Treatments For ADD - Drugs and Counselling
Counseling and drugs are both effective treatments for ADD. It is important to try both to determine which is more efficient.
People suffering from classic ADD are irritable, disorganized and are often hyperactive. They have low blood flow in their prefrontal cortex, basal Ganglia and thalamus. They also have low dopamine levels. Treatment usually involves increasing dopamine levels.
Stimulants
Stimulants accelerate the body's systems. They are available in prescription medications such as amphetamines, methylphenidates and diet aids like Didrex, Bontril, and Fastin. They can also be used illegally and often mixed with other substances, such as methcathinone and cocaine. They are available as liquids, pills, syrups or patches.
They boost concentration by increasing the levels of norepinephrine and dopamine in brain synapses. They also reduce impulsivity and hyperactivity and help improve working memory. They are the most frequently used drugs prescribed to adults with ADHD. They can trigger adverse effects like a decrease in appetite, trouble sleeping and a rise in blood pressure or heart rate. They can interact with certain medicines and medical conditions. It's important to talk to your doctor about any concerns.
About 70-80 percent of those who are taking ADHD medications will experience an improvement in symptoms. Different people respond in a different way to the medication and the effects might not last long.
Some people find that stimulants aren't working well or they aren't able to handle the side effects. In this situation doctors may prescribe nonstimulant drugs. These medications aren't as efficient as stimulants, but they do help improve focus, attention and control impulses. Doctors often prescribe these drugs along with stimulants to boost the effectiveness.
Nonstimulant drugs take longer to begin working and don't work as quickly. They affect neurotransmitters in a different way than stimulants, and they don't increase dopamine levels in the brain. adult add treatments include atomoxetine and clonidine and Guanfacine. Drowsiness is the most common side effect. However the drowsiness can be decreased by increasing the dosage or taking them at the time of bed. The drowsiness will subside in several weeks after starting treatment.
Antidepressants
The majority of antidepressants alter the chemical composition in the brain, called neurotransmitters. The medications are classified according to how they act on neurotransmitters. Each group has somewhat different medications. These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
A health care provider may start you on one of these groups to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. These medications may not provide immediate relief. It could take a few weeks to feel the full benefits. Your doctor and you will determine the most effective medication for you. They may combine two antidepressants, or add other medicines to improve the effects of your treatment. This is called augmentation. The most common augmentation medications are Aripiprazole (Abilify), quetiapine (Seroquel) and lithium (Lithobid).
Different antidepressants 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 may be mild or serious depending on the kind of antidepressant you're taking. You should also inform your doctor about any other medications or herbal remedies you're using, including over-the-counter drugs and herbs such as St. John's wort.
SSRIs have been known to have fewer adverse effects than other antidepressants. SSRIs are fluoxetine (Prozac), paraxetine (Paxil and Pexeva) as well as sertraline (Zoloft).
The SNRIs increase the levels of serotonin as well as norepinephrine in the brain. This is why they're considered to be more effective than SSRIs. They also have a shorter half-life and are less likely than SSRIs to interact with other medications. SNRIs include duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor).
Atypical antidepressants are primarily used for their energizing effects which help you feel more alert. They are beneficial for people with anxiety or insomnia. Bupropion (Wellbutrin and Zyban) and mirtazapine are two of the most popular. These medications can cause insomnia or jitteriness but they can be helpful 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 problems
Cognitive behavioural therapy is a proven treatment for mental disorders. It is based upon the idea that feelings and thoughts are interconnected and can be altered. CBT is a short-term, goal-oriented procedure which can help you develop new strategies to handle anxiety and negative habits. It can be used to treat bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety.
The goal of CBT is to transform negative thoughts into positive emotions and behaviors. It is a combination of two different therapies that are cognitive therapy and behavior therapy. It's a kind of psychotherapy which is usually short-term, and it is able to be carried out in a group or an individual setting. A therapist will guide you through various techniques, and you'll practice them in your everyday life. These techniques include learning to recognize negative automatic thoughts; practicing mindfulness meditation; and keeping an account of your thoughts.
A therapist can also help you identify the negative thoughts that lead to ineffective behaviors, and then provide strategies to change these assumptions. They'll also help you develop problem-solving skills so that you can handle challenges that come up in your everyday life. Therapists in CBT will also help you to develop SMART goals (specific goals that are measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based) to help you track your progress.
Although each type of cognitive behavior therapy has an entirely different approach but they all are focused on identifying the underlying thoughts which contribute to emotional distress and then changing them. Therapists employ a variety of methods, but they are all based on the concepts of operant and classical conditioning, which involves associating the effects of stimuli with the stimulus. During the therapy, the therapist will give you a reward for completing tasks and punish those who fail to complete the tasks.
In the first few sessions, your therapist will assist you to identify problematic behaviors and replace them with healthier ones. You might be assigned homework to help you develop the abilities. Depending on the degree of your illness you could require up to 6-20 one-onone sessions.
CBT is effective in treating a variety of conditions, including anxiety depression, and post-traumatic disorder (PTSD). It can also be effective for adult ADHD that affects people as young as seven.
Counseling
Counselling is a type of psychotherapy that involves regular, scheduled meetings with the therapist (counsellor) to discuss your concerns. These sessions can last up to 50 minutes and can be conducted face-to-face in groups, or via the phone. Counselling can be used to treat a range of mental health issues such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Counselling can be used to talk about friendship, family and relationship issues, as well as work-related problems.
A counselor will listen attentively to your issues and provide an objective viewpoint. They will be able identify patterns of behavior and suggest ways to change them. They can help you learn techniques and coping strategies to manage anxiety, stress, or depression. They can assist you in adjusting to major life changes such as divorce or loss of loved ones. They can teach you how to deal with addictions and chronic illnesses.
Some counsellors charge for their services, while others are covered by Medicare rebates, if you have mental health care plans from your doctor.