After being diagnosed with ADD, one of the positives you'll discover is that there is help available. In this post, you will learn about some of the treatment options available for ADD, including medication, counseling, neurofeedback, and coaching. For each treatment, you will learn the possible benefits and risks. You will also find information on the studies behind each treatment,
Having ADD is like climbing up a mountain with a backpack full of rocks. You can make it to the top of the mountain, but it's going to take a lot of extra energy and time. When you get effective treatment for ADD, you're getting some of the rocks out of your backpack. While treatment doesn't get rid of all of the rocks, it makes the climb much more manageable.
Treatment allows you to work at a more even pace with your non-ADD coworkers and helps you feel more like you are an active participant in your life. Knowing you need additional help for ADD is a sign of strength, not a weakness.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST TREATMENT
When looking at treatments, ask yourself if the benefits of the treatment outweigh the risks. Is the potential for improvement from this treatment worth its cost? How much time must be invested for this course of treatment? What are the possible side effects?
Do your research. What do you know about the treatment? What is the training of the clinicians providing the treatment? If someone tells you he or she has a "cure" for ADD, or gives you a guarantee, run the other way. There is no known cure for ADD at this time, and no treatment - no matter how many studies back it up - is 100 percent guaranteed. In addition, a treatment that is effective for one person may not work for another. The amount and intensity of ADD symptoms varies from person to person. If a particular treatment doesn't work, there are others available.
MEDICATION
Because ADD is a biological disorder and involves a deficiency of brain chemicals, medication remains the most effective treatment for ADD. As you learned previously, the ADD brain has low levels of a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Medication replaces or renews the neurotransmitters the ADD brain lacks.
Medication is a tool for better living - it helps you access and use coping techniques that can improve your quality of life. You may find that medication helps you benefit even more from counseling or a support group because now you can fully pay attention.
While medications do not "cure" ADD or completely reduce your symptoms, they can help you function better at work, at home, and in social situations.
Do You Need Medication?
You may be making decisions about whether you really need to consider additional help like medication as a treatment for ADD. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Do you find that you have to work at least twice as hard as your coworkers but still can't finish your assignments?
- Do you forget to review your work and, as a result, make careless mistakes?
- Do you feel that you are a chronic underachiever and you just haven't worked to your potential?
- Have you injured yourself due to inattention or too impulsive or daredevil behavior?
- Have you gotten into legal or financial trouble due to your impulsivity?
- Do you have difficulty maintaining healthy relationships and friendships because of your short fuse, distractibility, lack of social skills, or impulsiveness?
- Have you tried other treatments for ADD, like counseling and coaching, but still have room for improvement?
- Do you have family members who have ADD, and have they received positive results from medication?
Types Of Medication For ADD
There are two different types or classes of medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of ADD: stimulants and nonstimulants. When these medications are labeled "FDA approved," it means that the FDA is satisfied with the data from scientific studies showing that a medication is a safe and effective treatment for ADD.
FDA approval also means that the pharmaceutical company is allowed to market and advertise that medication for the treatment of ADD. Keep in mind that even if a medication is not FDA-approved for ADD, it can still legally be prescribed by your doctor and may be an effective treatment.
Stimulants
Stimulants increase attention, decrease hyperactivity, and decrease impulsivity by stimulating the frontal lobes of the brain and raising dopamine levels. Methylphenidate and dextroamphetamines are stimulants that are FDA-approved for treating ADD. The most noticeable side effects of stimulants are decreased appetite, headaches, and difficulty sleeping. In rare cases, people may develop tics (involuntary movements) after taking stimulants.
Stimulants are classified as Schedule II medications by the FDA. This means that stimulant medications are controlled substances, medications that have a mild addictive potential. Some people abuse stimulants for their side effects, such as increased alertness and weight loss. Because of the potential for abuse, stimulant medications cannot be called into a pharmacy by your doctor - you have to pick up the prescription at the doctor's office or have it mailed directly to you.
If you take your stimulant medication as prescribed, there is a low potential for addiction. In fact, as will be noted later, appropriate use of stimulant medication may actually reduce your chances of developing a substance abuse problem.
There are two types of stimulants: extended-release and immediate-release.
Extended-release stimulants are effective for eight to twelve hours, so you just have to take your medication once a day. Extended-release stimulants include Concerta (methylphenidate HCI extended-release), Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine), Daytrana (methytphenidate transdermal), Focalin XR (dexmethylphenidate extended-release), Adderall XR (mixed salts of a single entity amphetamine product extended-release), and Dexedrine Spansules sustained-release capsules (dextroamphetamine).
Immediate-release stimulants, such as Ritalin (methylphenidate), Focalin (dexmethylphenidate), and Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine), last three to four hours. If you need to take your medication while you are at work, at school, or traveling, carry a small amount of your medication in the original pill bottle.
Drug testing and stimulant medications. If you are taking stimulant medication and have to take a drug test, your urine will test positive for amphetamines, even if you have stopped taking your stimulant medication prior to the test. Carry a small amount of your medication in the original pill bottle and have a signed note from your doctor. The note should say you are prescribed stimulant medication for ADD, give the name of the medication, and explain that a drug test could be positive for amphetamines due to this medication.
Addiction and stimulant medications. Stimulant medications are regulated by the FDA and are prescribed at low doses They are not addictive if they are taken as prescribed. In fact, some studies have shown that stimulant medication does not increase or decrease the rate of developing substance abuse, while other studies have shown that people with ADD who take stimulant medication actually have a much lower rate of substance abuse than people with ADD who do not take medication.
This may be because people who take medication for their ADD now have a safe way of increasing the level of dopamine in the brain rather than trying to feel better by using illegal drugs.
NONSTIMULANTS
There are currently two nonstimulants that are FDA-approved for the treatment of ADD - Strattera (atomoxetine) and Intuniv (guanfacine extended-release). Sometimes these nonstimulant medications are prescribed along with stimulant medication to treat ADD.
Strattera (atomoxetine).
In 2002, Strattera was the first non-stimulant approved by the FDA for the treatment of ADD. Strattera is different from a stimulant in that it is chemically more like an antidepressant. It is in a class of medications called selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). This means that the medication allows more norepinephrine (a neumtransmitter) to linger in the spaces between neurons.
Strattera has been found to significantly decrease the severity of hyperactive and inattentive symptoms in adults when compared to a placebo (sugar pill). Strattera can be helpful for people who have not had success with stimulant medication or for those who have depression and anxiety in addition to ADD. Strattera is not addictive, so, unlike stimulant medications, it is not a Schedule II drug. The most common side effects of Strattera are stomach upset, dry mouth, and decreased appetite.
Intuniv (guanfacine extended-release). In 2009, Intuniv was FDA approved for the treatment of ADD. Intuniv interacts with receptors in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. Intuniv has been found to significantly reduce hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattentiveness as compared to a placebo (sugar pill). Side effects include low blood pressure, low heart rate, fainting and drowsiness. In addition, you may have to take Intuniv for up to two weeks before you see benefits. To find out more, you can check out Best Treatment For Add In Adults.
