Just a quick note: I’m not a mental health professional. All information is from other sites and articles. If you have any corrections or further information for me, leave me a comment or message via the contact form.
I’ve published some blog posts on ADHD (here, here and here) over the years. Last year, I received a link to a research paper on ADHD treatment. I’m finally ready to write about it. Sorry it took so long.
Thank you, Ellla for sending me the link.
What’s the best treatment for ADHD?
The paper I’m working off is Drugwatch. The paper is written by Michelle Llamas (Board Certified Patient Advocate).
In describing ADHD treatments, Llamas wrote:
Medical providers prescribe a combination of ADHD treatments — including education and training programs, medications and behaviour therapy.
Treatments vary according to age:
For most people with ADHD, medication is considered the first line of treatment. However, for children younger than six years of age, experts recommend behaviour management before starting medication.
The treatments for young children has been hotly debated, at least in Australia. In 2022, the Australian ADHD Professional Association came under fire for suggesting medication be the first line of treatment for children under six. As far as I know, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) rejected the recommendation
Best medications to treat ADHD
According to Drugwatch, ADHD is most commonly treated with stimulants, nonstimulants and antidepressants.
Stimulants
The most trusted medications are methylphenidate medications; Ritalin and Adderrall. Both of these medications reportedly help with relationships and completingg tasks. Despite its reported effectiveness, Drugs.com cautions that there’s a small chance of addiction and fatal overdose.
Other potential side effects of stimulants can include: stroke, heart attack and dangerously high blood pressure, heart disease and heart defect.
Nonstimulants
Llama claimed that nonstimulants usually aren’t as effective as stimulants for treating ADHD.
However, according to PsychCentral, around 30% of people with ADHD don’t respond well to stimulant medications.
Sometimes, medical professionals may prescribe both types of medication to patients.
Nonstimulants often take longer to decrease ADHD symptoms, compared to stimulants. According to healthychildren.org, nonstimulants can treat children with ADHD and comorbid Tourette Syndrome.
Behavioural therapy for ADHD
Behavioural therapy can help people with ADHD. This may occur in replacement of medication.
The therapy focuses on developing positive behaviours to replace negative ones. A person with ADHD may develop organisation skills, focus and impulse control.
A mode of therapy that can help those with ADHD is Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT helps address negative behaviours that can inhibit focus, productivity and motivation.
Other common therapies for ADHD
People with ADHD may seek out other therapies. These include: family and marital therapy, psychotherapy and social skills training.
Education and training for people with ADHD, parents and caregivers
Parents and caregivers of children with ADHD can seek out parent behaviour training therapies. In these programs, parents and cargivers are given strategies and skills to help their child/ren better cope with their symptoms at school and home.
Adolescents and adults with ADHD can also attend training to manage their symptoms. They can do brain training through mobile/ cell phone games. Mentally stimulating activities, such as crosswords can also be beneficial.
In all the blog posts I’ve written, it’s clear to me that society has a long way to go in understanding ADHD. However, while writing this post, I’ve realised there is a way.
Sounds like medication and (free or at least affordable) therapy for these 8ndividuals is a way to go.
What are your thoughts on ADHD and how it’s currently treated? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
