A Productive Rant About Treatment For ADD
Treatment For ADHD
The most effective treatment options for add are medications and psychosocial therapy (psychotherapy). Medications can include stimulants like amphetamine and methylphenidate, and nonstimulants like atomoxetine, viloxazine, guanfacine, and clonidine.
Patients with active substance abuse issues shouldn't take stimulant drugs. However, those who are in stable remission may look into them. Combination therapy with antidepressants (particularly SSRIs) is also an option.
Stimulants
Stimulants boost dopamine and norepinephrine levels between synapses in the brain. This improves concentration and decreases hyperactivity and impulsivity. The majority of doctors prescribe stimulant medication to treat ADHD. adhd natural treatment might prescribe methylphenidate (Concerta or Ritalin) or amphetamines. These are both very similar drugs. The type of medicine prescribed depends on the biochemistry of each person and how they react to it. It can take up to seven days for the full effects of a drug to be apparent. Improved concentration, better memory, better sleep, and a decrease in impulsivity are all signs that the medication is working.
Medications in this class can have adverse effects, including diminished appetite and trouble sleeping, and they can raise blood pressure and heart rate. Patients with medical conditions, like heart disease or high blood pressure shouldn't take them. The stimulants have a high risk for abuse and are tightly controlled drugs. Only psychiatrists or pediatricians or, in some instances, general practitioners, can prescribe stimulants. They can be found in the form of pills or tablets or patches that are placed on the skin, or in liquids.
Children and adolescents who take stimulants often experience appetite problems and weight loss. They can also develop symptoms of tics if the dosage is too high. If this occurs, the doctor will reduce the dosage to avoid the drug from causing worsening of symptoms.
Stimulant medicines are used for around 70 to 80 percent of adults and children with ADHD. Most children and young people find that their symptoms improve with treatment. This is particularly the case for children who have parents, teachers, or carers who can observe improvements.
The early use of stimulants can reduce the risk of substance use disorders later on in the course of. Wilens and colleagues79,80 Katusic as well as colleagues81,82 and Biederman et al83 found that treatment with stimulants decreases the risk for substance use disorders in adolescence, but the protective effect diminishes in the early years of adulthood.