5 Laws Everyone Working In Treatment For ADD Should Know
Treatment For ADHD
The most common treatments for add ing are medication and psychosocial therapy (psychotherapy). The drugs include stimulants such as methylphenidate amphetamine and atomoxetine. They also include nonstimulants, like clonidine and Guanfacine.
Patients with active issues with addiction are not advised to take stimulant medication. However, those who are in stable remission may consider them. Combination therapy with antidepressants (particularly SSRIs) is also an option.
Stimulants
The effects of stimulants increase the levels dopamine and norepinephrine in brain synapses. This improves concentration and reduces hyperactivity as well as impulsivity. Most doctors prescribe stimulant medications to treat ADHD. They might prescribe methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin) or amphetamines, which are very similar medicines. The type of medicine prescribed depends on the biochemistry of each patient and how they respond to it. It could take up to seven days for full effects of a medication to become evident. Improvements in concentration, improved memory, better sleep and less impulsivity are all signs that the medicine is working.
Some of the side effects can include a decrease in appetite, trouble sleeping, and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Some people who have an illness like high blood pressure or heart disease should not use these medications. Stimulants have a high potential for abuse and are closely controlled drugs. Only paediatricians, psychiatrists or neurologists, and in certain situations general practitioners can prescribe them. They can be found in the form of tablets or pills, a patch that goes on the skin, or in liquids.
Children and adolescents who consume stimulants frequently experience problems with appetite and weight loss. They may also experience tics when the dosage is too high. If this happens, the doctor may reduce the dosage to avoid the drug from causing worsening of symptoms.
About 70-80% children and adults with ADHD are treated with stimulant medication. The majority of children and adolescents find that their symptoms get better when treated. This is especially the case for children who have teachers, parents, or carers who can report improvements.
Early use of stimulants may lower the risk of developing substance use disorders in later life. Wilens Katusic, Wilens, and colleagues81,82 and Biederman and colleagues83, found that stimulant therapy reduces the risk of acquiring substance use disorders during the adolescent period. However this protective effect fades as we enter early adulthood.