ADHD Treatment

Overview
A combination of medication and ADHD-focused counseling is generally the most successful treatment for ADHD. For decades, medications have been used to treat the symptoms of ADHD. A class of drugs known as psychostimulants seem to be the most effective in both children and adults. Methylphenidate and amphetamines are the two most commonly prescribed stimulants.

How They Work
Stimulants are theorized to increase the amount of norepinephrine and dopamine, two neurotransmitters in the brain. By increasing the levels of these two circulating neurotransmitters in the brain, these medicines dramatically reduce hyperactivity, inability to focus, work and learn.
Other types of medications are sometimes used to treat the condition if stimulants don't work well. One example is Strattera (atomoxetine), the first non-stimulant medication to treat ADHD. Unlike stimulant medications, Strattera is classified as a "selective norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor" and works by increasing the amounts of circulating norepinephrine in the brain.

Pros and Cons
As useful as stimulants have been for many people, these drugs have sparked a great deal of controversy. Most health care providers feel the potential side effects, such as weight loss, slow growth and addiction, should be weighed carefully against the benefits before prescribing these medications. However, side effects that occur can often be handled by reducing the dosage.
Studies published in 2002 seem to contradict many of the concerns about stimulant use. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a 10-year study by the National Institute of Mental Health which found that while the brains of children and adolescents with ADHD are three to four percent smaller than those of children who don't have the disorder, medication is not the cause. In fact, researchers suggest medication may actually help the brain mature.
There has also been concern that long-term use of stimulants might lead to substance abuse, with one study showing a small correlation. The other eleven studies conducted on this issue found the opposite to be true. They found that children with ADHD who were treated with stimulants were less likely to engage in substance abuse in the future. Two studies published in the January 2003 issue of Pediatrics found no greater risk of substance abuse in children who used stimulants to treat their ADHD

Effectiveness
Remember, medication doesn't cure the disorder; it only controls the symptoms while you're taking it. Stimulants have only immediate benefit; once a dose wears off, the symptoms return immediately. Also, although the medications may help you pay better attention and complete your work, they can't increase your knowledge or improve your (or your child's) academic skills.
Medications alone cannot make you feel better about yourself or cope with problems. These issues require other kinds of treatment and support and therapy by a therapist or psychologist who is familiar with ADHD. For lasting improvement, clinicians recommend that medications should be used along with treatments that aid in these other areas. Many experts believe that the most significant, long-lasting gains appear when medication is combined with behavioral therapy, emotional counseling and practical support.

Behavioral Therapy
Though ADHD primarily affects a person's behavior, the disorder may have broad emotional repercussions. Scolding is the only attention some people with ADHD ever get while growing up. They may have few positive experiences that build their sense of worth and competence. Facing the daily frustrations that can come with having ADHD can make people fear that they are strange, abnormal or stupid. These issues can be managed with behavioral therapy. In group counseling, for example, people learn that they are not alone and they can seek the support of others with the same condition. Because ADHD is a problem that can affect the entire family as well as the person with ADHD, the entire family may need therapy. A good therapist can help you find better ways to handle any disruptive behaviors and promote change.
Psychotherapy works to help people with ADHD like and accept themselves. In psychotherapy, patients talk with the therapist about upsetting thoughts and feelings, explore self-defeating patterns of behavior and learn alternative ways to handle their emotions. As they talk, the therapist tries to help them understand how they can change. However, people dealing with ADHD usually want to gain control of their symptomatic behaviors more directly.
Although different in structure from therapy, support groups are a great tool that connect people who have common concerns. Many adults with ADHD and parents of children with ADHD find it useful to join a local or national support group. Many groups deal with children's disorders, and even ADHD specifically.

Ineffective or Unproved Alternative Treatments
Allergy treatments
High doses of vitamins
Chiropractic adjustments
Yeast infection treatments (oral medications)
Eye training
Special colored glasses
EEG biofeedback

Find supportive friends. Many women with ADHD envy friends or neighbors whose houses are immaculate, whose children are always neat and well-behaved and who make them feel terrible by comparison. Don't put yourself in situations that lead you to impossible expectations and negative comparisons. You are who you are--a unique individual.