Evidence Based Treatment For ADHD in Adults
ADHD affects people in ways that impact their work, home and relationships. Treatment options include medication, skill training and psychological counseling.
Atomoxetine is also referred to as Strattera is the sole FDA approved non-stimulant medication that is approved to treat adult ADHD. It is safe and effective, as per research. Psychosocial interventions to improve issues with organizational skills and comorbid disorders have a solid evidence base including behavioral parent training (BPT). However, accuracy in psychosocial guidelines is a challenge to achieve.
Medication
Many people suffering from ADHD are able to determine that a mix of psychosocial therapy and medication is best to manage their symptoms. The use of medication has been proven to be extremely effective in reducing symptoms of ADHD, but it can take a few months for people to see results. Consult your doctor in the event that you're considering taking medication to improve your ADHD symptoms. Make sure that it's safe for you and that it won't interact with other medications you are taking.
People with ADHD struggle with staying focused and concentrating, controlling impulses, making plans and accomplishing tasks in a timely manner. These issues can impact the school, work and social relationships. They can also make it difficult to take time out and unwind.
Medications are the most effective treatment based on research-based evidence for ADHD. They can help reduce or eliminate the need for psychosocial interventions and they can dramatically improve a person's quality of life. Fortunately, medications are not addictive and they have low risk of abuse. People suffering from ADHD are able to benefit from stimulants, as per numerous studies. Non-stimulant drugs like atomoxetine or Strattera, are available for those who are unable to tolerate stimulant side effects.
The medication isn't the only option. A thorough evaluation should include a detailed history of symptoms and a description of the effects of ADHD symptoms on a person's everyday functioning. It is also important to determine if the person suffers from any other comorbidities like depression or anxiety, which may impact the response to therapy and medication.
A medical examination will generally not reveal any symptoms of the condition. However, a diagnosis is based upon clinical judgment and an history of symptoms that started in the earliest years of childhood. A thorough interview may be beneficial when paired with other information, like school records or child health assessments.
Many psychosocial treatments for ADHD are available that include metacognition, cognitive remediation and working memory training. However, these do not appear to be more effective than the pharmacotherapy method, and are not likely to have the same level of efficacy as a properly dosed medication. Patients are advised to start with a low-dose medication that can be combined with behavioral therapy.
Psychotherapy
Many people suffering from ADHD find that talking therapy or psychotherapy helps them enhance their lives. Certain studies suggest that certain kinds of talk therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and relapse prevention therapy (RPT), can help reduce symptoms of ADHD. Talk therapy is psychosocial therapy that involves private sessions with a professional therapist or counselor. There are different types of therapy that can be used and the therapist you select should be based upon your goals and requirements.
Combining medication and psychotherapy is a common method to treat adult ADHD. Studies have proven that combining psychotherapy and medication is more effective than one on its own. The National Institute of Mental Health also recommends this approach.
Psychotherapy, also known as psychotherapy can help you manage your ADHD symptoms and learn strategies for coping. It can also teach you strategies for dealing with issues in your work, relationships and school. Your therapist may suggest you attend group, individual or family therapy based on your goals and requirements.
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that can assist adults with ADHD improve their self-esteem and functioning. CBT works by teaching you how to recognize and alter negative thoughts that can influence your behavior and emotions. CBT can, for instance can help you to overcome "all-or-nothing" thinking that makes people with ADHD believe that they must be doing everything perfect or not at all.
In adhd in adults untreated , your therapist listens to you and asks questions to better understand your thoughts and emotions. They will then offer advice based on their experience and research. They might also give you homework, such as journaling or trying something new. It's important to do homework because it will allow you to practice what you've learned.
It's important to remember that seeking treatment is not an indication of weakness. In fact, it's a brave step toward living the life you deserve. With the structure and support, as well as the skills gained through psychotherapy, you will be able to achieve your biggest goals and dreams.
Education
Education can be an effective instrument to assist adults with ADHD. It can be used to teach organization skills, how to prepare for work, and ways to improve the way one talks and listens to others. Therapy that focuses on helping the patient to be aware of their symptoms and how they affect behavior could also be beneficial. This can be done either in individual sessions or group therapy.
Research has proven that a variety of psychosocial interventions can help to reduce symptoms that are problematic for ADHD people and enhance their performance. These include educational interventions, which can boost academic performance and self-reporting of ADHD symptoms. Various cognitive and behavior therapies have been shown to be effective, such as hypnotherapy, neurofeedback, metacognitive training, and cognitive remediation. However, not all of these have been proven to be superior to control methods and the results need further replication.
In one study, an educational program that taught students to recognize their own impulsive and inattentive behavior was discovered to be more effective than waitlist control for improving self-report of ADHD symptoms. A daily behavior report card was discovered to improve academic performance of children suffering from ADHD in a different study. Training for parents to be more observant has been proven effective in decreasing negative parenting behavior and promoting positive family functioning, however the effects of self-directed as opposed to therapist-led training for parents requires further investigation.
Adolescents who have ADHD are at a higher chance of having impaired driving outcomes like crashes that result in injury or death. The intensive summer "bridge" program has been shown to improve driving skills in adolescents suffering from ADHD. Other psychosocial interventions discovered to be beneficial include central executive training and working memory training.
Adults suffering from ADHD are unable to maintain stable relationships or jobs. Poor organizational skills as well as inability to complete or follow through on tasks, and impulsive and inattentive behavior can make co-workers and family members unhappy. Psychotherapy that teaches patients how to improve their communication skills can help them overcome these issues. Couples counseling teaches partners to manage issues that arise.
Counseling
While medication is effective for a large number of people suffering from ADHD, it is not always sufficient to reduce the severity of symptoms. The side effects of medications can be unpredictable, and they can affect certain people in different ways. Counseling is therefore an essential part of the treatment plan. Counseling can be used to help people learn to better manage their emotions, establish relationships, and boost self-esteem.
Multiple studies that have been randomized controlled have demonstrated the effectiveness of psychosocial therapy for ADHD. In certain studies, academic functioning of both students and parents improved when a combination of medication and behavioral therapy was used. Studies have also proven that medications that are low doses of stimulant coupled with behavioral therapy can improve classroom behavior as well as homework performance when compared to a control group.
In a recent study high school counselors were instructed to implement two short homework and organizational interventions for students suffering from ADHD. The interventions were compared with an initial course of low dose medication. The results indicate that a sequential, multiple assignment trial that is randomized could be a viable way to overcome the gap between research and practice in school-based intervention for ADHD.
Before attempting medication it is recommended that schools implement ADHD intervention which includes behavior education and parent education. For adolescents and adults the first course of treatment should be a combination of psychosocial and pharmacotherapy. For adolescents and adults the first treatment should be stimulants (methylphenidate dexamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine or dexamphe) in the event that they are unable to use these medications due to other health conditions. In these instances the two options are atomoxetine and Guanfacine. options.
A thorough medical exam should be performed to determine if there are any other conditions that could affect learning and performance, for example neurological disorders (such Tourette's Syndrome, epilepsy or cerebral palsy) as well as nutritional issues as well as substance abuse disorder (SUD) chronic diseases like asthma, and other comorbid mental disorders. If the examination and history are not significant the diagnosis of ADHD can be determined by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist using an established diagnostic criteria.