Once you have been diagnosed with ADHD by a mental health professional,
the next step that your doctor will recommend will be medication
treatment. Medication can significantly reduce your symptoms pertaining
to ADHD, and it can make your life much easier. The first choice for
medication treatments are stimulant medications. In individuals
with ADHD, they have a low amount of dopamine in the frontal part of
their brains. Stimulant medications create dopamine which decreases the
symptoms of the disorder.
Adderall is the first choice of stimulant used by mental health
professionals. Adderall is an amphetamine salt, and it is the first
choice because it is only necessary to take it once to twice a
day. It is also less harsh to come down off of then other
stimulant medications. There is also a time released version of
Adderall called Adderall XR. Ritalin is the second choice of
stimulant used by doctors. This has to be taken more often, and
it has rebound effects that can be unpleasant for some people. Ritalin
has a time released version that is called Concerta. Dexadrine is
another stimulant medication that works similarly to Ritalin. And
the last choice of doctors for stimulants is called Cyclert. This is
very rarely used because there is a chance of liver toxicity in
users. Cyclert is only used if nothing else works and medication
would be helpful.
Besides stimulants, there is a fairly new drug called Strattera that
works differently than the others. When Strattera came out, it was
supposed to be the wonder drug for ADHD. It's not as good as doctors
had first hoped, but it is an effective drug for people who do not want
to take stimulants. Strattera works like an antidepressant,
increasing the level of norepinephrine in your brain over a few days of
taking it. It also has some antidepressant effects that may be
helpful if you deal with depression and anxiety as well.
Because of the nature of ADHD, many individuals who suffer from it have
issues with anxiety and depression as well. Some decide to take
antidepressants along with their other medications to alleviate their
symptoms. Commonly prescribed medications for depression and anxiety
are called SSRI antidepressants. Popular types of SSRIs are Prozac,
Paxil, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Effexor and others. These drugs can really
be a lifesaver for people who have to deal with mood problems as part
of their lives.
It may take a few tries to find the right medication or the right
combination of medications. Do not despair if you do not find the right
medication the first time. It can be very frustrating, but luckily
there are quite a few psychotropic drugs out there that can really
help. Just be patient and make sure you are working with an
educated and qualified professional.
Keith Londrie II is a well known author. For more information on ADHD, please visit living-with-adhd.us/ ADHD for a wealth of information. You may also want to visit keith's own web site at keithlondrie.com/keithlondrie.com/