Treatment For ADHD
The most effective treatments for add are medication and psychosocial therapy (psychotherapy). Medications can include stimulants like methylphenidate and amphetamine, and nonstimulants like atomoxetine, clonidine, guanfacine and viloxazine.
Patients who have active issues with substance abuse shouldn't take stimulant drugs. However, those in stable remission might look into them. Combination therapy with antidepressants, particularly SSRIs, is an alternative option.
Stimulants
Stimulants increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain's synapses. This improves focus and reduces hyperactivity and impulses. The majority of doctors prescribe medications from the stimulant class to treat ADHD. treatments for adhd in adults might prescribe methylphenidate (Concerta or Ritalin) or amphetamines. Both are similar medications. The type of medicine prescribed depends on the biochemistry of each individual and how they respond to it. It may take up to seven days for the full effects of a drug to be apparent. The medication will be effective for you if you notice improvement in your concentration, memory, sleep, and impulsivity.
Medications in this class can have side effects, including decreased appetite and trouble sleeping, and they can raise blood pressure and heart rate. Certain people with a medical condition, such as high blood pressure or heart disease, should not use these medications. Stimulants have a high potential for abuse and are tightly controlled drugs. Only psychiatrists, paediatricians or neurologists, and in some circumstances general practitioners can prescribe them. They are available in the form of pills or tablets or patches that are placed on the skin, or liquids.
Children and adolescents who use stimulants often suffer from weight loss and eating disorders. They can also develop disorders when the dose is too high. If this happens, the doctor may reduce the dosage to prevent the drug from causing a worsening of symptoms.
The use of stimulant medications is for approximately 70-80 percent of adults and children with ADHD. Most children and young people notice that their symptoms improve with treatment. This is particularly the case for children with parents, teachers or other caregivers that can report improvements.
Early use of stimulants may reduce the risk of developing addiction disorders later in life. Wilens Katusic, Wilens, and colleagues81,82 and Biederman and colleagues83 discovered that treatment with stimulants reduces the risk of developing substance use disorders in adolescence. However this protective effect fades as we enter early adulthood.