Treatment For ADHD
The most common treatments for adding are medication and psychosocial therapy (psychotherapy). Medications can include stimulants like amphetamine and methylphenidate, and non-stimulants like atomoxetine and clonidine, guanfacine and viloxazine.
Patients who have active issues with substance abuse are not advised to take stimulant medication. However, those who are in stable remission might consider them. Combination therapy using antidepressants especially SSRIs, is a different option.
Stimulants
Stimulants increase norepinephrine and dopamine levels between the brain's synapses. This helps improve concentration and reduces hyperactivity and impulsivity. Most doctors prescribe stimulant medications to treat ADHD. They can prescribe methylphenidate (Concerta or Ritalin) or amphetamines. Both are similar drugs. The type prescribed will depend on the person's biochemistry as well as how well they respond to the medication. It could take anywhere from five to seven days before the full effects of the medication are evident. The medicine will work when you notice improvements in concentration, memory sleep, and impulsivity.
Some of the adverse effects include a decrease in appetite, trouble sleeping and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Certain people with medical conditions like high blood pressure or heart disease, shouldn't take them. treatment of add have a high risk for abuse and are tightly controlled drugs. Only psychiatrists or paediatricians, or in some cases, general practitioners, can prescribe stimulants. They are available in the form or pills, tablets, patches that go on the skin or liquids.
Children and adolescents who are dependent on stimulants are often afflicted by weight loss and appetite problems. treatment of add in adults can also develop symptoms of tics if the dosage is too high. If this occurs, the doctor will reduce the dosage to prevent the drug from causing worsening of symptoms.
Stimulant medicines are used for about 70% to 80 percent of adults and children with ADHD. A majority of children and young adults experience improvement in their symptoms through treatment. This is particularly relevant for children with parents, teachers or caregivers who report improvements.
The early use of stimulants may lower the risk of developing substance use disorders later in life. Wilens and colleagues79,80, Katusic and colleagues81,82 and Biederman and colleagues83 discovered that treatment with stimulants decreases the risk of developing substance abuse disorders in adolescence, but the protective effect diminishes in the early years of adulthood.