Treatment of ADHD in Adults
Treatment for adults with adhd focuses on medication, therapy and support from family members. Patients can also take part in clinical trials to test new ways of treating ADHD.
Adults suffering from ADHD are more likely to benefit from stimulant medication. However, they must be monitored regularly. This includes monthly clinical appointments and frequent examinations of symptoms.
Medications
Many medications can be used to treat the symptoms of ADHD in adults. These are called psychostimulants and they alter the levels of certain chemicals in your brain (neurotransmitters) that pass messages between nerve cells. Your doctor will select a medication that's right for you and will determine the most effective dose and time to take it. It may take some time to find the right dosage and medication that will control your symptoms.
Stimulants are typically the first prescribed medication by doctors for adults with ADHD. These medications increase the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine that are present in your brain, which improve your ability to concentrate and control impulses. They come in short-, intermediate- and long-acting forms. Short-acting stimulants can last for up to 6 hours. Intermediate-acting drugs last between 8 and 10 hours. Long-acting drugs last up to 16. Long-acting stimulants have fewer negative effects than shorter- or intermediate-acting medications, but they can still cause insomnia and changes in appetite.
Nonstimulant medicines, such as atomoxetine (Strattera) can be used to treat adult ADHD when stimulants don't work or cause unwanted adverse effects. These medicines do not affect your dopamine or norepinephrine levels however they do increase your brain's availability of norepinephrine. They also improve your ability to concentrate. These capsules are consumed once or two times a day.
treatment for add with ADHD also have other psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. These are known as comorbid disorders and can affect the way you respond to treatment for ADHD. Before beginning treatment for ADHD it is essential to address any comorbidities. For instance, those who have an history of using substances disorder are more likely to use psychostimulants. For this reason, it is generally recommended to wait until the patient has removed themselves from using substances before evaluating treatment with stimulants to treat ADHD.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is an interactive process of discussing and talking about issues that may be disturbing or troubling to someone. The therapist listens to the person and provides advice based on his or her training, education and experience, professional credentials and therapeutic philosophical philosophies. Psychotherapy can be short-term (a few weeks or months) dealing with immediate issues or more long-term (months or years) where a person is working to address more complex and long-standing issues. The patient and therapist determine the length and frequency of treatment.
The use of psychotherapy and medications together is a highly effective treatment for adults with ADHD. Behavioral therapy can help people improve their abilities to organize their lives, manage their time and prioritizing. It can also teach strategies to manage emotions, such as anger and frustration. The use of medication can help reduce symptoms, improve focus, and result in better academic and work performance.
Adults suffering from ADHD are more likely to have co-existing disorders, including mood disorders like depression and anxiety. Before starting treatment for ADHD it is crucial to treat any co-existing disorders. The treatment of co-existing disorders could require different types of medications and dosages than the ones that are used to treat ADHD.
A person who suffers from ADHD may also suffer from hypertension. Choosing a medication that treats the ADHD symptoms but doesn't alter the patient's tentatively controlled hypertension requires knowledge of how different medications affect individuals over time and an understanding of the interactions between different medications.
It is important to choose the right professional with whom you share a good relations, and who has experience in treating adults suffering from ADHD. It is important to schedule your initial sessions at times when you aren't distracted by family or work obligations.
Counseling
Adults who suffer from ADHD typically face a variety of life challenges, including relationships and work problems. People with ADHD can also experience frustration, anger and blame that has been accumulated over time. Psychosocial therapies can help patients and their families to develop new abilities, attitudes and ways of communicating.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy that assists people in changing their thinking and behavior. It involves goal-setting, training and practicing of skills, and teaching strategies for improving self-esteem and organizational skills. It can be conducted in individual or group sessions. Certain studies have demonstrated that the use of metacognitive therapy can reduce symptoms and improve functioning for adults suffering from ADHD (Stevenson and colleagues, 2002).
In addition to psychotherapy, some individuals with ADHD also need counseling to address specific life challenges. This could include family conflict, impulsive and aggressive behaviors, or difficulty dealing with failures and disappointments. Counseling can help teach how to handle these situations, improve communication and increase problem-solving capabilities. It can also improve interpersonal relationships, especially in long-term marriages or other partnerships.
Family therapy and supportive group therapy are other forms of psychotherapy that can be used to treat ADHD. These therapies can help families cope and learn skills to reduce conflict and improve communication when dealing with a child suffering from ADHD. It can aid parents understand the condition and develop parenting strategies that promote positive outcomes for their children.
It is important for people suffering from ADHD to discuss their medication with their health care professionals regularly, and to reveal all other medications they are taking, including prescription drugs. Certain medications can trigger side effects or interact with other medications.
Medication Monitoring
After a thorough examination and diagnosis is established, it is essential to monitor the patient to ensure that they are receiving the benefits of medication and not experiencing adverse effects. It is recommended that a patient be referred for initial clinical monitoring within 30 days of beginning treatment, and every month following that. For psychostimulants (methylphenidate amphetamines) this enables complete titration to an effective and well-tolerated dosage. This allows accurate registration of the patient's response and helps avoid keeping sensitive patient on insufficient doses.
Adults who aren't responding well to stimulant medications or who have unwanted side effects that are difficult to tolerate may benefit from nonstimulant medications. This is usually the case with atomoxetine, or other methylphenidate-related alternatives.
Adults suffering from ADHD often have comorbid disorders like mood disorder or anxiety disorder, substance abuse issues or depression. Moreover, they may have chronic sleep disorders or medical issues like vision and hearing disorders. It is crucial to identify and analyze these conditions in the initial assessment for ADHD since these can have significant effects on functional impairment in adults.
ADHD can also be managed through marital therapy. spouses feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caring for their spouses who suffer from ADHD and may become resentful or angry as a consequence. Reducing resentment can be achieved by enhancing the patient's understanding of the condition, and helping them understand that the symptoms aren't the result of a lack in love or willfulness. Couples who undergo this type of therapy are more likely to be more functional as a family.
Behavioral Therapy
For those who suffer from ADHD Psychotherapy is generally recommended and should incorporate a cognitive-behavioral component. Behavioral therapy can help patients improve their organizational skills, focus, and control impulsive behaviors. It teaches patients to manage their home, work and social interactions in more productive ways. Psychotherapy helps patients to understand how their condition impacts different aspects of their lives and relationships. This helps reduce the stigma and feelings of shame that are often felt by adults with ADHD. They could be viewed by others as lazy or less intelligent.
ADHD symptoms can be mirrored by many psychiatric disorders. Adult ADHD patients are more likely to be suffering from depression and anxiety disorders. If it is necessary the presence of other psychiatric disorders should be analyzed to determine if ADHD symptoms are a result of them.
Adults suffering from ADHD are usually treated using an amalgamation of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. It has been demonstrated that the combination of psychotherapy with medication produces superior results over either treatment on its own. treatment for add should aim to track and measure functional improvements such as improved functioning at school, workplace and interpersonal relationships.