The Best Advice You Can Ever Receive About Treatment For ADD

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Treatment For ADHD

Psychosocial therapy is the main treatment for add. The medications include stimulants like methylphenidate, amphetamine and atomoxetine. They can also be nonstimulants, like clonidine and guanfacine.

Patients who have active issues with substance abuse are not advised to take stimulant medication. However, those in stable remission may take them into consideration. Combination therapy using antidepressants especially SSRIs, is another option.

Stimulants

Stimulants boost the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine between brain synapses. This improves concentration and reduces hyperactivity and impulses. Most doctors prescribe medication from the stimulant class to treat ADHD. They may prescribe methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin) or amphetamines which are similar medications. The type of medication prescribed will depend on a person's individual biochemistry and how well they respond to the medicine. It can take up to seven days for full effects of a drug to become apparent. The medicine will work when you notice improvements in memory, concentration sleep, impulsivity, and sleep.

The medicines in this class may have side effects, including reduced appetite and difficulty sleeping, and they may raise heart rate and blood pressure. Some people with a medical condition such as high blood pressure or heart disease shouldn't take these medications. They are controlled substances with the potential for misuse. Only psychiatrists or paediatricians or, in some instances, general practitioners, can prescribe stimulants. They are available in the form of tablets or pills or patches that go on the skin, or liquids.

Children and adolescents who are dependent on stimulants often suffer from weight loss and a lack of appetite. They can also develop tics when the dose is too high. In this situation the doctor will decrease the dose to prevent the symptoms from getting worse.

The use of stimulant medications is for approximately 70-80% of children and adults with ADHD. Most children and young people find that their symptoms improve when they receive treatment. This is especially relevant for children with teachers, parents, or carers who can report improvements.

The early use of stimulants can lower the risk of developing substance use click here disorders later in life. Wilens and colleagues79,80, Katusic and colleagues81,82 and Biederman and colleagues83 discovered that treatment with stimulants reduces the risk for substance use disorders in adolescents, but the protective effect diminishes in the early years of adulthood.