Treatment For ADHD
The most common treatments for adding are medication and psychosocial therapy (psychotherapy). The drugs include stimulants like methylphenidate, amphetamine and atomoxetine. They can also be non-stimulants, such as clonidine and guanfacine.
Patients with active issues with addiction are not advised to take stimulant medication. However, those who are in stable remission can take them into consideration. Combination therapy with antidepressants (particularly SSRIs) is also an option.
Stimulants
Stimulants boost dopamine and norepinephrine levels between synapses in the brain. This helps improve concentration and decreases hyperactivity and impulsivity. Most doctors prescribe medications from the stimulant class to treat ADHD. They may recommend methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin) or amphetamines, which are similar medications. The dosage of the medicine is contingent on the biochemistry of each patient and how they respond to it. It can take five to seven days before the full effects of the medication are apparent. Improvements in concentration, improved memory, better sleep and a decrease in impulsivity are all signs that the medication is working.
Some of the adverse effects include a decrease in appetite, trouble sleeping and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Some people who have an illness, such as high blood pressure or heart disease should not take these medications. They are highly prone for abuse and are tightly controlled drugs. Only psychiatrists or paediatricians or, in some instances general practitioners, may prescribe stimulants. You can get them in the form of pills, tablets patches, or patches that are applied to the skin or liquids.
Children and adolescents who are dependent on stimulants often suffer from weight loss and eating disorders. When the dose is excessive, they could also develop the tics. In this instance the doctor will lower the dose to stop the drug from causing more symptoms.
Stimulant medication is used by around 70 to 80 percent of adults and children with ADHD. The majority of children and adolescents report that their symptoms improve after being treated. IamPsychiatry is particularly the case for children who have parents, teachers, or carers who can report improvements.
The early use of stimulants may reduce the risk of substance use disorders later on in life. Wilens and colleagues79,80 Katusic and colleagues81,82 and Biederman and colleagues83 have found that stimulant treatment reduces the risk of developing substance use disorders in adolescents, but that this protective effect wanes by early adulthood.