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Evidence Based Treatment For ADHD in Adults
ADHD affects people in ways that impact their work, home and relationships. Treatment options include medications, skill training and psychological counseling.
Atomoxetine (Strattera) is the only FDA-approved, non-stimulant medication for adults with ADHD. It is safe and effective, based on research. Psychosocial interventions that target organizational skills and comorbid conditions have a strong evidence base, notably behavioral parent training (BPT). However, precision in psychosocial guidelines is not easy to attain.
Medication
Many people with ADHD discover that a combination of psychosocial therapy and medication is best to manage their symptoms. Read Alot more can take a while for a person to notice any improvements in their ADHD symptoms. If you are considering taking medication to improve your ADHD symptoms, talk to your doctor to make sure that it is suitable for you and does not interact with any other medications you're taking.
People with ADHD may have trouble focus and concentration, regulating impulses, planning and completing tasks in time. These issues can impact work, school and social interactions. They can also make it difficult to take pleasure in leisure activities and unwind.
Medications are the most effective evidence-based treatment for ADHD. The use of medications can decrease or eliminate the need for psychosocial interventions and can significantly enhance a person's quality of life. Fortunately, they don't cause addiction and have the lowest chance of being misused. People suffering from ADHD can benefit from stimulants, based on several studies. If you are not able to handle the negative effects of stimulant medications can opt for non-stimulants like atomoxetine (Strattera).
Treatment isn't the only solution. A thorough evaluation should include a description of symptoms and a discussion of the effects of ADHD symptoms on a person's everyday functioning. It is also important to determine if the patient has any comorbid conditions such as depression and anxiety, that could affect the response to treatment and medications.
A medical examination is not required to reveal signs of the disorder and a diagnosis is made upon clinical judgment, with a clear history of symptoms from childhood onwards. A detailed interview can be useful in conjunction with collateral information, like medical records from schools or child health assessments.
Different psychosocial treatments for ADHD are available that include cognitive remediation, metacognition and working memory training. These psychosocial treatments do not seem to be as effective as pharmacotherapy and are unlikely have the same level effectiveness. Patients are advised to start with a lower dose of medication that can be paired with behavioral therapy.
Psychotherapy
Many people suffering from ADHD discover that psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, helps them improve their lives. Certain studies suggest that talk therapy, such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) or Relapse prevention therapy (RPT) can help reduce ADHD symptoms. Talk therapy is a form of 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 will depend on your goals and requirements.
Combining medication and psychotherapy is a common way to treat adult ADHD. Studies have demonstrated that combining medication and psychotherapy is more effective than any method alone. The National Institute of Mental Health also recommends this approach.
Talk therapy or psychotherapy can help you to deal with ADHD symptoms and manage the symptoms. It can help you learn how to handle problems at work, school and personal life. Your therapist may suggest you attend individual, group, or family therapy depending on your goals and requirements.
Cognitive behavior therapy is a form of psychotherapy which can help adults with ADHD to improve their self-esteem as well as functioning. CBT helps you recognize negative thoughts and alter them, which can affect your mood and behavior. CBT can, for instance can help you learn to change "all-or-nothing" thinking that can cause people with ADHD to believe that they must do everything perfect or not at all.
In a therapy session your therapist listens to you and asks questions to better understand your thoughts and emotions. The therapist will then offer you suggestions based on their experience and research. You might also be assigned assignments, such as journaling or attempting a new activity. You must complete your homework as it will aid you in putting what you have learned into practice.
It is important to keep in mind that seeking treatment does not mean that you're weak. In fact, it's an empowering step towards living the life you deserve. You can achieve your goals and ambitions with the help of psychotherapy.
Education
Education can be a powerful method for adults suffering from ADHD. It can be used to teach organizational skills, methods to prepare for tasks, and ways to improve the way one speaks and listens to others. It can be helpful to teach patients how to recognize symptoms and how they affect their behavior. This can be accomplished in individual sessions or group therapy.
Research has shown that a variety of psychosocial interventions can significantly reduce symptoms that cause problems and improve performance in people with ADHD. Educational interventions can enhance academic performance and self-reporting of ADHD symptoms. Many behavioral and cognitive treatments have been proven to be efficient. They include hypnotherapy and neurofeedback. However none of them have been proven to be superior to control methods and the results require further testing.
In a study, a program that taught students to recognize their own inattention and impulsive behavior was discovered to be more effective than a waitlist control program in improving self-report ADHD symptoms. A daily report card for behavior was found to improve academic performance for children with ADHD in a different study. It has been proven that training for parents to be a behavioral one can be effective in reducing negative parental behaviors and promoting positive family function. However, the effects of therapist-led and self-directed training need further exploration.
Adolescents with ADHD are at a high risk of impaired driving outcomes like crashes that cause injury or death. Intensive summer "bridge" programs have been shown to improve driving skills among adolescents with ADHD. Other psychosocial interventions have also been proven to be beneficial including central executive training and training for working memory.
Adults suffering from ADHD struggle to maintain stable relationships or jobs. Inability to organize their lives as well as inability to complete or follow through on tasks and inattention and impulsive behavior can cause coworkers and family members angry. Psychotherapy that assists patients in improving their communication skills can help manage these difficulties. Couples counseling can help partners deal with problems that arise.
Counseling
While medications can be effective for many people with ADHD however, it is not always able to eliminate all symptoms. The adverse effects of medications are not always predictable, and they can affect some individuals in a different way. For this reason, counseling is an essential part of the overall treatment plan. Counseling can help patients discover better methods to manage their emotions, improve their relationships and self-esteem, as well as learn strategies to face the unique challenges associated with living with ADHD.
Numerous randomized controlled studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of psychosocial treatment for ADHD. In certain studies, academic performance of both students and parents improved when a combination medication and behavioral therapy was utilized. Studies have also shown that the use of a low dose stimulant combined with behavioral therapy improved both classroom behavior as well as the performance on homework when compared to a control group.
In a recent study high school counselors were instructed to implement two short homework and organization interventions for students suffering from ADHD. The interventions were compared with an initial course of medication that was low dose. The results suggest that a sequential, multiple assignment randomized trial could be an effective way to overcome the gap between research and practice in school-based intervention for ADHD.
Before attempting medication for ADHD, it is recommended that schools implement ADHD intervention which includes behavior education and education for parents. A combination of pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions should be the first line of treatment for adolescents and adults. For adults and adolescents the first drug to be considered should be stimulants (methylphenidate dexamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine or dexamphe), unless they cannot take these medications due to any other health conditions. In these cases, atomoxetine and guanfacine are alternatives.
A thorough medical exam must be conducted to determine the presence of any other disorder that could affect learning and functioning, such as neurological disorders (such epilepsy, Tourette's syndrome, or cerebral palsy) as well as nutritional issues, substance abuse disorder (SUD) chronic illnesses such as asthma, and comorbid mental disorders. If the medical history and examination aren't extraordinary A psychologist or psychiatrist may be able to diagnose ADHD using established diagnostic criteria if they find nothing unusual.
