ADD-ADHD

Without medication it is really frustrating. I am an adult and in a learning environment I may lose attention all together or hyper focus on a single element and miss the entire lesson. Interacting in a social or professional environment is always awkward someone with ADD either is obsessed with doing all the right things to the point of being unreasonably self critical or they have absolutely no clue how their behavior is affecting others opinion of them.

I have completed several years of cognitive behavioral therapy that gave me tools to navigate social and professional situations but I generally don't start using these tools until after I realize that I put my foot in my mouth or offend someone.

If ADD was not treated as a young person the individual has probably been affected deeply by negative life experiences and medication is generally the best answer but CBT offers excellent tools for augmenting medication.

No. ADHD is a diagnosis that is made with a list of symptoms; these symptoms include restlessness, lack of focus, and fidgeting. These symptoms can be found in almost any child just being a 'kid'. The combination of symptoms and severity make the diagnosis of ADHD.

I am not a medical doctor, but I am a psychologist and have a child with bipolar disorder and ADHD. Your concern should be more about how ADHD medication affects the mania side of bipolar disorder, not the depression side. ADHD meds are typically stimulants (exception: Strattera) which could potentially trigger a manic episode. If this is the case, symptoms such as racing thoughts, disorganization, talktativeness, etc. could actually get worse, which is obviously opposite the reaction you wanted. My teen tried Focalin but it made him very overactive and even though he stated his focus was better, he couldn't settle down long enough to accomplish anything. He also talked our heads off! Adderal seems to work much better in his case. He is also on Lithium, which controls his mania pretty effectively. Every person is different and reacts differently to medications. What you need to do is find a good psychiatrist - no, you're not crazy - psychiatrists specialize in the use of behavior altering medications and can tell you how to monitor for undesirable signs when starting any new medication. They know what meds they can mix and what meds will be most helpful specific to your personal case. A good psychiatrist can change your whole life. Good luck to you!

There are numerous drugs available to treat adult ADHD. Ritalin is methylphenidate, a stimulant used to treat ADHD. There are other stimulants available: Adderall and Vyvanse. Non-stimulant options exist such as Straterra. Please see the related question below.

No. Not at all. Edible ink, kosher gelatin no drug. Caps have 50%immediate release and 50% extended release coated little beads inside. You can sprinkle it on applesauce if you want also. You're welcome.

ADHD has been named differently over time. In the early 1970s, it was known as hyperkinesis (from the Latin word for "superactive"). In the 1980s, it was called Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD. The term ADD (without the symptom of hyperactivity in the title) was used because hyperactivity is often, but not always, found with the disorder. Children who have the disorder without hyperactivity still struggle with impulsivity and inattention, but have more normal activity levels. However, since most people with ADHD have the symptom of hyperactivity, in 1987 the official name changed to and remains ADHD. There are varying types of ADHD. Children with ADD/ADHD can have difficulties at home, at school, and in relationships with friends and other children their age. ADD/ADHD has also been shown to have long-term adverse effects on school performance, career or job success, and social-emotional development. Because children with ADD/ADHD are not able to sit still and pay attention in school, they may have disciplinary problems, and they can be viewed as troublemakers by teachers and other students. They experience peer rejection and show a broad range of disruptive behaviors. Their academic and social problems can have far-reaching and long-term effects. These children have higher injury rates. As they grow older, children with untreated ADD/ADHD, in combination with conduct disorders, are at risk for drug abuse, antisocial behavior, and injuries of all sorts. Up to 70% of children diagnosed with ADD/ADHD will continue to have symptoms into adulthood. [The ADD information above is based on source material from the National Institute on Mental Health entitled "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - Questions and Answers," published in March 2000.]

Life can be hard for a child with ADHD. They're the ones who are so often in trouble at school, can't finish a game, and have trouble making friends. They may spend agonizing hours each night struggling to keep their mind on their homework, then forget to bring it to school. It is not easy coping with these frustrations day after day for children or their families. Family conflict can increase. Also, a child with ADHD can have problems with peers and friendships. In adolescence, these children are at increased risk for motor vehicle accidents, tobacco use, early pregnancy, and lower educational attainment. When a child receives a diagnosis of ADHD, parents need to think carefully about treatment and medication choices. And when they pursue treatment for their children, they may face high out-of-pocket expenses because treatment for ADHD and other mental illnesses is often not covered by insurance policies. School programs (social skills and behavior training) to help children with problems often connected to ADHD are not available in many schools. Also, not every child with ADHD qualifies for special education services. All of this leads to children who do not receive proper and adequate treatment. To overcome these barriers, parents may want to look for school-based programs that have a team approach involving parents, teachers, school psychologists, other mental health specialists, and doctors.

