ADHD Treatments For Adults
Adults can benefit from the same treatments as children. These treatments include medicine, counseling (psychotherapy) and life skills training. They can also involve the combination of these treatments.
Stimulant Medicines
These drugs work by increasing the amount of certain brain chemicals that help control attention and self-regulation. These include methylphenidate (marketed as Ritalin, Concerta) and stimulants from the amphetamine group like lisdexamphetamine (marketed as Adderall, Vyvanse).
Stimulant Medicines
Stimulants are medications that stimulate the body's system and may cause higher mental alertness and more physical activity. These include legal substances such as caffeine (added in coffee and tea) nicotine, prescription drugs used to treat attention-deficit disorder (ADD), narcolepsy, and hyperactivity. In large doses of stimulants, they can cause overstimulation which can cause anxiety, heart palpitations, and high blood pressure. They can also trigger aggression and paranoia. Long-term use of stimulants can cause the dopamine receptors in the brain to malfunction and reduce feelings of happiness. The stimulants are available as pills, liquids, or patches. Methamphetamines, cocaine, and amphetamines are stimulants that can be obtained illegally and used to abuse.
Medications in this class are called central nervous system (CNS) stimulants. They function by increasing the amount of certain brain chemicals that improve concentration, decrease fatigue, and improve alertness. treatment for add are the initial line of treatment for adults suffering from ADD or ADHD. These medications can be a short-acting formula used in the morning or a longer-acting drug that remains active in the body for most of the day, such as the lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) or methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin).
The health care team may also suggest psychosocial interventions such as education, psychotherapy or coaching. Monitoring the effectiveness of medications over time is vital, and can be an extremely difficult task.
Non-stimulant Medicines
About 15%-30% of kids don't respond to stimulant drugs and it's possible that this is true for adults as well. The non-stimulant drugs take longer to start working, and can sometimes take several weeks before you begin to notice the effects. However, they don't have the same risk of adverse effects as stimulants, and could be a better option for those who are unable to tolerate the effects of stimulants or are worried about addiction.