Notes

Don't Buy Into These "Trends" About Treatment For ADD
Treatment For ADHD

The most common treatments for add are medication and psychosocial therapy (psychotherapy). The medications include stimulants like methylphenidate, amphetamine, and atomoxetine. They can also be non-stimulants, such as clonidine and Guanfacine.

Stimulant medication are not recommended for patients with active substance abuse problems but they are an option for those who are in stable recovery. Combination therapy using antidepressants especially SSRIs, is another option.

Stimulants

Stimulants boost the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in brain synapses. This improves focus and reduces the intensity of impulses and hyperactivity. Most doctors prescribe stimulant drugs to treat ADHD. They may recommend methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin) or amphetamines, which are very similar medications. The type of medication prescribed will depend on a person's biochemistry as well as how well they react to the medicine. It can take up to seven days for the full effects of a drug to become evident. Improved concentration, better memory, better sleep, and reduced impulsivity are all signs that the medicine is working.

The medicines in this class may cause side effects, such as diminished appetite and trouble sleeping, and they can increase heart rate and blood pressure. adhd treatment in adults with medical conditions, like heart disease or high blood pressure, should not use these medications. These are highly controlled drugs with a potential for abuse. Only psychiatrists, paediatricians or neurologists, and in certain circumstances general practitioners can prescribe them. You can get them in the form or pills, tablets patches, or patches that are applied to the skin or liquids.

Children and adolescents who are taking stimulants frequently experience problems with appetite and weight loss. They can also develop disorders when the dose is too high. In this situation, the doctor will reduce the dose to stop the drug from causing more symptoms.

Around 70 to 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 relevant for children with teachers, parents or caregivers who report improvements.


The early use of stimulants may reduce the risk of addiction disorders later in the course of. Wilens and colleagues79,80, Katusic and colleagues81,82 and Biederman et al83 found that treatment with stimulants decreases the risk of developing substance use disorders in adolescence, but the protective effect diminishes by early adulthood.

Website: https://www.iampsychiatry.uk/adhd-treatment-for-adults/