Evidence Based Treatment For ADHD in Adults
ADHD affects people in ways that impact their home, work and relationships. The most common treatments are medications, skill training and psychological counseling.
Atomoxetine (Strattera) is the only FDA-approved, non-stimulant medication for adult ADHD. It is safe and effective, according to research. Psychosocial interventions that target the comorbidities and organizational skills have a strong evidence base particularly behavioral parent training (BPT). However, precision in psychosocial guidelines is not easy to achieve.
Medication
For many people suffering from ADHD it is believed that a combination of medication and psychosocial treatment is the best way to manage their symptoms. Medication has been shown to be highly efficient in reducing symptoms of ADHD but it can take a while for people to see results. Consult your doctor if you're considering taking medication to improve your ADHD symptoms. Make sure it's suitable for you, and doesn't interfere with other medications you take.
People with ADHD might have difficulty focus and concentration, regulating impulses, planning and completing tasks on time. These issues can have a negative impact on school, work, and social relationships. They can also make it difficult to take time out and relax.
The most effective treatment is medication. treatments based on scientific evidence for ADHD. The use of medications can decrease or eliminate the need for psychosocial interventions, and they can dramatically enhance a person's quality of life. Fortunately, medications are not addictive and have a low risk of misuse. Several studies have shown that people suffering from ADHD benefit from stimulants. Non-stimulant medications such as atomoxetine or Strattera, are available for people who are unable to take stimulants' adverse effects.
Medication is not the solution. A thorough assessment will include a detailed description of ADHD symptoms and the effects they have on daily functioning. It is essential to determine if the patient is suffering from any co-morbid conditions like anxiety or depression that may affect the response to medication or treatment.
A medical exam does not usually reveal any signs of the condition. Instead, a diagnosis is based on a clinical judgement, and the history of symptoms that began in the earliest years of childhood. A thorough interview may be helpful when combined with collateral information, such as medical records from schools or child health assessments.
Many psychosocial treatments for ADHD are available, including metacognition, cognitive remediation and working memory training. These psychosocial treatments do not seem to be as effective as pharmacotherapy and are not likely to have the same degree of effectiveness. The more complex regimens are usually not followed, and patients are advised to begin with a low dose of medication that is easily coupled with behavioral therapy.
Psychotherapy
Many people suffering from ADHD find that psychotherapy, or talk therapy, helps to improve their lives. Certain studies suggest that talk therapy, like cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) or Relapse prevention therapy (RPT) can help reduce ADHD symptoms. Talk therapy is psychosocial treatment that involves sessions with a professional counselor or therapist. There are many kinds of therapy that can be used and the therapist you choose should be based upon your goals and preferences.
A common method of treating adult ADHD is to employ the combination of medication and psychotherapy. Studies have demonstrated that combining medication and psychotherapy is more effective than either approach alone. The National Institute of Mental Health also recommends this approach.
Psychotherapy, also known as psychotherapy, can help you manage your ADHD symptoms and develop coping skills. It can teach you strategies for dealing with difficulties in your work, relationships, and school life. Your therapist might suggest that you attend individual, group or family therapy, based on your needs and goals.
Cognitive behavior therapy is a form of psychotherapy that helps adults suffering from ADHD to boost their self-esteem and functioning. CBT will help you recognize negative thoughts and modify them, which may affect your mood and behavior. CBT for instance can help you learn to alter your "all-or-nothing" thinking that makes people with ADHD to believe that they must do everything perfect or not at all.
In a therapy session, your therapy therapist listens to you and asks questions to gain a better understanding of your thoughts and emotions. The therapist will then offer you suggestions based on their research and experience. They might also give you homework assignments, such as journaling or trying something new. It is important to complete homework because it will allow you to apply what you've learned.
It is important to keep in mind that seeking treatment does not mean you are weak. In fact, it's a brave step towards living the life you've always wanted. With the structure, support, and skills that you acquire through psychotherapy, you will be able to achieve your biggest goals and dreams.
Education
Education can be a beneficial method for adults suffering from ADHD. Education can include classes to teach organizational skills, how to prepare for tasks, and ways to improve the way one talks and listens to other people. It can be beneficial to teach patients to recognize signs and how they impact their behavior. This can be accomplished in private sessions or through group therapy.
Research has proven that a variety psychosocial interventions can help reduce the symptoms of ADHD people and enhance their functioning. Educational interventions can improve academic performance and self-reporting of ADHD symptoms. Different behavioral and cognitive treatments have been proven to be effective, such as hypnotherapy, metacognitive training, neurofeedback and cognitive remediation. However none of these have been proven to be superior to controls and the results need further replication.
In the course of a study, an educational program that taught students to recognize their own impulsive and inattentive behavior was found to be more effective than a waitlist control program in improving self-report ADHD symptoms. A daily report card on behavior was found to boost academic performance for children with ADHD in a separate study. The training of parents on behavior has been shown to be effective in reducing negative parenting behaviors and increasing positive family functioning, however the effect of self-directed as opposed to therapist-led training for parents requires more research.
Adolescents with ADHD are at a higher risk of impaired driving outcomes such as crashes resulting in injury or death. The intensive summer "bridge" programs have been proven to improve driving abilities in adolescents suffering from ADHD. Other psychosocial interventions discovered to be beneficial include central executive training and working memory training.
Recommended Website with ADHD struggle to maintain stable jobs or relationships. Inability to manage their time and inability to finish or follow through on tasks and inattention and impulsive behavior can make co-workers and family members frustrated. Psychotherapy that helps patients improve their communication skills can help manage these issues. This is also true for couples counseling which teaches partners how to deal with each other's issues when they occur.
Counseling
While medication is effective for a lot of people with ADHD but it is not always enough to eliminate the symptoms in all cases. The side effects of medications can be unpredictable and they can affect certain people differently. Therefore, counseling is a crucial element of the overall treatment plan. Counseling can help patients discover better methods to manage their emotions, improve relationships and self-esteem, as well as learn strategies to deal with the unique challenges associated with living with ADHD.
The efficacy of psychosocial treatment for ADHD has been proven through several controlled studies that are randomized. A few studies showed that when a combination of behavioral therapy and medication is used, both parents and students' perceptions of academic performance improves. Additionally, research has found that using an extremely low dose of stimulant medication with behavioral therapy improves classroom behavior and homework performance in comparison to a control.
In a recent study, high school counselors were trained to implement two brief homework and organizational interventions for students suffering from ADHD. These interventions were compared with an initial course of low dose medication. The results suggest that a continuous, multi-assignment, randomized trial may be an effective method to bridge the gap between research findings and actual practice in school-based interventions for ADHD.
Before attempting medication for ADHD, it is recommended that schools implement ADHD intervention which includes behavior education and parent education. A combination of pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions should be the first option for treatment for adolescents and adults. The first medications for adults and adolescents should be stimulants, such as dexamphetamine or methylphenidate, except that some other health conditions prohibit them from taking these medications. In these cases either atomoxetine, or guanfacine may be considered.
A thorough medical examination must be performed to rule out other disorders that could affect functioning and learning, including neurological disorders (such as Tourette's syndrome, epilepsy or cerebral palsy), nutrition problems as well as substance use disorder (SUD) chronic illnesses like asthma and comorbid psychological disorders. If the medical history and examination are not remarkable, a psychiatrist or psychologist may be able to diagnose ADHD by using established diagnostic criteria, if they find nothing unusual.