Know about ADHD: What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
ADHD symptoms can be easily misunderstood for laziness or mood disorders. Which is why this has to be diagnosed by proper medical experts. Early detection from ADHD causes can help to begin early ADHD treatment.
If left unchecked, the mental health of ADHD patients could fall into a state of depression or worse. They might also need professional counselling by educating them with the right ADHD facts. This will help remove the false information’s and confusion.
What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD is a chronic condition of the mind that can include attention difficulty, hyperactivity and sudden impulsive behavior.
Though it is most commonly seen in children who have trouble paying attention, being overly active or exhibiting impulsive behavior beyond their control, this is a condition that can stay throughout their adult life as well.
Just like any health condition, this can be treated and controlled with the proper method and professional assistance. Let us look at some of the signs and symptoms that can help you identify this condition. A child with ADHD may:
- Show signs of day dreaming
- Frequently losing and forgetting their belongings
- Take unnecessary risks and careless mistakes
- Have trouble making new relationships
- Excessive talking and inquisitiveness
- Unnecessary fidgeting with items in their hands
- Unable to resist temptation frequently
What could be the causes of this condition?
The exact factors leading to this behavior is still unknown. Though researchers have confirmed with scientific evidence that genetics plays a vital role in it.
Other than the involvement of genetics, scientists are trying to rule out other possibilities like risk factors including exposure to environmental hazards (ie; lead, mercury) during invitro as a fetus, use of tobacco or alcohol abuse, brain injury, premature birth, etc.
What is the treatment or therapy options?
There is no definite cure for this medical condition currently. However, there are treatment options that can help reduce and improve it symptomatically. Some of the possible treatment options are through medications, psychotherapy, stress management and social or support groups.
Medications:
ADHD medications help many with the ability to focus better in their learning and at work. Anyone being prescribed medications for ADHD must be consistently monitored, different medications may also be tried to find the most suitable option.
One of the more commonly prescribed type of ADHD medications are “stimulants.” They are known to act by elevating dopamine and norepinephrine, which are vital brain chemicals responsible for attention and thinking.
However, as with the case of medications, they have their chances of side effects with some users. Hence the reason why they need to be medically supervised. Anyone with a medical history of hypertension, seizures, liver disease, kidney disease, glaucoma or heart disease must consult with their doctor first, before beginning the treatment.
Some of the side effects from using “stimulants” may include, abdominal pain, headache, personality changes, increased anxiety or irritability, difficulty sleeping and poor appetite.
Another type of ADHD medications used are “non-stimulants” which are usually prescribed when stimulants do not tend to work optimally for a patient. They may sometimes be given in combination with stimulants. These type of medications takes longer time to act when compared to stimulants.
Antidepressants are usually prescribed alone as a single medication or combination dose including other medications, although these medications have not yet been approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating ADHD specifically.
Psychotherapy and Psychosocial treatment:
Children and adults with ADHD need help from their social circles, either from their family and friends or their school and offices. Apart from this inner social circle, specific psychosocial therapies have been known to help patients improve and manage their symptoms effectively.
ADHD Facts:
Here are a few facts to separate the myth from the truth:
ADHD is a non-discriminatory disorder
This is a medical condition that affects people of all ages, gender, IQ level or socioeconomic background.
Other medical conditions occur with ADHD
An estimated 25-40% of adults and 30% of children with ADHD experience other co-existing anxiety disorder as well.