20 Trailblazers Leading The Way In ADD And Treatment
ADD and Treatment
ADD and treatment is usually related to issues at home, school or work. The psychiatric disorder can be difficult for doctors to diagnose and treat.
The psychiatric disorder is most commonly known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Mental health professionals use the SPECT brain imaging method to diagnose ADHD.
Symptoms include being easily distracted, forgetful, and unorganized. Treatments such as stimulants and antidepressants can ease the symptoms.
Limbic ADD
The most common form of ADD, also known as classic ADD or hyperactive-impulsive ADD, is characterized by inattention, a lack of organizational skills, difficulty staying on task, and trouble with memory. The scans of the brain show that people suffering from this type of ADD are able to maintain normal activity during concentration and rest in the prefrontal cortex, but have decreased activity in their cerebellum as well as the basal ganglia. These regions help to produce dopamine, an important neurotransmitter that is that is responsible for motivation, calmness, and focus. This type has a shorter attention span, and is easily distracted by sounds or other stimuli and is unable to shift focus. They are unable to fall asleep, and often awake in the middle of the night, battling anxiety. They often feel overwhelmed by emotions and possess a short fuse, becoming quickly annoyed by tasks and easily angry.
Ring of Fire ADD is characterized by all the classic ADD symptoms however, it also has a difficulty in shifting their focus from one thought to the next and from one task to another. They are sensitive to light, noise, and touch. They talk too fast and are impulsive. They have periods of moodiness and low energy levels, are quick to anger and can get stuck in negative thoughts and guilty feelings.
Limbic ADD can be mistaken for depression, but it is distinct from depression because it causes increased activity in the limbic portion of the brain (the part that determines our mood and determines how happy or sad we feel) and decreases activity in the prefrontal cortex both when we are at rest and while in concentration. It can be treated by supplements like L tryptophan (5-HTP) along with saffron, inositol, which improve alertness, mood and mental clarity. Amino acid GABA is also helpful to slow neural activity, preventing nerve cells from firing erratically or excessively.
It is important to differentiate between ADD and mood disorders, such as Bipolar Disorder that can cause frustration and irritability as well as low self-esteem. The main difference between ADD with Limbic Symptoms and Bipolar Disorder is that ADD has a more constant level of irritability that lasts over time. Bipolar Disorder tends to suffer from symptoms that occur in waves.
Overfocused ADD
Over-focused ADD sufferers often get stuck in negative patterns of thoughts and behaviors that trigger excessive worry. They exhibit rigid behaviors that resemble those of people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which is why it's often misdiagnosed. They can be angry when asked to switch their attention between tasks and can respond with a resentful or argumentative behavior.
They tend to be unhappy and their irritability may be due to a low-grade chronic depression or sadness. They may also struggle with memory issues, experience extreme anger, and may have a short fuse.
People who have hyper-focused ADD are unable to adapt when they have to change tasks, and could become enthralled by their hobbies or work. They are prone to missing deadlines at work and not remembering appointments at home, and they may not finish tasks or school assignments. They may also be resistant and angry when they are punished or reprimanded by their parents or teacher.
Children with overfocused ADD can be angry and stubborn, and may throw tantrums if their interests are not respected. They can be obsessive about specific activities, toys, and video games. They are also unable to express their emotions and may be extremely sensitive to rejection or criticism.
This type of ADD is more prevalent in children, and is difficult to diagnose. Children who exhibit this behavior are often unable to comprehend that their issues are caused by a lack of ability to switch their focus from one task to the next. This is the reason it's crucial to seek out help from a professional, as children with this type of behavior are more likely to be misdiagnosed by family physicians and even psychologists. This type of ADD is usually treated using diet changes, supplements, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. This kind of ADD is extremely difficult to treat even with stimulant medications as it can cause the intensity of hyperactivity. Functional neuroimaging is often used to differentiate the seven distinct types of ADD, and is particularly useful in diagnosing over-focused ADD.
Anxious ADD
Many people suffering from ADD experience high levels of anxiety. This is a comorbidity (having more than one disorder simultaneously) is common, affecting about half of people with ADD/ADHD. Stress and anxiety may mimic the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. Incorrect diagnosis can lead to unsuitable treatment and frustration.
Anxious ADD can cause issues at work, in school or with social situations. This type of ADD can cause under-performance and feelings of unworthiness. People with anxious ADD avoid difficult tasks or events because they fear that they won't be successful.
They also fear being judged or being judged. This is why they tend to hide their issues from their peers. add treatment for adults can be so anxious and stressed that they suffer from panic attacks. These panic attacks can be severe and life-threatening. They cause a pounding of the heart, sweating and difficulty breathing. Anxious ADD is different from Classic ADD because it has an increased activity in the basal ganglia, as well as the amygdala. These areas are instinctive and focus on security. This causes the brain to shut down the PFC and can make it difficult for those with this condition to concentrate.
If a person suffers from ADD/ADHD and anxiety, the symptoms they experience are more difficult to treat. This is because the treatment programs for ADD/ADHD that are designed to increase brain activity, can actually increase anxiety in people who have anxiety-related ADD.
Amen Clinics psychiatrists employ functional neuroimaging, like SPECT scanning, to determine which areas of the brain are areas of low or high levels of activity. This allows them to distinguish between the seven types of ADD and determine the most effective treatment for each patient.
A psychiatrist will collect the complete medical history of a patient and perform a physical examination to diagnose ADHD or ADD. In addition, he or might ask questions regarding behavior and mood to determine the patient's overall performance. Sometimes, medication is used to treat the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. However, in many cases, patients require other treatments, like cognitive behavior therapy and exercise, nutrition sleep strategies, and desensitization. This can enhance their ability to control their moods and overall function.
Temporal Lobe ADD
This type of ADD affects the temporal lobe of the brain, which is responsible both for memory and mood. People with this type of ADD struggle to learn and store information and experience mood swings and are prone to intense anger or aggression issues. They also are often affected by various sensory issues, such as feeling like they've experienced deja vu or experiencing shadows or objects changing forms and hearing sounds that other people can't hear. They can be irritable, sensitive and easily overstimulated.
This type of ADD has similar symptoms to Classic ADD. These include inattention spans that are short and disorganized. It also includes difficulty in staying focused or following directions. However, this type of ADD does not cause impulsivity or hyperactivity. This kind of ADD is more prevalent in women. This type of ADD is defined by the low levels of dopamine in the brain, which can lead to feelings of low motivation or insufficient self-regulation. Symptoms include difficulty sleeping, anxiety and irritability.
In this instance, qEEG brain mapping scans of the brain show that individuals with Over-focused ADD have normal activity in their anterior cingulate gyrus which is the brain's "gear shifter," but they are having trouble shifting gears. They aren't able to shift from one thought or task to another and get stuck in negative thoughts and behaviors.
This is a kind of ADD where people can be highly motivated and hardworking however, they have a tendency to get distracted by unimportant or non-essential tasks. They can get lost and be embarrassed or exhausted due to their actions. They may have difficulty in relationships due to their tendency to be reactive and impulsive. They also have trouble multitasking and working with others. In some instances they may suffer from depression or anxiety. They are susceptible to panic attacks and susceptible to hallucinations. The use of medication is not advised for this kind of ADD as they don't tackle the root cause of the symptoms.