Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a brain condition that influences the way the patient processes emotions and what they think. Responses to everyday life activities involve emotions that make them seem dramatic to the patient and to those around him. This is why ADHD children often act out. The environment is frustrating. Nonetheless, finding treatment for ADHD depends on your age.
ADHD and Treatment in Children
Finding treatment for ADHD is a matter of knowing where to look. Parents looking for treatment for their child who they suspect has ADHD will undergo a different treatment regimen than an adult diagnosed with ADHD. The family physician and/or the health department should have the location of the mental health clinic.
When parents look for treatment for their child they have two options, medication, and therapy. Which one or a combination of both depends on the child. The CDC recommends parents work with everyone involved in the child’s life to develop treatment options.
The CDC also recommends parents undergo parent training in behavior management before trying medication. This is crucial training because parents need to learn how to react in specific ways to specific situations. They can’t get mad or lash out. If there are other kids in the house, they will learn from your training as a parent.
Below are some things the CDC notes will help you help your child cope with ADHD:
- Be organized
- Follow a routine
- Limit choices
- Use goals and praise goal achievement
- Limit distractions
Generally, you want to always give a child a positive experience with structure. In the last few decades, medications and therapies have improved dramatically. Talk with your child’s doctor for more information.
ADHD and Treatment in Adults
If you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, treatment options still entail therapy and medication. However, as an adult, some therapies work better than others at conditioning wanted human behavior.
Adults have different sets of rules and reactions to things than children. Hence, adults with ADHD don’t usually act out like their childhood counterparts. Instead, adults notice individual symptoms and can tell therapists their reactions to symptoms.
Treatment for adult ADHD is a combination of medication, education, skills training, and psychological counseling. Like any mental disorder, it will need lifelong management if it does not go away. Patients are required because it might take some time to find the best combination.
Two effective medications are the stimulants methylphenidate or amphetamine. To the ADHD brain, these drugs have a calming effect. Some evidence suggests these drugs boost and balance neurotransmitters.
Adult ADHD patients will often undergo cognitive behavioral therapy. This retrains the brain during specific behaviors. It works because the patient is aware of the actions and reactions to the stimulus.
Finding treatment for ADHD as a child or an adult is a matter of getting in touch with the right public health officials. Call your doctor or health department to find out more about where to find mental health treatment.
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If you are living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Chandler, Arizona, contact me today to schedule an appointment!