25 Shocking Facts About Treatments For ADD
Treatments For ADD - Drugs and Counselling
Treatment options for ADD include drugs and counselling. Both are important to test to see which is more efficient.
People with classic ADD are irritable, disorganized and often hyperactive. They have a low blood flow to their prefrontal cortex, the basal ganglia and thalamus. They also have low levels of dopamine. Treatment typically involves increasing the levels of dopamine.
Stimulants
Stimulants boost the body's systems. They are available legally as prescription medications, such as amphetamines (Adder-all and Dexedrine) and the methylphenidates (Concerta and Ritalin) and diet aids like Didrex, Bontril and Fastin and also used illegally, often mixed with other substances, like methcathinone and cocaine (crack). They are available in the form of syrups, liquids, pills or patches.
They increase the levels dopamine and norepinephrine within the brain's synapses, improving concentration. They also reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and enhance working memory. They are the most frequently used drugs prescribed to adults with ADHD. They can cause adverse effects like a decrease in appetite or difficulties sleeping, as well as an increase in blood pressure or heart rate. They can interact with certain medicines and medical conditions. It is essential to talk with your doctor regarding any concerns.
Medicines can lessen ADHD symptoms in 70% to 80% of people who are taking them. However, not everyone responds to the same medication and the effects don't always lasting.
Some people discover that stimulants don't work for them or they aren't able to handle the side effects. In this case doctors will prescribe non-stimulant medication. These medications aren't as efficient as stimulants, but they can help improve attention, focus and control impulses. Doctors often prescribe these medications alongside stimulants to increase the effectiveness.
Nonstimulant drugs take longer to effect and don't work as quickly. They don't increase dopamine levels and they have a different impact on neurotransmitters. Examples include atomoxetine and clonidine and the guanfacine. The most common side effect of these medications is drowsiness. The drowsiness can be reduced by increasing the dose or taking the medication prior to bedtime. The drowsiness should diminish within a few weeks after starting treatment.
Antidepressants
Most antidepressants work by changing chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. They are grouped according to how they affect these neurotransmitters with each group having drugs that work in slightly different ways. These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
Your physician may prescribe a medication belonging to one of these groups to ease anxiety or depression symptoms. These medications might not provide immediate relief, as it can take weeks before you can feel the full benefits. You and your doctor will determine which medication is best for you. You may also take additional medications or combine two antidepressants to enhance your treatment. This is referred to as augmentation. The most commonly used augmentation drugs are aripiprazole (Abilify), quetiapine (Seroquel) and lithium (Lithobid).
Different antidepressants have different adverse effects. It is recommended to discuss these side effects with your physician because they could interfere with your daily activities. These effects may range from mild to extreme and 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 prescription drugs and herbal remedies like St. John's wort.
SSRIs have been proven to have fewer adverse effects than other antidepressants. SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva) and sertraline (Zoloft).
SNRIs boost levels of serotonin and norepinephrine within the brain. This is the reason SNRIs are thought to be more efficient than SSRIs. They also have a shorter half-life and are less likely than SSRIs to interact with other drugs. SNRIs include duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor).
Atypical antidepressants are utilized to boost your energy levels which help you feel more awake. They can be helpful for people with insomnia or severe anxiety. They include bupropion (Wellbutrin Zyban) and mirtazapine (Remeron). These drugs can cause jitteriness or insomnia however they can be beneficial for many people who suffer from depression, ADHD, and anxiety. These drugs are also used to treat bulimia and also to aid smokers in quitting.
Cognitive therapy for behavioural issues
Cognitive therapy for behavioural problems is a well-established treatment for mental disorders. It is based on the idea that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected and can be altered. CBT is a measurable, short-term process that can teach you new strategies to deal with stressors and bad habits. It can be used to treat depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.
The goal of CBT is to change negative thoughts into positive emotions and behaviors. It is a combination of two treatments that are cognitive therapy and behavior therapy. It's a type of psychotherapy that is often short-term and is able to be carried out in a group or individual setting. You will be taught a variety of techniques by a therapist, and then you'll use them in your everyday life. treatment of add include: learning how to recognize negative thoughts as well as practicing mindfulness meditation and keeping journals.
A therapist can assist you in identifying negative thoughts that lead you to adopting maladaptive behavior, and show you how to change your beliefs. They'll also help you develop problem-solving skills so that you can handle challenges that come up in your everyday life. CBT therapists encourage you to establish SMART goals to help you to keep track of your progress.
While each kind of cognitive behavior therapy has a slightly different approach but they all are focused on identifying the fundamental thoughts that cause emotional distress and then changing them. The therapists use different techniques but they all operate on the principle of operant and classical conditioning, which involves associating stimuli to their effects. During the treatment the person who is treating you will give you a reward for completing tasks and will punish those who fail to complete the tasks.
In your initial sessions, you and your therapist will be able to identify the problematic behavior and replace them with healthy ones. You might be given homework to help you master the skills. You may need between six and twenty one-on-one sessions, depending on the nature and severity of your condition.
CBT can be utilized to treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can also be effective for adult ADHD that affects people as young as seven.
Counselling
Counselling is a type of psychotherapy that involves regular, planned meetings with a therapist to discuss your concerns. The sessions can last from 30 minutes to 50 minutes and can be conducted face-to-face, in groups, or via the phone. Counselling can assist people suffering from various mental health issues like schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. Counselling can be used to discuss friendship, family and relationship issues as well as work-related problems.
A counsellor will listen carefully to your problems and offer an objective perspective. They can spot patterns of behavior and suggest ways to change them. They can teach you strategies for coping and techniques to manage stress, anxiety or depression. They can help you deal with major life events, such as divorce or the loss of a loved one. They can also help you learn how to deal with addictions or chronic illnesses.
Some counsellors charge fees for their services, whereas others are covered by Medicare rebates in the event that you have a mental health care plan from your doctor.