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Living with ADHD and not receiving proper treatment is like attempting to run a marathon while carrying a backpack with bricks. You can do it, but you will have to work much more than everyone else, and the benefits won't be as great as they would be for someone with similar skills and efforts.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, and reacts to their surroundings. It may result in unusually high levels of hyperactivity and impulsive actions. A single task or prolonged period of stillness may be difficult for those with this condition.
Additionally, it can impair executive functioning, which facilitates decision-making in more complex situations. It's sometimes diagnosed in childhood, usually in school settings, where symptoms such as poor behavioral control, rage issues, distractibility, and inattention are most noticeable.
Are There any Cures for ADHD?
Even though various treatment methods are available, ADHD doesn't have a cure. Mental health disorders don't have a cure, as they're not diseases.
They are caused by a combination of factors, from biological to social, and psychological factors. A person can control their symptoms with the use of an effective treatment plan and early diagnosis. The treatment is determined by various criteria, including age, intensity of symptoms, and predominance of symptoms (predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, inattentive, or both).
Medication and behavioral therapy are used in conjunction to treat ADHD. Behavior therapy is used to treat kids under the age of six. That involves educating the parents on how to handle any potential problems their child may encounter. At this point, it's possible that only behavioral therapy and parental counseling are required, without the need for medication.
Medication is provided to children aged six and older combined with behavior therapy and parent education. Along with impairing the child's ability to concentrate or sit still in class, ADHD also negatively impacts a child's interactions with their family and other kids.
Therefore, school staff members should receive training on how to handle a child's behavioral issues. Parents, teachers, and caretakers must come up with a solution that best suits the child's needs.
Treatment Options for ADHD
More than six million kids in the US have ADHD. Symptoms typically start to appear around the age of 12 and persist through adolescence and early adulthood.
Every classroom in the US has two students who have it, on average. It's crucial to remember that ADHD is the only way used to describe a person's behavior. It has nothing to do with how intelligent you are, your ability to make friends, level of talent in music, art, athletics, or any other strength.
The good news is that there're solutions for those who have it to get past the difficulties it causes. There's evidence to support two separate types of treatments:
1) Therapy
Behavioral treatment usually entails defining specific goals and providing feedback on progress towards those goals on a daily basis. Offering prizes or privileges when people with ADHD achieve their objectives is another aspect.
Teaching parents to pay closer attention when their kid performs their chores, schoolwork, and act well overall is one of the most effective treatments. Instead of correcting and punishing children, parents and instructors should encourage them by catching them being nice.
With time and effort, ADHD-afflicted kids and teens can learn how to stay organized and manage their days as they get older.
2) Medications
Many people with ADHD can focus for longer periods of time on prescription stimulants like adderall and ritalin. However, some people cannot use them owing to negative effects, just like with all medications. Some non-stimulant medications are available, but they often work less well. For young children, researchers have discovered that the optimum strategy is when behavior therapy first starts.
Transitions can be hampered by mental health concerns. That includes beginning middle school or high school, learning to drive, attending college, or starting a job as a child or young adult. During these times, extra care and treatment are typically needed.
While there's some evidence that complementary and alternative therapies may reduce the symptoms of ADHD, there's still only limited scientific data to support their effectiveness. Before beginning or increasing complementary or alternative therapy, do consult your doctor. More studies are required to determine the efficacy and safety of alternative treatments.
Takeaway
Unfortunately, ADHD doesn't have a cure. However, it can be managed, and individuals can also function well if given the right help and treatment.
Adequate management strategies require close observation, follow-up, and any required adjustments to the patient's treatment plan made by the physician. That can give you the best chance of managing your symptoms of ADHD. To help people thrive during infancy and into adulthood, researchers are constantly creating novel drugs and therapies.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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