Treatment For ADHD
Psychosocial therapy is the main treatment for add. treatment of adhd in adults include stimulants such as methylphenidate amphetamine, and Atomoxetine. They can also be nonstimulants, like clonidine and Guanfacine.
Patients with active substance abuse issues should not take stimulant medications. However, those in stable remission may look into them. Combination therapy using antidepressants especially SSRIs, is another option.
Stimulants
Stimulants increase the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine that are released between brain synapses. This improves concentration and decreases hyperactivity and impulses. The majority of doctors prescribe medications from the stimulant class to treat ADHD. They may prescribe methylphenidate, (Concerta or Ritalin), or amphetamines. These are both very similar medications. The type of medicine prescribed depends on the biochemistry of each patient and how they react to it. It can take five to seven days before the full effects of the medication become visible. Increased concentration, improved memory, better sleep, and less the tendency to be impulsive are all indications that the medication is working.
Some of the side effects can include a decrease in appetite, trouble sleeping and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. People suffering from medical conditions, like heart disease or high blood pressure, should not use them. These are highly controlled drugs with the potential for misuse. Only psychiatrists, paediatricians or neurologists, and in certain situations, general practitioners may prescribe them. You can get them in the form of tablets, pills, patches that go on the skin or in liquids.
Children and adolescents who use stimulants are often afflicted by weight loss and appetite problems. If the dosage is too high, they can also develop symptoms of tics. In this case, the doctor will reduce the dose to prevent the drug from worsening symptoms.
The use of stimulant medications is for about 70% to 80% of children and adults with ADHD. The majority of adolescents and children find that their symptoms get better when treated. This is particularly true for those who have parents, teachers, or caregivers that can report improvements.
The early use of stimulants may lower the risk of developing substance use disorders later in life. Wilens, Katusic, and colleagues81,82 and Biederman, et al83 discovered that treatment with stimulants reduces the risk of substance use disorders in the adolescent years. However, this protective effect fades as we enter early adulthood.