ADHD Treatments For Adults
Many of the same methods that are effective for children with ADHD can also be used to treat adults. These treatments include medicine, counseling (psychotherapy) and life skills training. They may also involve some combination of these therapies.
Stimulant Medications
The drugs increase brain chemicals that regulate self-regulation and attention. These include methylphenidate (marketed as Ritalin, Concerta) and stimulants in the amphetamine class including lisdexamphetamine (marketed as Adderall, Vyvanse).
Stimulant Medicines
Stimulants speed up the body and can cause an increase in mental alertness and physical activity. They include legal substances such as caffeine (added to coffee and tea) and nicotine, as well as prescription medications that treat attention deficit disorder (ADD) as well as narcolepsy and hyperactivity. In large doses, stimulants can cause over-stimulation and lead to anxiety heart palpitations, hypertension, paranoia and aggression. Long-term stimulant use can cause the dopamine system in the brain to malfunction, reducing feelings of pleasure. Stimulants can be taken in pills, liquids, or patches that go on the skin. copyright, methamphetamines and amphetamines are stimulants that can be gotten illegally and used to abuse.
Medications in this class are known as central nervous system (CNS) stimulants. They work by increasing the quantity of certain brain chemicals that improve concentration, decrease fatigue and increase alertness. Adults with ADD and ADHD are treated first with these drugs. These medicines can be a short-acting formula that is taken in the morning, or a longer-acting drug that stays active throughout the course of the day such as lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) or methylphenidate (Concerta Ritalin).
The health care team may also suggest psychosocial interventions, such as psychotherapy or educational. Monitoring the effectiveness of medications over time is crucial and is an extremely difficult task.
Non-stimulant Medications
Around 15% to 30% of children don't respond to stimulant medications, and it's likely that this is the case for adults too. Non-stimulant drugs take longer to work and may take a few weeks for you feel any effects. But, they don't come with the same danger of having side effects as stimulants and may be a get more info better option if you can't tolerate the effects of stimulants or are worried about addiction.