Treatment of ADHD in Adults
Adults with adhd are treated through medication, therapy, and family support. People can also participate in clinical trials that test new ways of treating ADHD.
The stimulant medications are the most effective drugs for adults suffering from ADHD. But they need to be constantly monitored. This includes regular appointments with a physician and regular examinations of symptoms.
Medications
There are many medications that can help reduce the symptoms of ADHD in adults. These are known as psychostimulants, and they work by altering the levels of certain neurotransmitters (chemicals) in your brain that transmit messages between nerve cell. Your doctor will recommend the best medication for you and will decide the best dose and schedule to take it. It could take some time to determine the proper dosage and medication that control your symptoms.
The first medication doctors prescribe to adults suffering from ADHD is stimulants. These medicines increase the amounts of norepinephrine and dopamine in your brain, which improve your ability to focus and manage impulses. These medications are available in short-, medium-and long-acting varieties. Short-acting stimulants last for 6 hours. treatment for adhd in adults -acting medications last 8-10 hours. Long-acting drugs can last up to 16 hours. Long-acting stimulants have less negative effects than shorter- or intermediate-acting medications, but they can still cause insomnia and changes in appetite.
Non-stimulant medications like atomoxetine (Strattera), are used to treat adult ADHD when stimulants don't perform or cause undesirable adverse effects. These medications don't alter your dopamine or norepinephrine, but they increase the amount of norepinephrine that's available to your brain, and improve your ability to focus. These medicines come in capsules and can be taken either twice or three times each day.
Certain adults suffering from ADHD may also suffer from other psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety. These conditions are known as comorbidities and may influence how you respond to ADHD treatment. Before beginning treatment for ADHD it is essential to address any comorbidities. For instance, those who have an addiction history to drugs or disorder are more likely to misuse psychostimulants. It's best to wait until someone has stopped using drugs before taking them on with stimulants.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is an interactive process of talking and discussing issues that may be disturbing or troubling to a person. The therapist listens and provides advice based on her education, training and experience professional credentials and therapeutic philosophies. Psychotherapy can be short-term (a couple of weeks or months) and can address more immediate issues, or longer-term. The therapist and the patient decide on the duration and frequency of treatment.
The combination of psychotherapy and medication together is an extremely effective treatment for adults with ADHD. Behavioral therapy can help people improve their time management, organizational skills, and prioritizing. It can also teach methods to manage emotions such as anger and frustration. The use of medication can help reduce symptoms and increase focus, which leads to more productive and effective academic and work performance.
Adults who suffer from ADHD are more likely to be affected by co-existing issues, especially mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Before starting treatment for ADHD it is essential to treat any co-existing conditions. Treatment of co-existing disorders may require different types and doses of medication than the ones used to treat ADHD.
For example, a person with ADHD could also be suffering from hypertension. To pick a medication that can treat the ADHD symptoms without causing destabilization of the hypertension of the patient it is crucial to know how different medications affect people in the course of time, as well as the interactions between the medications.
It's important to find an therapist with whom you have good relations, and who has experience in treating adults with ADHD. It's also important to schedule your first few sessions during times when you won't be distracted by family responsibilities or work obligations.
Counseling
Adults who suffer from ADHD have many difficulties in their lives, including problems at work and in relationships. The person who has ADHD might also experience frustration, anger and blame that have built up over time. Numerous psychosocial therapies have been proven to aid them and their families develop new behaviors, skills, and ways of relating.
Psychotherapy may include cognitive behavioral therapy, which is a type of psychotherapy that assists individuals change their behavior and thinking. It includes goal-setting, skill training and practice, and methods of teaching to improve organization and self-esteem. It can be carried out in group or individual sessions. A few studies have proven that the use of metacognitive therapy can reduce symptoms and improve performance for adults suffering from ADHD (Stevenson and colleagues 2002).
Certain people with ADHD might also require counseling to help them overcome particular life issues. These could include family conflict, impulsive or aggressive behavior, or difficulty coping with disappointments and failures. Counseling can help develop strategies to manage these situations, improve communication, and enhance problem-solving abilities. It can also improve interpersonal relationships, especially in marriages or other long-term relationships.
Other types of psychotherapy for ADHD are family therapy and supportive group therapy. These can help families cope with the stress of having a child with ADHD, as well as develop skills to improve communication and reduce conflict. It can aid parents to understand the disorder and develop parenting strategies that encourage positive outcomes in their children.
It is important for people with ADHD to discuss their medications with their healthcare providers regularly, and to reveal all other medications they're taking, including any over-the-counter medications. Certain medications can trigger side effects or interact with other medications.
Medication Monitoring
After a comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis is made it is crucial that the patient be monitored to ensure that they are receiving the benefits of medication and not experiencing side effects. It is recommended that a patient be referred for a first clinical examination within 30 days of beginning treatment, and every month following that. In the case of psychostimulants (methylphenidate amphetamines) this allows for a complete titration to an effective and well-tolerated dosage. This allows accurate registration of the patient's reaction and prevents the patient from being a patients who are sensitive to doses that are too low.
Adults who are not responding well to stimulant medications or who have unwanted side effects that are difficult to tolerate could benefit from non-stimulant medications. This typically involves the use of atomoxetine, or other alternatives to methylphenidate.
Adults suffering from ADHD often have comorbid disorders like mood disorder or anxiety disorder, substance abuse issues or depression. They may also have medical conditions like hearing or vision problems, or chronic sleep disorders. As part of the initial evaluation for ADHD, it is important to identify such conditions and evaluate them. These conditions can have a significant impact on functional impairments in adults.
ADHD can also be managed through marital therapy. Spouses report feeling overburdened with the caretaking responsibilities of their spouses who suffer from ADHD and can become angry or resentful in response. Increasing the patient's awareness of the symptoms of his/her illness and helping them realize that these are not willful actions or a lack of affection can reduce resentment and marital difficulties. Couples who go through this kind of therapy generally experience a better family functioning.
Behavioral Therapy
Psychotherapy for adults with ADHD is generally suggested. It should include a cognitive and behavioral component. Behavioral therapy can help patients improve their organization skills, focus, and control impulsive behaviors. It helps patients 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 reduce the shame and low self-esteem that is commonly seen in adults with ADHD who are thought of as inept or unintelligent.
ADHD symptoms can be mirrored by many psychiatric disorders. For example, anxiety disorders occur at a higher rate in adults ADHD patients and depression is seen at increased levels in adults with the disorder. The presence of other mental health issues should be analyzed, as appropriate, to determine whether or not the patient's ADHD symptoms are connected to them.
Adults with ADHD are typically treated with a combination of pharmacotherapy, and psychotherapy. It has been demonstrated that the combination of psychotherapy with medication yields better results than either treatment alone. Future controlled studies must attempt to track and measure the improvement in functional aspects such as improved performance at work, school, and interpersonal relationships.