ADHD in Adults - Treatment Options

ADHD is a well-known disorder of the nervous system that affects 44% of the population. It is associated with high rates of comorbidity. This includes anxiety, depression and substance abuse and significant social, emotional and occupational impairments.

Psychotherapy and medication are both effective treatments for adults with ADHD. The stimulants methylphenidate and amphetamine are among the most frequently prescribed medications.

Medicines

Many people with ADHD experience significant improvement in their symptoms and performance due to medication. It is crucial that people with ADHD find the combination of medications that works for them.

Stimulants, like amphetamines and methylphenidate, are the most commonly prescribed medication for adults suffering from ADHD. These stimulants are available as tablets or liquids in an immediate-release (short acting) formulation. They can be taken every three to four hour. Adults can supplement their immediate-release medicine with an extended release long-acting medicine at least every week to decrease the requirement to take it regularly throughout the day.

Antidepressants such as desipramine have also been proven to be effective in treatment of adults with ADHD. This class of drugs can be used on its own or in combination with stimulants to boost their effects. They can also increase the danger of serious side effects, including rapid heartbeats, EKG changes and orthostatic hypotension.

Adults with ADHD can also be treated using alprazolam and clonidine, which are both Alpha-2 antagonists of the adrenergic system. These drugs, initially developed to treat high blood pressure, possess an calming effect and are able to improve focus and decrease the amount of impulsivity and hyperactivity in certain adults. These medications can cause very low blood pressure if they suddenly stop, or the dosage is reduced.

Psychotherapy is also beneficial for adults with ADHD. Individual therapy can help them cope with feelings of shame and embarrassment over their ADHD, as well as anger towards supervisors, coworkers, teachers and family members who might be a source of criticism or nagging them. In addition counseling for families and marriages can help couples suffering from ADHD to understand each other's issues and improve communication.

Behavioral Therapy

A key goal of psychosocial therapy for adults ADHD is to teach skills and strategies that improve function in everyday life. Psychotherapy can help individuals with ADHD overcome their self-esteem issues and the feeling of inadequacy they often feel.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), also known as cognitive behavioral therapy, helps people change their negative thoughts and emotions that are causing problems in their life. It teaches them new ways to think, feel and behave. This short-term, goal-oriented kind of psychotherapy has proven to be effective for a variety of disorders such as anxiety and depression. It can be utilized in conjunction with other treatments or by itself.

CBT can include group therapy. This is particularly beneficial for adults with ADHD as it allows them to connect with other people who are facing similar issues pulsive, and negative behaviors that could create problems at work or school.

In some instances, psychotherapy is used as an adjunct to the medication used for adhd in adults treatment. Patients with multiple disorders like substance abuse, depression, and bipolar disorder should be evaluated to ensure that their symptoms aren't aggravated by the medications used to treat ADHD. Certain medical conditions, like thyroid disorders, lead poisoning, and a history or seizures, need to be treated more aggressively.

When ADHD is severe enough to interfere with the quality of life and daily functioning intensive outpatient programs might be suggested. These programs offer an organized therapy that is more intense than conventional outpatient psychotherapy.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is a type of cognitive therapy, Adhd in adults treatment aids people with ADHD to improve their ability to manage time, impulse control, planning and executive function. It helps them understand and express their emotions, and it uses activities and worksheets to make the learning interesting. The training in mindfulness meditation enhances CBT and enhances the capacity of a person to focus and manage emotions. It increases the capacity of a person to manage stress and arousal. It helps them deal with anger, sadness and other emotional issues that could be causing their ADHD.

Occupational Therapy

Adults with ADHD experience difficulties at work and at home. In addition to affecting their work performance, these symptoms interfere with relationships and can result in financial issues. Therapy that addresses these issues can help boost your self-esteem, solve the root of your issue and develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a useful treatment for adults suffering from ADHD because it helps you change your negative beliefs and behavior. It is focused on teaching time management techniques and overcoming thinking distortions which can lead to negative moods and the perception of limited options.

Many adults with adhd treatment for adults medication also suffer from anxiety or depression. These psychiatric disorders can reduce or exacerbate the effectiveness of some medications used to treat ADHD. Therefore, it is recommended that you treat the most severe comorbid disorder first and monitor the effect of medication before proceeding to treatment of the other condition.

Occupational therapy can help you manage your life and work by establishing predictable routines to manage your money and time and build an optimistic image of yourself. It can help you learn relaxation methods that may reduce impulsivity and hyperactivity. In the same way yoga and other forms of exercise can aid in improving your focus by stabilizing your body in different postures.

Family and marriage counseling can help adults with ADHD to solve the problems they cause their spouses, kids and other family members. They frequently complain that they are unreliable, disorganized, forgetful and often prone to making impulsive choices. Therapy and classes where spouses and other family members are educated on ADHD can help you develop more harmonious relationships. Additionally it can aid you and your loved ones understand that these issues are linked to the patient's adhd treatment for adults medication rather than to a lack of caring or refusing to cooperate.

Clinical Trials

Adult ADHD is an neurobiological disorder that is very frequent. It is often accompanied by co-occurring conditions like anxiety, depression and abuse disorders. The use of medication and psychosocial interventions is available as treatments. There are a range of medication options for adults suffering from ADHD. Some of these medications have been evaluated in studies. These studies have exposed the strengths and drawbacks of the various medications.

Adults suffering from ADHD have the same symptoms as children, however it can be difficult to identify them since the symptoms of childhood may not persist into adulthood. In addition, adults with ADHD may not have a family history of the disorder in their families or they may not remember experiencing symptoms. A thorough medical history is important to determine if the symptoms are due to medical conditions such as thyroid issues or sleep apnea. It could also be due to vision and hearing problems or lead poisoning.

Adults suffering from ADHD are treated with stimulants or non-stimulants. Stimulants are the most effective medication for treating adults with ADHD and their response rates are in the 70%-80 percent range. Amphetamine as well as methylphenidate are the most frequently prescribed stimulants. Methylphenidate is also available in a transdermal system which permits continuous medication delivery throughout the day.

Adults with ADHD can take non-stimulant drugs that work by affecting norepinephrine or dopamine. Desipramine is the most researched tricyclic drug and has been proven to be effective for adults suffering from ADHD. It is a low dose drug and should be increased by 50 mg every seven days until the desired response is observed.

Bupropion XL is a different antidepressant that has been proven to be effective in adults with ADHD. It is a dopamine-agonist that works by blocking norepinephrine reuptake at the presynaptic transportationer, increasing its availability in brain. This drug is known to improve the mood of adults and reduce hyperactivity however it's not as effective in improving concentration or cognitive functions as stimulants.