Treatments For ADD - Drugs and Counselling
Treatment options for ADD include counselling and drugs. It is crucial to test both to determine which one is more efficient.
People suffering from classic ADD are disorganized, inattentional and are often hyperactive. They suffer from low blood flow in their prefrontal cortex, the basal ganglia, and thalamus. They also have low levels of dopamine. Treatment usually involves increasing dopamine levels.
Stimulants
Stimulants speed up the body's systems. They are legal as prescription medications, such as amphetamines (Adder-all and Dexedrine) and methylphenidates (Concerta and Ritalin) and diet aids like Didrex, Bontril and Fastin and also used illegally, often mixed with other substances, including cocaine and methcathinone (crack). They are available as syrups, pills or liquids, or patches which are placed on the skin.
They enhance concentration by increasing the levels of norepinephrine and dopamine in brain synapses. They also reduce impulsivity and hyperactivity and enhance working memory. They are the most commonly prescribed medication for adults suffering from ADHD. They can trigger side effects such as a decreased appetite, difficulty sleeping, and an increase in blood pressure or heart rate. They can interact with certain medications and medical conditions. It is important to speak with your physician about any concerns.
About 70% to 80% people who are taking ADHD medications will notice reduced symptoms. However, not everyone responds to the same medications, and the effects may not be lasting.
Some people aren't a fan of stimulants or don't like their side effects. If this is the case, doctors could prescribe non-stimulant drugs. These drugs aren't as effective as stimulants, but they do help improve attention, focus and control impulses. Doctors may prescribe them along with stimulants to boost their effectiveness.
Nonstimulant medicines are more difficult to use and don't work as quickly. They affect neurotransmitters differently than stimulants, and they don't raise dopamine levels in the brain. Examples include atomoxetine (clonidine), guanfacine, and clonidine. Drowsiness is the most frequent side effect. The drowsiness is reduced by increasing the dosage or taking the medication before bedtime. treating adhd in adults should diminish within a few weeks of the beginning of treatment.
Antidepressants
Most antidepressants alter chemicals in the brain, referred to as neurotransmitters. The medications are classified according to how they interact with neurotransmitters. Each group is comprised of somewhat 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 in order to alleviate anxiety or depression symptoms. These medicines may not provide immediate relief, since it could take a few weeks before you can feel the full benefits. Your doctor and you will decide the most effective medication for you. You may mix two antidepressants or other medicines to boost the effects of your treatment. This is called augmenting. The most commonly used augmentation drugs are Aripiprazole (Abilify) as well as quetiapine (Seroquel) and lithium (Lithobid).
Antidepressants can have different side effects. It is important to discuss these side effects with your doctor since they could cause problems with your daily activities. These effects may vary from mild to severe and can depend on the type of antidepressant that you're taking. It is also important to inform your doctor about any other medicines or herbal remedies you're taking, including herbal remedies and over-the-counter medications such as St. John's wort.
SSRIs are the most frequently prescribed antidepressants, and are known to have less side-effects than other antidepressants. These include fluoxetine (Prozac) and paraxetine (Paxil and Pexeva) and sertraline (Zoloft).
SNRIs increase the levels of serotonin as well as norepinephrine within the brain. This is why they are considered to be more efficient than SSRIs. They also have a shorter half-life, and are less likely than SSRIs to interact with other medications. The SNRIs include duloxetine (Cymbalta), and venlafaxine, (Effexor).
Atypical antidepressants are primarily used to boost your energy levels, helping you to feel more alert. They may be useful for those suffering from insomnia or very severe anxiety. Bupropion (Wellbutrin and Zyban) and mirtazapine are two of the most common. These medications can cause insomnia or jitteriness, but can be helpful for those suffering from depression, ADHD, and anxiety. These medications are also used to treat bulimia and also to aid smokers in quitting.
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a tried and true treatment for mental disorders. It is based on the belief that emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are connected and can be altered. CBT is a goal-oriented short-term procedure that can teach you new ways to cope with stressors and bad habits. It can be used to treat bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety.
The goal of CBT is to reframe unhelpful thoughts into positive emotions and behaviors. The method is a mix of two therapies which are cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. It's a kind of psychotherapy which is usually short-term and can be performed in a group or an individual setting. You will be taught a variety of methods by a therapist and then you'll apply them in your daily 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 assist you in identifying the negative thoughts that can lead to behavior that is not optimal and teach you strategies to change these beliefs. They will also teach you how to deal with problems that arise in your daily life. CBT therapists will encourage you to set SMART goals to aid you to track your progress.
While each form of CBT has its own approach, all cognitive behavior treatments focus on identifying and modifying the fundamental thoughts that cause emotional distress. The therapists use different techniques but they are all based on the principle of operant and classical conditioning, which involves associating stimuli to their effects. During the therapy the trainer will be rewarded for your accomplishments and will punish those who fail to complete them.
In the first few sessions together, your therapist and you will be able to identify the problematic behavior and replace them by healthy ones. They might also assign homework to help you master the techniques. You could require anywhere between six and twenty one-on-one sessions, depending on the severity and nature of your illness.
CBT is effective in treating a wide range of conditions including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic disorder (PTSD). It can also be effective for adults suffering from ADHD, which affects people as young as seven.
Counselling
Counselling is a form of psychotherapy that involves regular, scheduled meetings with the therapist (counsellor) to discuss your concerns. The sessions can last up to 50 minutes, and they can be conducted face-to-face in groups, or over the phone. Counselling can aid people suffering from a range of mental health issues, including depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It can also be used to talk about relationship, friendship and family issues as well as issues related to work.
A counselor will listen attentively to your issues and provide an objective viewpoint. They can identify patterns of behavior and suggest ways to alter them. They can help you learn techniques and coping strategies to manage stress, anxiety, or depression. They can assist you in adapting to major life changes such as divorce or the loss of a loved one. They can also help you learn how to manage addictions or chronic illnesses.
Some counsellors charge for their services while others are covered by Medicare rebates when you have mental health plans from your doctor.