ADHD Treatments For Adults
Adults are able to benefit from the same treatments that children receive. These treatments include medication, counseling (psychotherapy), and life skills training. These treatments can consist of a combination.
Stimulant Medications
The drugs increase the supply of certain brain chemicals that aid in controlling self-regulation and attention. These include the chemical methylphenidate (marketed as Ritalin, Concerta) and stimulants in the amphetamine class like Lisdexamphetamine (marketed as Adderall, Vyvanse).
add and treatment are drugs that stimulate the body's systems and can increase mental alertness and more physical activity. They include legal substances such as caffeine (added in coffee and tea) nicotine, as well as prescription medications used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD) as well as narcolepsy and hyperactivity. In large doses, stimulants may cause over-stimulation and lead to anxiety heart palpitations, high blood pressure, paranoia and aggression. Long-term stimulant use can cause the dopamine system of the brain to malfunction and reduce feelings of happiness. The stimulants are available in pill form, liquids or patches that can be applied to the skin. Methamphetamines, cocaine, and amphetamines are stimulants that can be purchased illegally and abused.
Medications in this class are known as central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and work by increasing the amount of certain chemicals in the brain that boost concentration, reduce fatigue, and boost alertness. Adults with ADD and ADHD are treated first with these drugs. They are available as a morning-only formula or in longer-acting formulations that remain active throughout the day, for example the methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine.
The health care team may also suggest psychosocial interventions, such as psychotherapy or educational. Monitoring the effectiveness of medications over time is important and is an extremely difficult task.
Non-stimulant Medicines that are not stimulants
About 15%-30 percentage of children don't respond to stimulant medication and this is probably to be the case for adults as well. Non-stimulant medicines take longer to begin working, and can sometimes take some time before you notice the effects. But, they don't come with the same risk of adverse effects as stimulants and can be a better option in case you aren't able to take them or are worried about addiction.