Treatment For ADHD
Psychosocial therapy is the main treatment for add. The drugs include stimulants like methylphenidate, amphetamine and atomoxetine. They also include non-stimulants like clonidine or Guanfacine.
Patients who have active issues with substance abuse are not advised to take stimulant medication. However, those who are in stable remission may look into them. Combination treatment with antidepressants (particularly SSRIs) is also an option.
Stimulants
The effects of stimulants increase the levels dopamine and norepinephrine that are released between brain synapses. This improves concentration and decreases impulses and hyperactivity. Most doctors prescribe medications from the stimulant class to treat ADHD. They might prescribe methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin) or amphetamines which are similar medicines. The kind of medicine prescribed is based on the biochemistry of each person and how they react to it. It could take anywhere from five to seven days before the full effects of the medication become apparent. The medication will be effective for you if you notice improvement in your concentration, memory sleep, impulsivity, and sleep.
Some of the side effects include a decrease in appetite, trouble sleeping and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Certain people with an illness like high blood pressure or heart disease shouldn't take these medications. These are highly controlled drugs with the potential for abuse. Only psychiatrists, paediatricians, neurologists, and in certain situations general practitioners can prescribe them. You can get them in the form of tablets, pills patches, or patches that are applied to the skin or liquids.
adult add treatments and adolescents who are dependent on stimulants often suffer from weight loss and appetite problems. They may also experience tics when the dose is too high. If this occurs, the doctor might reduce the dosage to avoid the drug from leading to a worsening of symptoms.
Around 70 to 80 percent of children and adults suffering from ADHD are treated with stimulant medication. A majority of children and young adults notice that their symptoms improve 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 reduce the risk of addiction disorders later in the course of. Wilens and colleagues79,80 Katusic and colleagues81,82 and Biederman and colleagues83 have found that treatment with stimulants decreases the risk for substance use disorders in adolescents, but that this protective effect wanes as we enter early adulthood.