Treatments For ADD - Drugs and Counselling
Treatment options for ADD include drugs and counselling. It is essential to try both to determine which one is more efficient.
People suffering from classic ADD tend to be inattentional and disorganized, as well as hyperactive. They have a low blood flow to their prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia and the thalamus. They also have low levels of dopamine. Treatment typically involves increasing the levels of dopamine.
Stimulants
Stimulants boost the body's systems. They are available in prescription medications such as amphetamines, methylphenidates, as well as diet aids like Didrex, Bontril, and Fastin. They can also be used illegally and often mixed with other substances such as methcathinone and cocaine. They are available in the form of pills, liquids, syrups or patches.
They increase the levels dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain's synapses, improving concentration. They also reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and enhance working memory. They are the most commonly prescribed medication for people suffering from ADHD. They can trigger side effects such as decreased appetite or difficulties sleeping, as well as an increase in heart rate or bloodpressure. They can interact with certain medicines and medical conditions. It is essential to talk with your doctor regarding any concerns.
Around 70 to 80% people who take ADHD medication will experience reduced symptoms. Not everyone responds the same way to the medication and the effects may not last for long.
Some people don't like stimulants or don't like their adverse effects. In this case doctors will prescribe non-stimulant medication. They aren't as effective as stimulants, but they do help improve attention, focus and control impulses. Doctors typically prescribe these drugs together with stimulants to increase the effectiveness.
Nonstimulant drugs take longer to work and don't work as quickly. They affect neurotransmitters differently than stimulants, and they don't raise dopamine levels in the brain. Examples include Atomoxetine (clonidine), guanfacine, and Clonidine. The most frequent adverse effect of these drugs is the feeling of drowsiness. However, drowsiness can be reduced by increasing the dosage or taking them prior to bedtime. The drowsiness should diminish within a few weeks of starting treatment.
Antidepressants
Most antidepressants affect chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. They are classified according to how they affect neurotransmitters, with each class having a variety of medications that perform in slightly different ways. These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
Your physician may prescribe a medicine that belongs to one of these groups to alle via te anxiety or depression symptoms. These medications may not provide immediate relief. It could take a few weeks to feel the full benefits. Your doctor and you will decide on the best treatment for you. You may also take additional medications or combine two antidepressants to enhance your treatment. This is referred to as augmenting. The most common augmentation drugs are aripiprazole, quetiapine, and lithium.
Different antidepressants have different side effects. It's important to talk to your doctor about the side effects because some could affect your daily activities. These side effects could be severe or mild dependent on the type of antidepressant you're taking. You should also inform your doctor about any other medicines or herbal remedies you're taking, including prescription drugs and herbal remedies such as St. John's wort.
SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants and are believed to have less side-effects than other antidepressants. The SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva) and sertraline (Zoloft).
SNRIs boost levels of serotonin as well as norepinephrine within the brain. This is why they're considered to be more efficient than SSRIs. They also have a longer half-life than SSRIs and are less likely to interact with other drugs. SNRIs include duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor).
Atypical antidepressants are utilized for their energizing effects, helping you to feel more alert. They are beneficial for people suffering from insomnia or severe anxiety. Bupropion (Wellbutrin and Zyban) as well as mirtazapine are among the most common. These drugs can cause jitteriness, sleepiness or drowsiness, however they can be beneficial for many people with depression, ADHD and anxiety. They are also used for the treatment of bulimia as well as for smoking cessation.
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy is a proven treatment for mental disorders. It is based upon the idea that thoughts and feelings are connected and can be altered. CBT is a goal-oriented, short-term process that can teach you new ways to cope with problems and bad habits. It can be used to treat bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety.
The purpose of CBT is to reframe unhelpful thoughts into positive feelings and behaviours. The technique is a mixture of two different therapies which are cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. This kind of psychotherapy is usually short-term, and can be carried out in a group or individually. You will be taught various techniques by a therapist and then you'll use them in your daily life. Some of these techniques include being able to recognize your negative automatic thoughts, practicing mindfulness meditation, and keeping a thought journal.
A therapist can assist you in identifying negative thoughts that cause you to adopting maladaptive behavior and teach you how to change your beliefs. They'll also teach you problem solving techniques to help you deal with challenges that arise in your everyday life. CBT therapists will also encourage you to establish goals that are SMART (specific goals that are measurable, achievable relevant, and time-based) to make it easier to track your progress.
Although each type of cognitive behavior therapy has a slightly different approach however, they all concentrate on identifying the fundamental thoughts which contribute to emotional distress and transforming them. The therapists use a variety of methods, but they are all built on the principles of classical and operant conditioning, which involve associating the effects of stimuli with the stimulus. In treatment you will be awarded for the accomplishment of tasks. Additionally, you will be punished when you fail to complete the task.
In the first few sessions your therapist will assist you to identify the problem behaviors and replace them with healthier ones. They might also assign homework to help you develop the abilities. You may need anywhere between six and twenty one-on-one sessions, based on the severity and nature of your illness.
CBT is effective in treating a variety of conditions including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic disorder (PTSD). It can also be effective for adults with ADHD, which affects people as young as seven.
Counselling
Counselling is a type of psychotherapy that uses regular, scheduled meetings with a therapist to discuss your concerns. Usually these sessions last for around 50 minutes and can be face to face, in groups or via the phone. Counselling can help people with a range of mental health issues like schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. It can also be used to discuss family, friendship, and relationship issues, as well as issues related to work.
A counselor will pay attention to your issues and provide an objective viewpoint. They will be able to discern patterns of behavior and suggest ways to alter them. They can help you learn techniques and coping strategies to manage stress, anxiety or depression. They can assist you in adjusting to major life changes, such as divorce or the loss of loved ones. They can also show you how to manage addictions or chronic illnesses.
Some counsellors charge for their services, while others are covered by Medicare rebates when you have mental health care plans from your doctor.