Treatment For ADHD
Psychosocial therapy is the most common treatment for add. Medications can include stimulants like amphetamine and methylphenidate, and non-stimulants such as atomoxetine, clonidine, guanfacine and viloxazine.
Stimulant medications are not recommended for patients with active substance abuse issues, however they are a possibility for those who are in stable remission. Combination therapy using antidepressants particularly SSRIs, is an alternative option.
Stimulants
Stimulants boost the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine between brain synapses. This improves concentration and decreases the intensity of impulses and hyperactivity. Most doctors prescribe medications from the stimulant class to treat ADHD. They may recommend methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin) or amphetamines, which are very similar medications. The type of medication prescribed will depend on a person's individual biochemistry and how well they respond to the medication. It may take up to seven days for full effects of a medication to become apparent. The medicine will work for you if you notice improvement in concentration, memory sleep, impulsivity, and sleep.
These medications can cause side effects, such as reduced appetite and difficulty sleeping, and they may raise blood pressure and heart rate. Certain people with medical conditions such as high blood pressure or heart disease shouldn't take these medications. Stimulants are tightly controlled drugs with the potential for abuse. Only psychiatrists or paediatricians or in certain cases general practitioners, are able to prescribe stimulants. adhd untreated in adults can find them in the form or tablets, pills patches that can be applied to the skin or in liquids.
Children and adolescents who use stimulants are often affected by weight loss and eating disorders. If the dosage is excessive, they could also develop the tics. In this instance, the doctor will reduce the dose to stop the drug from worsening symptoms.
Stimulant medicines are used for approximately 70-80 percent of adults and children with ADHD. A majority of children and young adults experience improvement in their symptoms when they receive treatment. This is especially the case for children with parents, teachers or carers that can report improvements.
Early use of stimulants can lower the risk of developing substance use disorders later in the course of. Wilens Katusic, Wilens colleagues81,82, and Biederman, et al83, found that stimulant therapy reduces the risk of acquiring substance use disorders during the adolescent period. However this protective effect fades as we enter early adulthood.