Treatment of ADHD in Adults
Treatment for adults with adhd includes therapy, medication and support from family members. Clinical trials are being conducted to test new treatments for ADHD.
The stimulant medications are the most effective drugs for adults suffering from ADHD. They require monitoring regularly. This includes regular clinical appointments, and frequent reviews of side effects and symptoms.
Medicines
Numerous medications can be used to alleviate the symptoms of ADHD in adults. These medications are called psychostimulants, and they work by altering the levels of certain neurotransmitters (chemicals) in your brain that transmit messages between nerve cells. Your doctor will select the appropriate medication for you, and determine the best dosage and timetable. It could take some time to determine the appropriate 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 dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain, which enhances your ability to concentrate and manage impulses. They are available in short-, intermediate-and long-acting varieties. Short-acting stimulants can last up to 6 hours. Intermediate-acting medications last 8-10 hours. Long-acting stimulants last from 8 to 16. Long-acting stimulants are less likely cause adverse effects than intermediate- or shorter-acting medications. However, they can still cause sleepiness and change in appetite.
Nonstimulant medications, like Atomoxetine (Strattera) are used to treat adult ADHD when stimulants aren't effective or cause unpleasant adverse side negative effects. These medicines do not affect your dopamine or norepinephrine levels, but they increase the brain's supply of norepinephrine. They also improve your ability to concentrate. These capsules are taken once or two times a day.
Some adults with ADHD suffer from co-occurring disorders such as anxiety or depression. These conditions are known as comorbidities and may influence how you respond to ADHD treatment. Before beginning treatment for ADHD it is important to address any comorbid issues. For instance, those who have a history of substance use disorder are more likely to misuse psychostimulants. It's best to wait until a person has quit using drugs before using stimulants.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is an interaction process of talking and discussing issues that could be troubling or troubling to someone. The therapist listens and provides guidance based on their education, training and experience, professional credentials and therapeutic philosophies. Psychotherapy can be short-term (a few weeks or even months), addressing more immediate issues, or more long-term. The duration and frequency of therapy is determined by the therapist and patient together.
The combination of psychotherapy and medication is an extremely effective way to treat adults with ADHD. Behavioral therapy helps people improve their ability to manage their time, organize and prioritizing. It can also teach techniques for managing emotions such as anger and frustration. Treatment can ease symptoms, improve focus and lead to better academic and work performance.
Adults with ADHD have a higher likelihood of co-existing conditions. This is especially relevant for mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Before beginning treatment for ADHD, it is important to treat any co-existing disorders. Treatment of co-existing disorders may require different types and dosages of medication than those used to treat ADHD.
A person suffering from ADHD can also have hypertension. To select adhd symptoms and treatment to treat the ADHD symptoms without causing instability to the patient's hypertension, it is important to understand how different medications affect people over time and the interactions between medications.
It is important to choose the right professional with whom you share a a good relationship, and who has experience treating adults with ADHD. It is crucial to schedule your initial sessions at a time when you won't be distracted by family or work obligations.
Counseling
Adults suffering from ADHD typically face a variety of issues in their lives, including relationships and work problems. They may also experience anger, blame and frustration that have accumulated in their lives due to their symptoms. Psychosocial treatments can aid patients and their families develop new attitudes, skills and ways of relating.
Psychotherapy can also include cognitive behavioral therapy, a form of psychotherapy that helps individuals change their thinking and behavior. It includes goal-setting, skill training and practice, and teaching strategies to improve self-esteem and organization. It may be done in group or individual sessions. A few studies have proven that metacognitive treatment can significantly reduce symptoms and improve functioning in adults with ADHD (Stevenson et al, 2002).
In addition to psychotherapy, some individuals with ADHD also require counseling to deal with specific life issues. These challenges may include family conflicts, aggressive or impulsive behaviors, or difficulty in dealing with disappointments and failures. Counseling can help develop skills to manage these situations, improve communication and improve problem-solving skills. It can also help improve relationships, particularly in marriages and other long-term relationships.
Other types of psychotherapy for ADHD include family therapy as well as supportive group therapy. These therapies can help families cope and learn skills to reduce conflict and improve communication when dealing with a child suffering from ADHD. It can assist parents to understand the disorder and develop parenting methods that promote positive outcomes for their children.
Adults suffering from ADHD must discuss their medication regularly with their physicians and inform them of any other medications, including over the prescription drugs. Certain medications can interact with certain medications or trigger side effects that are worsened by other medications.
Medication Monitoring
After a thorough assessment and diagnosis, it is important to monitor the patient to ensure that he/she receives the benefits of the medication and doesn't experience any adverse side effects. It is recommended to consult the patient for the initial clinical monitoring within 30days of beginning treatment and then every month thereafter. In the case of psychostimulants (methylphenidate amphetamines, methylphenidate) this allows for a complete titration to an effective and well-tolerated dosage. This allows for accurate registration of the patients' response and helps to avoid keeping a the patient with a sensitive response on doses that are not sufficient.
For adults who are unable to respond well to stimulant medication or suffer from uncontrollable side effects, the use of non-stimulant drugs could be recommended. Typically this involves the use of atomoxetine or other related methylphenidate alternatives.
Adults with ADHD typically suffer from comorbid disorders like mood disorder or anxiety disorder, substance abuse issues or depression. They may also have medical issues like hearing and vision problems, or chronic sleep disorders. As part of the initial assessment for ADHD it is crucial to identify such conditions and evaluate their severity. These conditions could have a significant impact on functional impairments in adults.
Marital therapy can also be beneficial in managing ADHD. Spouses report feeling overburdened with the caretaking responsibilities of their spouses with ADHD and can become resentful or angry as a consequence. Reducing resentment can be achieved by increasing the patient's understanding of his/her condition, and helping them to understand that the symptoms are not caused by a lack in willfulness or love. Couples who go through this kind of therapy typically experience better family functioning.
Behavioral Therapy
Psychotherapy for adults suffering from ADHD is typically suggested. It should include a cognitive and behavioral component. Behavioral therapy helps patients learn to improve their ability to organize their lives and focus and control their an impulsive behaviour. It helps patients manage their social, work, and home situations more efficiently. Psychotherapy helps patients understand how their disorder impacts various aspects of their lives and relationships. This can help alleviate the shame and low self-esteem that is often seen in adults with ADHD who are considered lazy or less intelligent.
Many psychiatric disorders can be akin to ADHD symptoms. For example, anxiety disorders occur at high rates in adults ADHD patients and depression is observed in greater numbers among adults with the disorder. If necessary the presence of any other mental disorders should be evaluated to determine if ADHD symptoms are caused by them.
Adults suffering from ADHD are usually treated with a combination of pharmacotherapy, and psychotherapy. It has been proven that when a combination of medications and psychotherapy is utilized the results are superior than treatment on its own. Future controlled medication studies should attempt to track and measure the improvement in functional aspects such as improved functioning at school, workplace and interpersonal relationships.