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Treatment For ADD: What's No One Is Talking About
Treatment For ADHD

The most effective treatments for add are medication and psychosocial therapy (psychotherapy). The drugs include stimulants such as methylphenidate amphetamine, and Atomoxetine. They can also be non-stimulants like clonidine or guanfacine.


Patients with active issues with addiction should not take stimulant medications. However, those who are in stable remission can consider them. Combination therapy with antidepressants (particularly SSRIs) is also an option.

Stimulants

The effects of stimulants increase the levels dopamine and norepinephrine that are released between brain synapses. This improves concentration and reduces the intensity of impulses and hyperactivity. The majority of doctors prescribe stimulant medication to treat ADHD. They may prescribe methylphenidate, (Concerta or Ritalin), or amphetamines. These are both very similar medications. The type of medicine prescribed depends on the biochemistry of each individual and how they react to it. It can take five to seven days before the full effects of the medication become apparent. Increased concentration, improved memory, better sleep, and reduced impulsivity are all signs that the medicine is working.

The medicines in this class may have side effects, including reduced appetite and difficulty sleeping, and they may raise blood pressure and heart rate. add in adults treatment who have an illness such as high blood pressure or heart disease, shouldn't take these medications. These are highly controlled drugs with a potential for misuse. Only psychiatrists, paediatricians or neurologists, and in certain situations general practitioners can prescribe them. They are available in the form of pills, tablets, patches that go on the skin or in liquids.

Children and adolescents who take stimulants often suffer from weight loss and eating disorders. If the dosage is too high, they may also develop tics. If this happens, the doctor may reduce the dosage to prevent the drug from leading to a worsening of symptoms.

About 70% to 80 percent of adults and children with ADHD are treated with stimulant medications. A majority of children and young adults notice that their symptoms improve with treatment. This is especially the case for children with parents, teachers or carers that can report improvements.

The early use of stimulants may lower the risk of developing substance use disorders later on in life. Wilens and colleagues79,80, Katusic and colleagues81,82 and Biederman et al83 found that treatment with stimulants reduces the risk of developing substance use disorders in adolescence, but that this protective effect wanes by early adulthood.

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