In this article titled "Medicine - ADHD Treatments and Solutions" we will briefly discuss the way stimulant medications work, take a look at a few of the names most commonly prescribed, and briefly discuss a couple of non prescription solutions.
Most experts now believe that ADHD has both a genetic component, meaning that it can likely be inherited, and a biological component, having to do with neurotransmitter or brain messenger activity in certain areas of the brain.
One of the ways to think about ADHD is it is a problem of balance between two important brain neurotransmitters; norepinephrine and dopamine.
When too much norepinephrine activity is taking place you feel agitated, and your ability to focus becomes limited to things that are threats or opportunities.
When dopamine dominates, repetitiveness is likely to occur, making it possible to perform one action over and over without becoming bored.
Stimulant medicine ADHD attempts to address these imbalances in neurotransmitter activity and is referred to as biological treatment.
Stimulant medicine ADHD works by causing more norepinephrine or dopamine to be released into the synapses, and by causing more of them to be retained in the synapses for a longer period of time.
Here are three names you will probably recognize.
*Ritalin: This is the number one most prescribed drug for ADHD.
It comes in both long and short term release formulas and stimulates both norepinephrine and dopamine.
*Adderall: While very similar to Ritalin, Adderall is thought to stimulant norepinephrine neurons slightly more than dopamine neurons.
*Cylert: While both Ritalin and Adderall impact both norepinephrine and dopamine Cylert only stimulates dopamine.
While results have been good it can cause liver damage and its use must be monitored closely.
While some respond very well to the above medicine ADHD and find that stimulant meds relieve most of the symptoms others find the side effects intolerable.
Typical side effects include ticks, headaches, appetite loss, nausea, and sleep problems just to name a few.
An alternative form of non medicine ADHD treatment is psychotherapy, which is often suggested in conjunction with prescription medication.
Psychotherapy has two main goals: first to create strategies to manage the symptoms of ADHD and secondly to learn how to better handle the emotional impact of the disorder.
The most effective of the psychotherapy option is CBT or cognitive behavior therapy.
CBT has shown good results but is often ineffective with young children due to the doctor patient relationship needed to achieve the desired outcome.
In summary, when it comes to medicine ADHD you will have a number of prescription drug choices, most of which have been shown to be very effective.
Nevertheless, the side effect risks have driven many parents of ADHD children and adults alike to consider non prescription options such as CBT or natural herbal remedies.
Natural remedies for ADHD are a side effect free way to help you get to the root of the problem rather than just suppress the symptoms.
These all natural ADHD alternative treatment methods will deliver powerful, lasting results which can be used as either a stand alone treatment or as a compliment to behavioral therapies such as CBT.