Treatments For ADD - Drugs and Counselling
Treatment options for ADD include counseling and medication. It is essential to try both to determine which one is more effective.
People with classic ADD tend to be inattentive and disorganized, as well as hyperactive. They suffer from low blood flow in their prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia and thalamus. They also have low levels of dopamine. Dopamine levels tend to increase in response to treatment.
Stimulants
Stimulants accelerate the body's systems. They are legal as prescription medications, such as amphetamines (Adder-all and Dexedrine) as well as methylphenidates (Concerta and Ritalin) and diet aids such as Didrex, Bontril and Fastin; and illegally used, often mixed with other substances, such as methcathinone and cocaine (crack). They are available in the form of liquids, pills, syrups or patches.
They boost the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine within the brain's synapses, thereby improving concentration. They also reduce impulsivity and hyperactivity and help improve working memory. These are the most common drugs prescribed to adults with ADHD. They can trigger adverse effects like a decrease in appetite, trouble sleeping and a rise in heart rate or blood pressure. They can also interfere with certain medical and pharmaceutical treatments It is important to discuss any concerns with your doctor.
About 70% to 80% people who use ADHD medication will experience reduced symptoms. Not all people respond the same way to the medication, and the effects may not last long.
Some people find that stimulants don't work well or they don't like the adverse effects. If this is the case, doctors could prescribe non-stimulant drugs. These medications aren't as efficient as stimulants, but they do help improve focus, attention and control impulses. Doctors often prescribe these medications alongside stimulants to increase the effectiveness.
Nonstimulant medications take longer to start working, and they don't act as quickly. They do not raise dopamine levels and they have a different impact on neurotransmitters. Examples include atomoxetine, clonidine and the guanfacine. The most frequent side effect of these medicines is sleepiness. The drowsiness can be reduced by increasing the dosage or taking the medication prior to the time of bed. The drowsiness will diminish in the following weeks after beginning treatment.
Antidepressants
Most antidepressants alter chemicals in the brain, referred to as neurotransmitters. The medications are classified according to how they act on neurotransmitters. Each group contains slightly different medications. These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
Your health care provider might prescribe a medicine that belongs to one of these groups to alleviate anxiety or depression symptoms. These medications might not provide immediate relief, as it could take several weeks before you feel the full benefits. Your doctor and you will determine the most effective medication for you. They can also add additional medications or combine two antidepressants to improve your treatment. This is called augmentation. The most popular augmentation medicines are aripiprazole (Abilify) and quetiapine (Seroquel) and lithium (Lithobid).
Antidepressants can have different side effects. It's important to talk to your doctor about these side effects, since some of them could interfere with your daily activities. These side effects can be mild or extreme and depend on the type of antidepressant that you're taking. Inform your doctor if you're taking any other medications, including herbal remedies and prescription drugs like St. John's Wort.
SSRIs have been proven to cause fewer side effects than other antidepressants. The SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva) and sertraline (Zoloft).
SNRIs boost levels of serotonin as well as norepinephrine within the brain. This is the reason SNRIs are thought to be more effective than SSRIs. They also have longer half-lifes than SSRIs and are less likely to interact with other medications. The SNRIs include duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine, (Effexor).
Atypical antidepressants can be used to boost energy levels and make you feel more awake. They can be beneficial for people with anxiety or insomnia. They include bupropion (Wellbutrin Zyban, Wellbutrin) and mirtazapine (Remeron). These medications can cause insomnia or jitteriness, but can be helpful for people suffering from depression, ADHD, and anxiety. These drugs are also used to treat bulimia and to assist smokers in quitting.
Cognitive therapy for behavioural issues
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a scientifically-based treatment for mental health issues. It is based on the notion that feelings, thoughts and actions are interconnected and can be altered. CBT is a short-term, goal-oriented procedure that can help you learn new strategies to handle anxiety and negative habits. It can also be used to treat depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
The goal of CBT is to reframe unhelpful thoughts into positive emotions and behavior. The technique is a mixture of two therapies which are cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. This kind of psychotherapy is usually short-term and can be performed in a group setting or on an individual basis. The therapist will instruct you on different techniques, and you'll practice them in your everyday life. Some of these techniques include the ability to recognize negative automatic thoughts, practicing mindfulness meditation, and keeping a thought journal.
A therapist will also help you identify the negative thoughts that cause maladaptive behaviors and then teach you strategies to change these assumptions. They will also show you how to solve problems that arise in your daily life. CBT therapists will also encourage you to set SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable relevant, time-based, and relevant) to help you track your progress.
Although each type of cognitive behavioral therapy takes an approach that is slightly different but they all are focused on identifying the thoughts that cause emotional distress and then changing them. Therapists employ different methods but they are all based on the principles of operant and classical conditioning, which involves relating stimuli to their effects. While you are in treatment, you will be rewarded for completing tasks. You will also be punished for failing to complete them.
In add treatment natural with your therapist, you and the therapist will look for problematic behaviors and replace them with healthy ones. They may also assign homework to help you learn the skills. Depending on the nature of your condition, you may require between 6 and 20 one-on-one sessions.
CBT can be utilized to treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It also works for adult ADHD that affects people as young as seven.
Counseling
Counselling is a form of psychotherapy that involves regular, scheduled sessions with a therapist to discuss your issues. The sessions can last up to 50 minutes and can be conducted face-toface, in groups, or via the phone. Counselling can assist people suffering from many mental health issues, including schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. Counselling can be used to talk about friendship, family and relationship issues, as well as work-related problems.
A counsellor will listen carefully to your concerns and provide an objective viewpoint. They will be able to discern patterns of behavior and suggest ways you can modify them. They will be able to teach you coping strategies and techniques for managing depression, anxiety, or stress. They can assist you in dealing with major life changes such as divorce or the loss of a beloved. They can help you learn to deal with chronic illnesses and addictions.
Some counsellors charge fees for their services, and others may be covered by Medicare rebates when you have a mental health care plan from your doctor.