Treatment of ADHD in Adults
Adults who suffer from adhd are treated through therapy, medication and support from family members. People can also participate in clinical trials to try new methods of treating ADHD.
Stimulant medication is the most effective medications for adults suffering from ADHD. However, they must be constantly monitored. This means monthly appointments with a doctor and frequent review of symptoms.
Medicines
Many medications can be used to alleviate symptoms of ADHD among adults. These are referred to as psychostimulants. They function by altering the levels of certain neurotransmitters (chemicals) in your brain that transmit messages between nerve cells. Your doctor will recommend the right medication for you and will determine the most effective dose and time to take it. It may take a while to determine the appropriate medication and dosage that controls your symptoms.
Stimulants are often the first medication doctors prescribe for adults with ADHD. They increase the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain, which increase your ability to concentrate and manage impulses. They are available in short-, intermediate-and long-acting versions. Short-acting stimulants can last for up to 6 hours. Intermediate-acting medicines last for 8-10 hours. Long-acting drugs can last up to 16 hours. Long-acting stimulants have fewer negative effects than shorter- and intermediate-acting medications, but they still cause an increase in appetite and sleepiness.
Nonstimulant medications, like atomoxetine (Strattera) can be used to treat adults with ADHD when stimulants don't work or cause unpleasant adverse negative effects. These medications don't affect your dopamine or norepinephrine levels however they do increase your brain's availability of norepinephrine and improve your ability to concentrate. These capsules are taken once or twice daily.
Some adults with ADHD have co-occurring disorders, such as depression or anxiety. These are known as comorbid disorders and they can influence how you react to treatment for ADHD. treating add in adults is essential to treat any comorbid disorders prior to beginning treatment for ADHD. For instance, people who have an addiction history to drugs or disorder may be more likely to use psychostimulants. For this reason, it's often advisable to wait until the patient has stopped using substances before considering treatment with stimulants to treat ADHD.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is an interactive method of discussing and discussing issues that may be disturbing or troubling for a person. The therapist listens and provides guidance based on his or her training, education, experience professional credentials and therapeutic theories. Psychotherapy may be short-term (a few weeks or months) dealing with immediate issues or longer-term (months or years) in which a patient is attempting to resolve more complicated and longstanding issues. The duration and frequency of the treatment are determined by the therapist and patient together.
Psychotherapy and medication together are a highly effective way to treat adults suffering from ADHD. Behavioral therapy can help people improve their time management, organizational skills, and prioritizing. It can also teach strategies to manage emotions like anger and frustration. Medication can reduce symptoms, improve concentration and improve academic and work performance.
Adults suffering from ADHD have a higher likelihood of co-existing illnesses. This is particularly applicable to mood disorders like anxiety and depression. It is important that any co-existing conditions be addressed prior to beginning treatment for ADHD. The treatment of co-existing disorders might require different kinds of medications and dosages compared to the medications used to treat ADHD.
A person who suffers from ADHD may also be suffering from hypertension. Choosing a medication that treats the ADHD symptoms but does not destabilize the patient's tentatively controlled hypertension requires knowledge of how various medications affect people over time, as well as an understanding of the interactions between different medications.
It is important to choose a therapist with whom you have a good relationship, and who has experience in treating adults suffering from ADHD. It is also crucial to schedule your first few sessions during times when you aren't distracted by your family obligations or work obligations.
Counseling
Adults with ADHD face a variety of challenges in their lives, such as issues at work and with relationships. They may also experience anger, blame, and frustration that have built up in their lives because of their symptoms. Psychosocial therapies can aid patients and their families to develop new attitudes, skills and ways of communicating.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy that helps people change their thinking and behavior. It involves goal-setting, training and practice of skills, as well as methods of teaching to improve self-esteem and organization. It may be done in individual or group sessions. Some studies have shown that treatment for metacognitive disorders can reduce symptoms and improve performance in adults with ADHD (Stevenson and colleagues, 2002).
Certain people with ADHD may also require counseling to help them overcome specific life challenges. These challenges may include family conflicts, aggressive or impulsive behaviors, or difficulty in dealing with disappointments and failures. Counseling can teach the skills to manage these situations, improve communication and enhance problem-solving abilities. It can also improve interpersonal relationships, especially in long-term marriages or other relationships.
Family therapy and supportive groups therapy are other forms of psychotherapy that could be used to treat ADHD. These can assist families to cope with the anxiety of having a child who has ADHD, as well as develop skills to improve communication and reduce conflicts. It can also help parents recognize the symptoms and develop parenting techniques that encourage positive outcomes for their children.
It is important for people suffering from ADHD to discuss their medications with their health care providers regularly, and to inform them of all other medications they are taking, including prescription drugs. Certain medications can interact with certain medications or cause adverse effects that are exacerbated by other medications.
Medication Monitoring
After a thorough examination and diagnosis, it is important to monitor the patient's condition to ensure that he/she reaps the benefits of the medication and doesn't experience side adverse effects. It is recommended that a patient be referred for a first clinical examination within 30 days of initiating treatment and then every month following that. This permits an accurate titration of psychostimulants such as amphetamines and methylphenidate, to a well-tolerated, effective dose. This permits accurate recording of the patient's response. It also helps to avoid having sensitive patients remain taking insufficient doses (slow metabolizers) or forcing those who require higher doses onto unnecessarily high levels (rapid metabolizers).
For adults who are not responding adequately to stimulant medication or have intolerable side effects the use of nonstimulant medication may be indicated. This typically involves the use of atomoxetine, or other related alternatives to methylphenidate.
Adults with ADHD are frequently affected by comorbid conditions, like depression or substance abuse. Additionally, they may suffer from persistent sleep disturbances or medical issues like hearing and vision disorders. It is essential to identify and assess these conditions in the initial evaluation for ADHD because they can have a significant effects on functional impairment in adults.
Marital therapy can be helpful in the management of ADHD. spouses feel overwhelmed by the caretaking responsibilities of their spouses who suffer from ADHD and may become angry or resentful in response. increasing the awareness of the patient about the signs of their condition and helping them understand that these are not willful actions or lack of love can help to reduce marital conflict and resentment. Couples who go through this kind of therapy tend to have better functioning families.
Behavioral Therapy
For adults with ADHD Psychotherapy is generally recommended and should incorporate a cognitive-behavioral component. Behavioral therapy assists patients in learning to improve their abilities to manage their time, focus and control an impulsive behaviour. It helps patients learn to manage their social, work and home environments more effectively. Psychotherapy assists patients in understanding how their disorder impacts different areas of their life and relationships. This can help alleviate the self-doubt and shame that is often seen in adults with ADHD who are thought of as lazy or insufficiently intelligent.
ADHD symptoms can be mimicked by a variety of psychiatric disorders. Adult ADHD patients are more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders and depression. If needed the presence of other psychiatric disorders must be evaluated to determine if ADHD symptoms are a result of them.
A combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy is usually recommended for the treatment of ADHD in adults. It has been shown that when a combination of medications and psychotherapy is employed the results are superior than the results of either treatment alone. Future controlled studies must attempt to measure and track the improvement in functional aspects such as improved performance at work, school, and interpersonal relationships.