD comes in two general varieties: stimulants and non-stimulants.
Therapies for ADHD
Our team of counselors at ADHD Treatment Group believe that the most effective therapies for adults with ADHD are ones that allow you to control the treatment process and that allow you to choose who you work with. That’s why we offer a diverse range of individually tailored, evidence-based therapies, including: The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends a combination of behavioural, interpersonal psychotherapy and family therapy to be used alongside medication. These therapies can be as effective as medication, and can also help to reduce any side effects from medication.
Therapies for ADHD Treatments
Research has found that combining medication and ADHD therapy treatment is the most effective way to manage ADHD symptoms. Some of the therapies that work best for ADHD are:
Psychotherapy. This technique helps the person with ADHD to become more expressive about dealing with ADHD, handle relationships better, and learn to determine the best way to handle disruptive behaviors. Psychotherapy can also help lessen any feelings of depression or anxiety that may be present in people with ADHD.
Behavior therapy. This type of therapy is aimed at training an individual with ADHD to watch their actions and manage those behaviors by using various tactics.
Medications may cause side effects
Medications are available to help people with ADHD inattentive type and ADHD hyperactive-impulsive or combined type. These drugs include the stimulant medications methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and Adderall.
While these drugs can improve concentration, they can also cause some serious potential side effects.
Side effects include:
- sleep problems
- mood swings
- loss of appetite
- heart problems
- suicidal thoughts or actions
Not many studies have looked at the long-term effects of these medications.
