ADHD Treatments For Adults
Adults are able to benefit from many of the same treatments that children receive. These treatments include counseling, medication (psychotherapy), and life skills training. They can also involve the combination of these therapies.
treating adults with adhd increase the availability of certain brain chemicals that help control attention and self-regulation. They include the chemical methylphenidate (marketed as Ritalin, Concerta) and stimulants in the amphetamine class like Lisdexamphetamine (marketed as Adderall, Vyvanse).
Stimulant Medications
Stimulants boost the body's metabolism and can lead to increased mental alertness and physical activity. These include legal substances like caffeine (added to tea and coffee) and nicotine, and prescription medicines used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD), narcolepsy and hyperactivity. In large doses, stimulants can create over-stimulation, which can cause anxiety, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, paranoia and aggression. Long-term stimulant use can cause the dopamine system in the brain to malfunction and decrease feelings of happiness. Stimulants are available in pills, liquids, or patches that can be applied to the skin. Methamphetamines, cocaine, and amphetamines are stimulants which can be gotten illegally and used to abuse.
The drugs in this class are called central nervous system (CNS) stimulants. They work by increasing the quantity of certain brain chemicals that improve concentration, decrease fatigue and increase alertness. Adults suffering from ADD and ADHD are treated first with these drugs. They are available as the form of a morning-only formulation or longer-acting formulations that are active throughout the day, for example methylphenidate or lisdexamfetamine.
The health care team could also suggest psychosocial interventions, such as psychotherapy or education. Monitoring the effectiveness of medications over time is vital, and can be an extremely complex process.
Non-stimulant Medications
Around 15%-30% of children don't respond to stimulant medications and it's possible that this is true for adults as well. Non-stimulant medications are slower to begin working, and may take a few weeks before you begin to notice the effects. However, they don't carry the same danger of having side effects as stimulants, and could be a better choice in case you aren't able to take the effects of stimulants or are worried about addiction.