Introduction
Are you wondering what some of the treatment methods are for ADHD? According to psychcentral.com, treatment for ADHD includes psychotherapy, medication, and social skills training. This article will explore these topics in further detail.
Medication-Stimulants
According to psychcentral.com, the first type of treatment for ADHD is medication, particularly stimulants. Common examples of stimulants prescribed for ADHD include Ritalin (methylphenidate) or Adderall (an amphetamine). Stimulant medications are known to act quite quickly. According to psychcentral.com, individuals may notice a difference “usually soon after a person takes them.”
Side Effects Of Stimulants
Despite the fact that stimulants are fast acting, it is worth noting that stimulants do have side effects. According topsychcentral.com, stimulants can cause a decrease in appetite, headaches, jittery feelings, irritability, sleep difficulties, gastrointestinal upset, increased blood pressure, depression or anxiety, in addition to psychosis or paranoia.
Psychotherapy-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In addition to medication, according to psychcentral.com, psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy is also considered a treatment method for ADHD. According to this article, cognitive behavioral therapy can be useful for individuals with ADHD in many different ways. To be specific, according to psychcentral.com, individuals can discuss their upsetting thoughts and feelings with a therapist, explore self-defeating patterns of behavior, and learn alternative ways to handle emotions. In addition, according topsychcentral.com, individuals can work on improving their strengths and cope with daily issues in their life.
Psychotherapy-Behavioral Therapy
In addition to medication and cognitive behavioral therapy as a treatment method for ADHD, another treatment method for ADHD is behavioral therapy. According to psychcentral.com, the aim of behavioral therapy is to change behavior. In particular, one may organize tasks or school work in a better manner. For children, they may be asked to monitor their behavior. In return, they may receive a reward if that behavior is performed effectively.
Social Skills Training For ADHD
Another type of treatment for ADHD is social skills training. According to psychcentral.com, the purpose of social skills training is to teach children with ADHD the proper way to respond to waiting for a turn, sharing toys, asking for help, or certain ways of responding to teasing. Social skills training can be done in a therapy office or at home by parents of a child with ADHD.
Conclusion
Various techniques have been mentioned in this article for the treatment of ADHD. They include medication, in particular stimulants, psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy and behavioral therapy, in addition to social skills training.