There are various forms of behavioral treatments used for children with ADD/ADHD, including psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, social skills training, support groups, and parent and educator skills training. An example of very intensive behavior therapy was used in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA), sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). In the study, the child's teacher and the family participated in an all-day, 8-week summer camp. The camp aimed to improve social behavior, academic work, and sports skills. The therapist worked with teachers to develop behavior management strategies to help behavioral problems interfering with classroom behavior and academic performance. A trained classroom aide worked with the child for 12 weeks in his or her classroom to provide support and reinforcement for appropriate, on-task behavior. Parents met with the therapist alone and in small groups to learn ways for handling problems at home and school. The MTA study results show that long-term combination treatment (intensive behavioral intervention combined with medication) or medication management alone are more successful in reducing ADHD symptoms than intensive behavioral treatments alone or routine community treatments alone. The study also shows that combination treatment is better for other problem areas of functioning (such as anxiety, academic performance, parent-child relations, and social skills) than routine community care-only, medication-only, and behavioral treatment-only approaches. **You might find these useful in a no drug alternative energy medicine Australian Bush Flower Essences combinations Cognis (for short attention span and better retention and recall) Calm & Clear Essence for less repetitive actions and overall calmer.

For behaviour problems alternating with the ABFE combination Adol might be useful.

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Yes; ADHD is often misunderstood for being only an inability to concentrate. More appropriately, ADHD is a disability that effects a person's control over their focus; it's not a lack of focus but a lack of regulation of a person's focus.

Individuals with ADHD can "hyperfocus" for extended periods on highly stimulating tasks while at the same time be unable to sit for a minute on more boring tasks.

Well you can look at it the scientific way. In gender genes boys are XY and girls are YY. Boys have more differenting genes which means it's easier for many learning disabilities and conditions to affect them.

AND

you can look at it socially. At a younger age, girls have higher academic expectations, since they mature faster. Its expected that they're organized while boys can often get teased by this. Since girls grow up with this and develope these skills, they cope better with ADD or ADHD.

The brain of somebody with ADHD works differently to the average person, as such; stimulants will calm them down while tranquilizing agents can stimulate them. Cannabis (marijuana) usually calms the average person, and so would most probably stimulate an individual who suffers from ADHD or ADD.

basically ADHD is hyperactivity like you can easily get distracted but I would not advise you to take any pills because that can only last for a little while and its also when you are very talkative i would know because i have it its not easy to live with but you'll soon understand it was meant fir the best.

You can go visit a doctor who can help you when trying to find out if you have ADHD. The best way to find a reliable doctor is by going to www.YourCity.MD. There are patient testimonials, doctor ratings, and much more. I really suggest it!

(I helped your grammar...it was a little off.)

It depends greatly on your situation. From collected experiences that you can see in the discussion feature of this question, most people seem pleased with the way it eases the ADHD symptoms. There are side effects though, and a few people have had some increase in edginess or anxiety (and far fewer have experienced agitation).

The best way for you to know is to talk with your doctor, and if this treatment is ok for your situation, give it a try and you will know.

Up to 70% of children with ADD/ADHD will continue to have symptoms into adulthood. The main symptoms of ADD/ADHD in adults are trouble managing time and struggling with memory and disorganization. ADD/ADHD in adults is often referred to as the "hidden disorder" because its symptoms can often be confused with other problems with relationships, organization, mood disorders, substance abuse, employment or other personal difficulties.

Diagnosing and treating ADD/ADHD in adults can help them put their problems into perspective, better understand the reasons for many of their lifelong symptoms, and improve their self-esteem, work performance and skills, educational abilities and social skills.

OH, YOU ARE SOOOOOO not alone! Everything you are struggling with is a perfect description of how I have been all my life. It wasn't until recently that I looked into this as being a legitimate problem instead of just a character flaw. I know exactly what you mean about feeling inadequate. I can't stand for people to think of me as a big flake and an airhead, yet my actions and inability to "get it together" seem to prove them right time and time again. It's very frustrating when I KNOW I'm not stupid, but sadly, the whole "walking and chewing gum at the same time" phrase is a realistic challenge for me. Okay, so maybe I could pull that off, but I serously struggle to get my brain to concentrate on one thing -- adding a second is usually not an option!

Let your doctor sort it out. I am going through this with my son and I believe with the medication, there is improvement and you will know it. Try medication.

