Therapy For ADHD / ADD
What is ADHD?ADHD (also called ADD) is a disorder usually first seen in childhood, though it can continue into adolescence and adulthood. The disorder is characterized by difficulty paying attention or staying on task, difficulty controlling behaviors and an unusually high degree of activity.
What causes ADHD?
In ADHD, the part of the brain that helps us ignore unnecessary sensory information does not work as efficiently as it should. For example, you were likely not aware of the pressure the chair puts on the back of your legs until you read this sentence. That's because your brain helps you "tune out" the information you don't need, so that you can focus on the important things in front of you.
For people with ADHD, life is much like trying to have a quiet conversation at a rock concert. This same part of the brain helps us control our activity level and behaviors.
What are the signs and symptoms of ADHD?
They vary widely, but can include some of the following:
- Difficulty with attention to details
- Difficulty with sustaining attention
- Not listening to instructions
- Difficulty with organizing tasks and activities
- Losing things frequently
- Fidgeting or squirming in one's seat frequently
- Leaving one's seat inappropriately
- Feelings of restlessness
- Excessive talking
- Acts as though "driven by a motor"
There are also many "associated features" that can accompany ADHD and include a wide rannge of behavioral and emotional difficulties. These may vary depending on what age the child is, and what developmental stage they are currenlty progressing through. Children with ADHD may experience mood swings, poor self-esteem, and may not tolerate frustration well. Children and Adolescents with ADHD may be percieved as stubborn at times, and may tend to interrput others to attend to stimuli. This can contribute to difficulties with peers, resulting in poor self-worth or self esteem problems.
ADHD Help
How is ADHD treated?This depends on the specific problems and the severity of the symptoms. Sometimes, medication can be a huge help. In other cases, children benefit from learning strategies to help them cope with the disorder, and parents can learn to adapt their behavior management strategies to work better with the challenges kids with ADHD face. In adults, medication can also help with inattention, as can several therapy approaches.
Are medications absolutely necessary?
Not always. We tend to recommend treating as many problems as we can through behavior therapy, then working with your physician to treat what problems remain with medication. When children are experiencing substantial delays in their academic and social development as a result of the disorder, we may encourage an intervention that entails both therapy and medication from the start, with adjustments as the behavior therapy starts to have an impact. We have several medical professionals we can recommend to answer questions about the benefits and risks of the various medication options available, and we would be happy to explain how we integrate that component into our behavior therapy.
ADHD Counseling
How do I get started?The best place to start is to participate in an evaluation by a mental health professional. They can help diagnose ADHD in children, adolescents and adults, recommend a specific intervention (therapy, medications, or both), and answer questions about the process.
If you have questions, and would like to speak to one of our mental health professionals, call or email today.
