Treatment of ADHD in Adults
Adults suffering from adhd are treated by therapy, medication and support from family members. Clinical trials are available to test the effectiveness of new treatments for ADHD.
The stimulant medications are the most effective treatment for adults suffering from ADHD. However, they must be constantly monitored. This means monthly appointments with a doctor and frequent reviews of symptoms.
Medications
Numerous medications can be used to alleviate symptoms of ADHD in adults. These are known as psychostimulants. They function by altering the levels of certain neurotransmitters (chemicals) in your brain that transmit messages between nerve cell. Your doctor will recommend the right medication for you and determine the most appropriate dosage and time to take it. It may take some time to find the right dosage and medication that control your symptoms.
The first drug that doctors prescribe to adults with ADHD is stimulants. They increase the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain, which enhances your ability to focus and manage impulses. They are available in short-, intermediate– and long-acting forms. Short-acting stimulants last for 6 hours. Intermediate-acting medications last 8-10 hours. Long-acting drugs last up to 16. Long-acting stimulants are less likely to cause adverse effects than intermediate or shorter-acting medicines. However, they can still cause sleepiness and change in appetite.
Nonstimulant medications, like atomoxetine (Strattera) can be used to treat adults with ADHD when stimulants aren’t effective or cause unpleasant adverse effects. These medications don’t affect the levels of dopamine or norepinephrine, but they increase the amount of norepinephrine, which improves your ability to concentrate. These medicines come in capsules and can be taken once or twice each day.
Some adults with ADHD suffer from co-occurring disorders such as depression or anxiety. These are referred to as comorbid conditions and they can impact the way you respond to treatment for ADHD. It’s important to treat any comorbid conditions before starting treatment for ADHD. For instance, those who have an history signs of untreated adhd using substances disorder may be more likely to use psychostimulants. It is recommended to wait until someone has stopped using drugs before using stimulants.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a process that involves discussing and discussing issues that cause distress or anxiety to the person. The therapist listens and offers guidance based on his or her training, education and experience, professional credentials and therapeutic theories. Psychotherapy may be short-term (a few weeks or months) dealing with more immediate challenges, or long-term (months or years) where a person is working on more complicated and longstanding issues. The therapist and patient decide on the duration and frequency of treatment.
The use of psychotherapy and medications 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 techniques to manage emotions like anger and frustration. Medication can reduce symptoms, increase concentration and improve work and academic performance.
Adults who suffer from ADHD are more likely to have co-existing conditions, particularly mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Before starting treatment for ADHD it is essential to treat any co-existing condition. The treatment of co-existing disorders could require different types of medication and doses than the medications used to treat ADHD.
A person with ADHD can also have hypertension. Selecting a medication that addresses the ADHD symptoms but does not alter the patient’s tentatively controlled hypertension requires knowledge of how different medications affect people over time, as well as an understanding of the interactions between different medications.
It’s important to find a therapy provider with whom you have a an excellent relationship and who has experience treating adults suffering from ADHD. It’s also important to arrange your first few sessions when you won’t be distracted by family responsibilities or work obligations.
Counseling
Adults suffering from ADHD often face many life challenges, including relationships and work problems. They may also experience anger, blame and frustration that have accumulated in their lives because of their symptoms. Psychosocial therapies can aid patients and their families to develop new attitudes, skills and ways of relating.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a kind of psychotherapy that helps people alter their thinking and behavior. It involves setting goals, training and the practice of skills, and teaching strategies for improving self-esteem and organization. It can be done in a private or in a group setting. Metacognitive therapy has proven to significantly reduce symptoms in adults with ADHD and improve their performance (Stevenson, et al. 2002).
Certain people with ADHD may also require counseling to help them overcome particular life issues. These issues could include family conflicts, aggressive or impulsive behaviors, and difficulty coping with disappointments and failures. Counseling can help teach skills to manage these situations, improve communication, and improve problem-solving skills. It can also help improve interpersonal relationships, especially in long-term marriages or other relationships.
Family therapy and supportive groups therapy are also types of psychotherapy that could be utilized to treat ADHD. These therapies can assist families in coping and improve their skills to manage conflict and improve communication when dealing with a child who has ADHD. It can aid parents understand the condition, and develop parenting techniques that encourage positive results in their children.
It is crucial for people with ADHD to discuss their medications with their health care providers regularly, and to inform them of all other medications they are taking, including over-the-counter drugs. Some medications can cause adverse effects or interact with other medications.
Medication Monitoring
After a thorough evaluation and diagnosis is established, it is essential to monitor the patient to ensure he/she is getting the benefits of the medication and not experiencing adverse effects. It is recommended that patients be referred for initial clinical monitoring within 30 days of beginning treatment and then every month thereafter. For psychostimulants (methylphenidate amphetamines, methylphenidate) this enables thorough titration to an effective and well-tolerated dosage. This allows accurate registration of the patient’s response and helps to avoid keeping a sensitive patient on insufficient doses.
Adults who aren’t responding well to stimulant medications or have side effects that are intolerable might benefit from non-stimulant drugs. This is usually the case with the methylphenidate based atomoxetine alternatives.
Adults with ADHD are often affected by comorbid disorders like depression or substance abuse. Moreover, they may have chronic sleep disorders or medical problems such as vision and hearing disorders. It is crucial to identify and evaluate such conditions in the initial assessment for ADHD since these can have significant effects on functional impairment in adults.
ADHD can also be controlled through marital therapy. Couples often say that they feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caring for their spouses who have ADHD and can become resentful and angry due to this. Making the patient aware of the symptoms of his/her condition and helping to understand that these aren’t willful acts or a lack of affection can reduce marital conflict and resentment. Couples who undergo this kind of therapy tend to have better functioning families.
Behavioral Therapy
Psychotherapy for adults with ADHD is generally recommended. It should include a behavioral and cognitive component. Behavioral therapy helps patients improve their focus, organization skills and manage impulsive behavior. It helps patients learn to manage their social, work and home life more effectively. Psychotherapy helps patients to understand how their disorder impacts different areas of their life and relationships. This helps reduce the shame and low-esteem that are commonly seen in people suffering from ADHD. They might be perceived by others as lazy or inexperienced.
Many psychiatric disorders can be akin to ADHD symptoms. adult adhd diagnosis and treatment ADHD patients are more likely to be suffering from depression and anxiety. If necessary, the presence of other psychiatric disorders must be evaluated to determine if ADHD symptoms are a result of them.
A combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy is generally recommended for treatment of ADHD in adults. It has been shown that when a combination of medication and psychotherapy is utilized, the results are better than either treatment alone. Future controlled studies will aim to track and evaluate the effects of functional improvement, like improved functioning in school, the workplace, and interpersonal relations.
