10 Things You've Learned In Kindergarden They'll Help You Understand Treatment For ADD

Treatment For ADHD

The main treatments for add are medication and psychosocial therapy (psychotherapy). Medications can include stimulants like amphetamine and methylphenidate, and non-stimulants such as atomoxetine, clonidine, guanfacine and viloxazine.

Patients who have active issues with substance abuse shouldn't take stimulant drugs. However, those in stable remission might consider them. Combination therapy using antidepressants especially SSRIs, is a different option.

Stimulants

Stimulants increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels between the brain's synapses. This improves focus and reduces the intensity of impulses and hyperactivity. Most doctors prescribe medications from the stimulant class to treat ADHD. They may prescribe methylphenidate, (Concerta or Ritalin), or amphetamines.  adhd treatments adults  are similar drugs. The kind of medicine prescribed is based on the biochemistry of each person and how they react to it. It could take up to seven days for the full effects of a medication to become apparent. Increased concentration, improved memory, improved sleep, and reduced impulse control are all indications that the medicine is working.

The medicines in this class may have side effects, including reduced appetite and difficulty sleeping, and they may raise blood pressure and heart rate. Some people with a medical condition like high blood pressure or heart disease, shouldn't take these medications. They are highly prone for abuse and are closely controlled drugs. Only psychiatrists, paediatricians or neurologists, and in certain circumstances general practitioners can prescribe them. They are available in the form of pills or tablets, a patch that goes on the skin, or liquids.

Children and adolescents who take stimulants often experience appetite problems and weight loss. When the dose is too high, they may also develop tics. If this happens, the doctor may reduce the dosage to prevent the drug from causing a worsening of symptoms.

About 70-80% children and adults with ADHD are treated with stimulant medication. Most children and young people notice that their symptoms improve when they receive treatment. This is particularly relevant for children who have parents, teachers or carers who have reported improvements.

Early use of stimulants can reduce the risk of substance use disorders later on in life. Wilens and colleagues79,80 Katusic as well as colleagues81,82 and Biederman and colleagues83 have found that treatment with stimulants reduces the risk of developing substance use disorders in adolescents, but that this protective effect wanes in the early years of adulthood.