ADHD Adult Treatment
The medications used to treat ADHD boost brain activity in areas that control attention, behaviour, and cognition. Adults are prescribed stimulants from the amphetamines family that include lisdexamphetamine (marketed under the names Adderall and Concerta), and methylphenidate, sold under the brand name Ritalin.
Counseling for adults with ADHD typically involves cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps clients to recognize and modify unhelpful patterns of thinking.
Medicines
Stimulants are the most common treatment for ADHD. These drugs help people to remain focused, decrease the risk of impulsive behavior and manage their blood pressure. These medications are available in both short-acting and long-acting forms. The people who take them can choose to take them one or more times throughout the day, if needed. Side effects can include decreased appetite, sleep disturbances and the rebound effect, which is short periods of depression or fatigue as the medication wears off. The majority of these effects aren't severe, and usually go away on their own after some time or weeks.
But stimulant medications aren’t for everyone. They can trigger psychiatric problems in certain people, including anxiety or paranoia. They can also raise blood pressure and heart rate. Those suffering from bipolar disorder, severe depression, or Tourette's syndrome shouldn't take stimulants. People with a substance abuse history are also at a higher chance of consuming the drug. For instance, they may crush pills and then snort them to gain a high.
There are many different types of nonstimulant ADHD medications, including Strattera(atomoxetine), Qelbree(viloxazine), and Intuniv(guanfacine). These medicines don't affect dopamine as stimulants do. They work by increasing levels of norepinephrine inside the brain, which improves concentration and reduces the tendency to be impulsive. They can also help with depression and anxiety.
If you decide to take medication for ADHD your doctor may prescribe a lower dose and gradually increase it until you reach a maximum level. This is known as the titration. During these visits, your doctor will be monitoring your body's response to the medication and any adverse effects. You'll need to go to regular routine clinical monitoring appointments every three months once you reach a stable dose to ensure that the medication is still working. These appointments will allow your doctor to determine if the dosage needs to be adjusted. They can also look for any comorbidities, like heart disease.
Counseling
Counseling is as effective as medication for adults suffering from ADHD. Psychotherapy is a method of helping patients learn to manage their symptoms and improve the way they interact with other people. It could include individual therapy as well as group support, cognitive behavioral therapy or other psychotherapeutic methods. Psychotherapy can improve motivation to treat ADHD and reduce negative emotions. It can help patients learn their parents strategies for improving relationships. These include problem solving, conflict resolution and communication skills.
Adults suffering from ADHD are more likely to have co-occurring disorders than those who do not have the condition, so it is important to treat any other mental health conditions that are present. Depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorder can all have similar symptoms as ADHD. Treatment for these disorders can enhance the response to ADHD medications and help manage ADHD symptoms.
In a study that evaluated the effectiveness of various types of psychotherapy, participants assessed stress-reducing techniques and mindfulness meditation as quite helpful or extremely useful. Cognitive behavioral therapy as well as family therapy were considered to be quite beneficial or extremely helpful. These methods can be combined to form an entire treatment program for adults suffering from ADHD.
Therapists also can help patients with time and organizational management issues. They can provide strategies to overcome procrastination and establishing more effective routines for organizing daily tasks. They can help patients identify and correct thinking distortions that can cause self-defeating moods or unrealistic expectations. The goals of cognitive-behavioral therapy is to help patients identify and alter negative patterns of thinking which can be an important source of stress for people with ADHD.
Psychotherapy can be particularly helpful in improving the quality of relationships with colleagues, friends and partners. People with ADHD tend to forgetting appointments, missing deadlines and making impulsive choices that can strain even the most patient spouse or partner. Therapy for families and marriage can help families and couples understand how to better deal with these problems. Similarly, classes for improving the ability to communicate and resolve conflicts in couples and families can have a profound impact on the lives of those with ADHD.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy is a psychological therapy that focuses on modifying the environment to meet an individual's requirements. People with ADHD have difficulty staying focused, staying on a job for an extended period of time as well as paying their bills and coping with sensory input. Therapy for occupational disorders can help with these issues.
Those who have hyperactive-impulsive symptoms of ADHD may find it difficult to control their impulses, which can cause them to interrupt others, grab things from other people, or speak at inappropriate times. In these situations an OT can assist them in learning techniques that will enable them to control their impulses and work with others without an emotional breakdown or disrupting the discussion.
Executive function skills are also an issue for many adults suffering from ADHD. These include working memory skills ability to plan, shifting focus, setting priorities, and self-control. An OT can assist them in developing these skills and devise strategies that will improve their daily functioning.
Some people with ADHD have sensory processing problems, which can cause them to be overstimulated or overwhelmed by visual, auditory, tactile and gustatory stimuli. This type of ADHD can cause people to be sensitive to smells, light, sound or touch, and may even dislike physical contact. An OT can help them learn how to cope and recommend strategies for managing sensory overload or stress.
Kids with ADHD, especially those who have the hyperactive-impulsive presentation, have a lot of restless energy that they need to release. If they don't have a outlet for this energy, it can lead to emotional meltdowns or angry outbursts during inconvenient times like during quiet reading time at school. An OT can teach them to channel their energy in more positive ways, such as participating in sports or joining a group.
Children with ADHD might have issues in traditional schools, as they aren't designed for children with neurodivergent disorders. This makes it difficult for them to remain still or follow instructions. An OT can assist the teacher of a child to make changes to better support them, such as creating a weekly schedule and providing alternatives to seating.
Individual Therapy
The symptoms of adult ADHD can have significant effects on a person's life and relationships. Talk therapy can help adults cope with these effects and improve their quality of life by addressing the emotional and behavioral issues that are often associated with the disorder. Psychotherapy is commonly used to treat comorbid disorders such as substance abuse and depression.
Cognitive psychotherapy can teach patients new coping strategies to deal with their issues, such as mindfulness meditation and regulation of emotions. It can also help patients untreated adhd in adults depression identify and change the way they think, which can lead to negative emotions and can hinder their ability to solve problems. Psychotherapy's goal is to minimize the effects of the symptoms of ADHD while also enhancing existing coping skills.
Behavioral therapy is a personal counseling form that helps people with ADHD organize their work and home environments. It can also help with specific issues that are difficult to handle, such as the tendency to forget or impulsiveness. It can also encourage the use of positive reinforcement, for example, rewards for good behavior, and consequences for negative behavior. It is also a way to instruct family members in techniques to help manage symptoms including timers for medication or reminders, prompting, and reminders to make appointments or do chores, and reducing distractions during household tasks.
People with ADHD can also benefit from dietary modifications. It is recommended they eat regular snacks and meals not more than 3 hours apart. They should also stay away from sweet drinks and increase their intake of complex carbohydrates and proteins to ensure a steady level of energy during the day. It is important to ensure that they have regular mealtimes, and get enough sleep.
Individuals suffering from ADHD have difficulty forming and maintaining relationships. Individual therapy can help people deal with these issues and help them learn to communicate more effectively. It can also address underlying issues such as feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, or frequent job changes.
Although medications are the most effective way to treat ADHD symptoms, they do cause side effects for certain people. Combining them with other treatments can result in longer-lasting benefits. Research has shown that medications can reduce rates of depression, motor vehicle accidents and suicide among adults suffering from ADHD.