Medication for Adults with ADHD

Medication. If you have ADHD, medication can be helpful for decreasing hyperactivity and impulsivity and improving your ability to focus. The two classes of medications used most often in treating ADHD are stimulants and nonstimulants.

Stimulant medications work by increasing the activity of certain chemicals in the brain, including dopamine and norepinephrine. These medications may help improve attention span, reduce impulsive behavior and increase mental focus. They can also make it easier to follow instructions when taking them every day as prescribed by a doctor. Some common types of stimulant medications include:

Ritalin (methylphenidate)

Adderall (amphetamine mixed salts)

Strattera (atomoxetine)

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate)

Stimulant medications for ADHD are known to have some significant side-effects including weight loss, sleep problems, headaches and stomachaches. They can also cause anxiety and irritability in some children and teens. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning that stimulant medications for ADHD are associated with a possible risk of sudden death in people who have heart problems or structural abnormalities in their hearts. Also your emotions might be flattened out, you could become less interested in sex and your mood could change.

Nonstimulant medications work by helping to improve the brain’s ability to use certain chemicals that are needed for attention and impulse control. They may also help reduce some hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. Some common types of nonstimulant medications include: Strattera (atomoxetine) Intuniv (guanfacine extended release) Tenex (guanfacine immediate release)

Behavioral Therapy for Adults with ADHD

If you have ADHD, you may gain from counseling and therapy. Counseling or therapy can help you learn the skills to manage stress, depression and other problems. You may also get help with issues that are common in adults with ADHD, such as communication problems with family members, employers or romantic partners; anger management; coping with attention deficit disorder (ADD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or conduct disorder in children; parenting skills; and more.

Several types of psychotherapy are available for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They include:

• Behavioral therapy — Also called psychotherapy or counseling, behavioral therapy helps people learn new skills or ways of thinking so they can improve their lives. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that helps you identify patterns of behavior that contribute to your problems with ADHD and change them

Stimulant medications work by increasing the activity of certain chemicals in the brain, including dopamine and norepinephrine. These medications may help improve attention span, reduce impulsive behavior and increase mental focus. They can also make it easier to follow instructions when taking them every day as prescribed by a doctor. Some common types of stimulant medications include:

Ritalin (methylphenidate)

Adderall (amphetamine mixed salts)

Strattera (atomoxetine)

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate)

Stimulant medications for ADHD are known to have some significant side-effects including weight loss, sleep problems, headaches and stomachaches. They can also cause anxiety and irritability in some children and teens. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning that stimulant medications for ADHD are associated with a possible risk of sudden death in people who have heart problems or structural abnormalities in their hearts. Also your emotions might be flattened out, you could become less interested in sex and your mood could change.

Nonstimulant medications work by helping to improve the brain’s ability to use certain chemicals that are needed for attention and impulse control. They may also help reduce some hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. Some common types of nonstimulant medications include: Strattera (atomoxetine) Intuniv (guanfacine extended release) Tenex (guanfacine immediate release)

Psychosocial therapy for Adults with ADHD

Psychosocial therapies, also called talk therapy, focuses on the psychological aspects of life, rather than just the medical ones. It can help you better manage stress and address issues such as work-related stress or relationship problems stemming from ADHD symptoms. Psychotherapy may be conducted in groups or individually with a trained therapist. Group therapy is helpful for adults with ADHD because it enables them to learn new skills and ways of thinking from other people who have similar experiences and challenges.

Psychotherapy works best when you’re willing to be open about your feelings and concerns with your therapist. During your first few sessions, discuss any thoughts or feelings that come up during the session so you both understand what’s going on together (this is called “reflecting”).

Other forms of treatments for Adults with ADHD

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback that involves measuring brain waves to teach self-regulation. Also known as electroencephalographic biofeedback, neurofeedback aims to change brain wave activity through several training sessions — usually 20 or more — using electrodes placed on your head while you watch a movie or play a video game.

The goal is for you to gain control over your attention and focus by learning how to relax your mind when it wanders, which can help reduce symptoms associated with ADHD. Neurofeedback trains the brain’s executive functions (which include planning, problem solving, organizing and remembering) by strengthening connections between neurons in areas related to those skills. The goal is for this increased connectivity and communication between neurons to translate into better performance over time as well as improved quality of life.

Psychotherapy works best when you’re willing to be open about your feelings and concerns with your therapist. During your first few sessions, discuss any thoughts or feelings that come up during the session so you both understand what’s going on together (this is called “reflecting”).

How diet can help with ADHD in adults

Diet can be a powerful tool in the treatment of ADHD in adults. But it shouldn’t be your only tool, and you should work with your doctor to ensure that diet is tailored to fit your individual needs.

For example:

• A low-carbohydrate, low-sugar diet has been shown to help with focus, energy and mood in those with ADHD. The reason behind this is that refined carbs (like white bread) cause blood sugar spikes, which can lead to mood swings and poor concentration levels

• The same goes for dairy products — they’re highly processed foods that have added sugars or fats added into them to make them taste better; therefore they may not be helpful if you’re trying to cut out refined carbs from your diet altogether

• Eating more raw foods (vegetables) will help you get more nutrients into your body without having many calories at all; fruits are also great options! They’re high in fibre but don’t contain any cholesterol — so go nuts on those apples!

Using meditation to battle ADHD

You can learn how to meditate in a few minutes. There are several different types of meditation, but all of them involve sitting quietly and focusing on one thing in order to calm your mind. As you practice this technique over time, you’ll be able to focus more easily on tasks throughout the day and manage stress better as well.

For example, when you’re stressed out because something happened at work that made you feel angry or frustrated, try taking five minutes away from your desk before going back into the office. Sit quietly with your eyes closed; then focus on breathing deeply while counting each breath out loud in unison with yourself (one inhale, two exhales etc.). If it helps keep count backwards from 100 until returning to zero at some point during those five minutes so that there’s no chance of losing track! This will give you time away from work-related thoughts so they don’t interfere with being productive when it’s time return

Conclusion

In conclusion, we hope you’ve found this article helpful. We know that it can be a challenge to find the right treatment for ADHD, and we want to make sure that everyone who needs help has access to it. We understand what it’s like to live with ADHD, and we want you to know that there is hope for managing symptoms and improving quality of life. If you have any questions or concerns about your own health or the health of someone you care about, please contact your physician immediately or call 911 if they are in need of emergency medical attention