• 목록
• 답변
• 글쓰기
• 게시판 리스트 옵션
  • 수정
  • 삭제

Treatment of ADHD in Adults

Adults who suffer from adhd are treated by medication, therapy and support from family members. Clinical trials are available to test new treatments for ADHD.

The stimulant medications are the most effective treatment for adults suffering from ADHD. However, they must be closely monitored. This includes monthly appointments with a doctor, and frequent reviews of side effects and symptoms.

Medicines

There are many drugs that can help reduce the symptoms of ADHD in adults. These are referred to as psychostimulants. They work by altering the levels of certain neurotransmitters (chemicals) in your brain that transmit messages between nerve cell. Your doctor will select the right medication for you and will decide on the most appropriate dosage and timetable. It could take a while to determine the appropriate dosage and medication that will control your symptoms.

Stimulants are usually the first medication doctors prescribe to adults suffering from ADHD. They increase the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine that are present in your brain, which improve your ability to focus and manage impulses. The Medications used to Treat adhd are available in short-, medium-- and long-acting versions. Short-acting stimulants last for about 6 hours, intermediate-acting medications last 8-10 hours, and long-acting drugs last up to 16 hours. Long-acting stimulants are less likely to cause negative effects than shorterand intermediate-acting drugs, however they still cause an increase in appetite and sleepiness.

Nonstimulant drugs, such as Atomoxetine (Strattera) are used to treat adult adhd treatment in adults when stimulants aren't effective or cause unpleasant side effects. These medications do not alter your dopamine or norepinephrine levels, but they increase the brain's supply of norepinephrine and improve your focus. The capsules are taken one or twice a day.

Many people with ADHD also have other psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. These are known as comorbid disorders and they can impact how you react to treatment for ADHD. It is essential to treat any comorbid conditions before starting treatment for ADHD. For instance, those who have a history of substance use disorder may be more likely to use psychostimulants. For this reason, it is generally recommended to wait until a person has quit using substances before considering treatment with stimulants for ADHD.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy involves discussing and talking about topics that are troubling or disturbing to a person. The therapist listens and provides guidance based on her education, training and experience as well as professional qualifications and therapeutic philosophies. Psychotherapy may be short-term (a few weeks or months), addressing more immediate issues, or more long-term. The therapist and patient determine the duration and frequency of treatment.

The use of psychotherapy and medications together is a highly effective treatment for adults suffering from ADHD. Behavioral therapy can help people improve their time management, organizational skills, and prioritizing. It can also teach strategies to manage emotions such as anger and frustration. Treatment can ease symptoms and increase focus, which leads to more productive and effective work and academic performance.

Adults suffering from ADHD are more likely of having co-existing disorders. This is particularly applicable to mood disorders like depression and anxiety. It is crucial that any co-existing condition be treated prior to starting treatment for ADHD. Treatment of co-existing disorders may require different types and dosages of medication than the ones used to treat ADHD.

A person who suffers from ADHD can also have hypertension. To choose a medication to treat the ADHD symptoms without destabilizing the patient's hypertension it is crucial to understand how various medications affect individuals over time as well as the interactions between the medications.

It's important that you locate a therapist who has experience treating adults with ADHD and with whom you are comfortable. It's also important to schedule your first few sessions when you won't be distracted by family responsibilities or work obligations.

Counseling

Adults suffering from ADHD typically face a variety of issues in their lives, including work and relationship problems. A person with ADHD may also experience anger, frustration and blame that has developed over time. Psychosocial treatments can help patients and their families to develop new skills, attitudes, and ways of relating.

Psychotherapy may include cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of psychotherapy that aids individuals to change their thinking and behavior. It includes goal-setting, skills training and practice, as well as teaching strategies to improve organization and self-esteem. It can be done in a private or in a group. Metacognitive therapy has proven to significantly reduce symptoms in adults suffering from ADHD and improve their functioning (Stevenson et al., 2002).

In addition to psychotherapy, some individuals with ADHD also require counseling to deal with specific life issues. These challenges may include family conflicts, impulsive or aggressive behaviors, and difficulty coping with failures and disappointments. Counseling can teach the how to handle these situations, improve communication and improve problem-solving skills. It can also enhance relationships, especially in marriages and other long-term effects of untreated adhd in adults partnerships.

Family therapy and supportive group therapy are other forms of psychotherapy that could be utilized to treat ADHD. These therapies can help families cope and learn skills to reduce conflict and improve communication when dealing with a child who has ADHD. It can also assist parents to recognize the symptoms and develop parenting techniques that encourage positive outcomes for their children.

It is important for adults with ADHD to discuss their medications with their health care providers regularly, and to reveal all other medications they're taking, including prescription drugs. Some medications can interact with certain medications or trigger side effects that are worsened by other medications.

Medication Monitoring

After a thorough examination and diagnosis is established, it is important to monitor the patient to ensure that he or she is receiving the benefits of the medication and not experiencing any adverse side effects. It is recommended to visit a patient for the initial medical monitoring within 30 days of starting treatment and then every month thereafter. This will allow for the proper adjustment of psychostimulants, such as amphetamines and methylphenidate to a well-tolerated and effective dose. This allows for a precise registration of the patient's response. It also assists in avoiding the patient from being kept on insufficient doses (slow metabolizers) or forcing those who require higher doses to unnecessarily high levels (rapid metabolizers).

Adults who do not respond well to stimulant medications or suffer from side effects that are intolerable could benefit from non-stimulant medications. This typically involves the use of atomoxetine, or other alternatives to methylphenidate.

Adults suffering from ADHD frequently suffer from co-occurring disorders like mood disorder or anxiety disorder, substance abuse problems or depression. They might also be suffering from medical problems like hearing and vision problems or chronic sleep disorders. It is crucial to identify and analyze these conditions in the initial evaluation for ADHD since these can have significant effects on functional impairment in adults.

Marital therapy is also useful in the management of ADHD. Couples often say that they feel overburdened by the caretaking responsibilities of their spouses who have ADHD and can become resentful and angry due to this. Increasing the patient's awareness of the symptoms of his/her illness and helping them realize that these are not willful actions or a lack of affection can help reduce marital tensions and resentment. Couples who undergo this kind of therapy tend to have better functioning families.

Behavioral Therapy

For adults with ADHD Psychotherapy is generally recommended and should include a cognitive-behavioral component. Behavioral therapy assists patients in improving their focus, organization skills and manage impulsive behavior. It helps patients manage their work, home, and social situations in more productive ways. Psychotherapy helps patients understand how their disorder impacts different aspects of their lives and relationships. This helps reduce the shame and low-esteem that are often seen among people with ADHD. They could be viewed by others as being lazy or less intelligent.

ADHD symptoms can be mirrored by various mental disorders. For instance, anxiety disorders occur at a higher rate in adults ADHD patients and depression is seen at increased levels in those suffering from the disorder. The presence of any other psychiatric issues should be analyzed, as appropriate, to determine whether or not the patient's ADHD symptoms are connected to them.

A combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy is generally recommended for treatment of ADHD in adults. It has been proven that the combination of psychotherapy and medication yields better results than either therapy on its own. Future controlled medication studies should attempt to track and measure the effects of functional improvements, such as better performance at work, school and interpersonal relationships.