Treatment of ADHD in Adults

Treatment for adhd in adults focuses on medication, therapy and family support. Clinical trials are being conducted to test new treatments for ADHD.

Adults suffering from ADHD are the most likely to benefit from stimulant medication. But they need to be monitored regularly. This includes regular clinical appointments, and frequent reviews of symptoms and side effects.

Medicines

Numerous medications can be used to alleviate symptoms of ADHD in adults. They are known as psychostimulants and they affect the levels of certain chemicals in your brain (neurotransmitters) that pass messages between nerve cells. Your doctor will select the right medication for you and will determine the most effective dosage and schedule. It could take a while to find the right dosage and medication that will control your symptoms.

The first drug that doctors prescribe to adults suffering from ADHD is stimulants. These medications increase the levels of norepinephrine and dopamine in your brain, which improve your ability to focus and manage impulses. These medicines are available in short-, mediumand long-acting varieties. Short-acting stimulants last for about 6 hours, intermediate-acting medicines last between 8 and 10 hours, and long-acting medications last for up to 16 hours. Long-acting stimulants have less adverse effects than shorter- or intermediate-acting medicines, but they can still cause an increase in appetite and sleepiness.

Nonstimulant medicines such as atomoxetine (Strattera) are used to treat adult ADHD if stimulants do not work or cause unwanted side effects. These medications do not alter your norepinephrine or dopamine however, they can increase the amount of norepinephrine and improve your concentration. These capsules are taken once or twice a day.

Some adults with ADHD also have other psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety. These conditions are referred to as comorbidities and may affect your response to ADHD treatment. It is essential to treat any comorbidities prior to starting treatment for ADHD. Patients with a history of addiction to drugs are more likely to use psychostimulants. It is recommended to wait until a person has stopped using drugs before using stimulants.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a process that involves discussing and talking about topics that cause anxiety or are disturbing for a person. The therapist listens and offers guidance based on their education, training, experience as well as professional qualifications and therapeutic philosophical philosophies. Psychotherapy could be short-term (a few weeks or months) dealing with issues that are more immediate or longer-term (months or years) in which a patient is attempting to resolve more complex and long-standing issues. The therapist and the patient decide on the duration and frequency of therapy.

Psychotherapy and medication are an extremely effective way to treat adults with ADHD. Behavioral therapy can help people improve their organizational skills, time management and prioritizing; it can also teach techniques for managing emotions such as anger and frustration. The use of medication can help reduce symptoms, increase concentration and improve work and academic performance.

Adults who suffer from ADHD are more likely to have co-existing conditions, particularly mood disorders like depression and anxiety. It is important that any co-existing condition be addressed prior to beginning treatment for ADHD. The treatment of co-existing conditions could require different types of medications and dosages than the medications used to treat ADHD.

A person who suffers from ADHD can also have hypertension. Selecting a medication that addresses the ADHD symptoms, but does not alter the patient's hypertension that is controlled requires knowledge of how different medications affect people over time, as well as an understanding of the interactions between medications.

It is essential to locate a therapist who has had experience working with adults suffering from ADHD and with whom you are at ease. adult adhd treatment is crucial to schedule your first few sessions at a time that you won't be distracted by work or family obligations.

Counseling


Adults with ADHD often have many issues in their lives, including work and relationship problems. A person with ADHD may also experience frustration, anger and guilt that has developed over time. Numerous psychosocial therapies have been proven to aid them and their families develop new skills, attitudes and ways of connecting.

Psychotherapy may include cognitive behavioral therapy, a form of psychotherapy that assists individuals change their thinking and behavior. It involves goal-setting, skill training and practice, as well as methods of teaching to improve organization and self-esteem. It can be done in a private or in a group. Some studies have shown that metacognitive treatment can significantly reduce symptoms and improve performance for adults suffering from ADHD (Stevenson and colleagues, 2002).

Some people suffering from ADHD may also require counseling to help them overcome particular life issues. These issues could include family conflicts, impulsive or aggressive behaviors, and difficulty coping with disappointments and failures. Counseling can teach skills to help manage these situations and improve the ability to communicate and solve problems. It can also help improve interpersonal relationships, especially in marriages or other long-term relationships.

Family therapy and support groups therapy are other forms of psychotherapy that can be utilized to treat ADHD. These therapies can assist families in coping and develop skills to lessen conflict and improve communication when dealing with children who have ADHD. It also helps parents learn about the disorder and develop parenting strategies that encourage positive outcomes for their children.

It is important for adults with ADHD to discuss their medication with their health care providers regularly, and to reveal all other medications they are taking, including over-the-counter drugs. Certain medications may interact with certain medications or trigger adverse reactions that are made worse by other medicines.

Medication Monitoring

After a thorough assessment and diagnosis, it is important to monitor the patient's condition to ensure that the patient receives the benefits of the medication and does not experience any adverse side adverse effects. It is recommended to visit patients for initial medical monitoring within 30 days of starting treatment and every month thereafter. This permits the proper titration of psychostimulants such as amphetamines and methylphenidate to a well-tolerated and effective dose. This allows for a precise registration of the patient's reaction and helps to avoid keeping sensitive patients on insufficient doses (slow metabolizers) or forcing those who require higher doses onto unnecessarily high levels (rapid metabolizers).

For adults who do not respond well to stimulant medication or suffer from uncontrollable side effects, the use of nonstimulant medication could be recommended. This usually involves the use the methylphenidate based atomoxetine alternatives.

Adults with ADHD are frequently affected by comorbid conditions, such as depression or substance abuse. They may also have medical issues like hearing and vision problems or chronic sleep disorders. As part of the initial evaluation for ADHD it is essential to screen these conditions and assess the severity of them. These conditions could have a significant impact on functional impairments in adults.

ADHD can also be controlled through marital therapy. Couples complain of being overwhelmed by the caretaking duties of their spouses who suffer from ADHD and can become resentful or angry in response. increasing the awareness of the patient about the signs of their condition and helping to understand that these aren't impulsive actions or lack of affection can help reduce marital tensions and resentment. Couples who go through this kind of therapy typically experience better family functioning.

Behavioral Therapy

For adults with ADHD, psychotherapy is generally recommended and should incorporate the cognitive-behavioral aspect. Behavioral therapy can help patients to improve their organizational skills and focus and control their the impulsive behavior. It teaches patients to manage their work, home and social settings in more productive ways. Psychotherapy helps patients to understand how their condition impacts different areas of their life and relationships. This can help decrease the shame and low self-esteem that is commonly seen in adults with ADHD, who may be considered inept or unintelligent.

ADHD symptoms can be mirrored by a variety of psychiatric disorders. Adult ADHD patients are more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders and depression. The presence of other psychiatric problems should be assessed, as appropriate, to determine whether or not the patient's ADHD symptoms are connected to them.

A combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy is usually recommended for the treatment of ADHD in adults. It has been proven that when a combination of medications and psychotherapy is utilized the results are superior than either treatment alone. Future controlled medication studies should attempt to measure and track the improvement in functional aspects such as improved performance at work, school, and interpersonal relationships.