I am so relieved, although a little saddened at the same time, to hear other people suffering with the same problems as I do. I was recently diagnosed with ADD and have just started medication. For everyone, that takes some 'tweeking' to find the right combinations, but Wellbutrin has started making me feel calmer and more able to manage with my 'flaws'. I never even thought I had something wrong with me. I knew I was relatively bright, but no rocket scientist. I could always talk myself into high powered jobs, but I couldn't manage the work load when I was there. My career is one of constantly multitasking and needing to be tremendously organised and needing to be able to work well under stress. A nightmare for someone with ADD. I tried coping by throwing more hours at the job but I never got to the end of anything while seeing my peers coping around me. I was nervous about answering the phone, and tended to let everything go into voicemail so I would not get caught short - asked a question I could not answer because I could not 'remember'. I'd read the last page of a book first, reread and reread each page of a book, begging information to sink into my head. I cannot remember numbers, directions or peoples names. It makes you feel dumb and stupid and it has made me embarrassed and lowered my self esteem to an all time low. I thought part of it was post partem depression, but it has been going on most of my life, so that could not be the case. Over the space of a few weeks everything came to a head and I could not cope with anything. I made more and more mistakes and felt more and more stupid as I knew they were silly mistakes I had no business to make. What I thought dit not come out at the end of my pen or in emails. It was a shock to find out it was adult ADD but in a way it was a relief. Then you start looking at those around you and wondering if it is a world ailment, who 'hasn't got ADD', not who has! Thanks for being there and we will all get through this together!

This is a difficult question to answer exactly for two reasons: 1. Doctor/patient confidentiality rules mean that even if a doctor was the first to diagnose a patient with the disorder, he would not be permitted to say who it was. The patient would have to come forward him/herself, and most patients prefer to stay private. 2. ADHD has evolved, both in name and classification, since doctor's first started to notice patients with attention related symptoms. It is believed that a British doctor, Dr. George Still, was the first person to recognize and diagnose the condition in 1902. However, he did not call it ADHD, but rather a "Defect of Moral Control" disorder. To the best of my knowledge, the names of the children he described in his papers were not released.

according to my dermatologist it's you get it from stress or lack of sleep. So I guess we I just have to sleep often and need not to stress myself...

Ritalin can help increase concentration and attention control in someone who has problems with those things. Some autistic people have problems with attention control; some do not. Ritalin may or may not help those who have problems with attention. Ritalin will not directly affect the symptoms of autism.

It will give the effect of being under the influence of Amphetamine, also known as speed. I recommend you do not attempt an ADHD medication if not diagnosed with it by a Licensed professional.

Part two: Not only that, but you may become anemic and dramatically underweight, can approach death as a small child, and become depressed (personal experience from improper diagnosis of asperger's).

I have adult ADHD and I once had a roommate that did a ridiculous thing. She did a self-diagnosis and determined that she had ADHD. She stole around twenty of my Ritalin from the cabinet that I place my medication in. She left to go camping and decided that she would take the amount that had been prescribed by my doctor for me. Well, to make a long story short, she ended up in the emergency room. She started to display symptoms of a heart attack. I strongly advise individuals that think that they might have ADHD to consult with a specialist that will make a well researched diagnosis. I believe some people out there "wish" they had ADHD. I will be fifty one in a couple of weeks and have had ADHD every since I can remember. Having ADHD presents many challenges in a person's life. Individuals have to learn compensatory skills to overcome many of the obstacles that they face. I have encountered many "normal" people who greatly misunderstand me. I have even been called "weird" by neighbors, friends, and colleagues. Despite, all of this, I went to college. I have a Bachelors in Science (Magna cum Laude) and a Masters of Education (Summa cum Laude) degree in the field of special education. I taught severely disturbed children for twenty-eight years. I have retired from teaching and am currently enrolled in a Solar Photovoltaic program. Whenever I become discouraged I think about a quote that Montel Williams made at the beginning of his career: "Believe to Achieve."

So in short, if you're not diagnosed with ADHD, there's no reason to take such medication.

No; phentermine is used in the short-term treatment of obesity or to help aid weight loss. It shares similarity to amphetamine and is classified as a stimulant, however has not been approved to treat ADHD.

Most do not cause weight gain. A primary concern for ADHD medicines, actually, is weight loss. Many medicines suppress one's appetite resulting in eating less. They are also many other negative side effects, such as moodiness, insomnia, etc. Do not self-medicate. Discuss with your doctor of which medicine is right for you. (I personally think Concerta is the best, but different medicines work differently for different people.)