Adult ADHD Treatment

Adult ADHD treatment with medications and behavioral therapy can help alleviate the symptoms of adult ADHD. The Food and Drug Administration has approved two drugs for adult ADHD treatment, but the decision to take medication should be considered carefully and discussed with your physician. Although medication for the treatment of ADHD gives needed support, the patient must succeed on his or her own. To meet this challenge, "psychoeducation" and individual psychotherapy can be very helpful parts of adult ADHD treatment.

 

Adult ADHD Treatment: An Overview

Although there is no cure for adult ADHD, adult ADHD treatment with medications and behavioral therapy can help with the symptoms of the condition.
 

Medications for Adult ADHD Treatment

The Food and Drug Administration has approved two drugs for adult ADHD treatment. However, the decision to take medication should be considered carefully and discussed with a healthcare professional. Some drugs used for adult ADHD treatment can be dangerous for people with certain medical conditions. They also have the potential for addiction and abuse.
 
Adults taking medications should be closely monitored by a physician.
 
(See Adult ADHD Medication for more information about the specific medications used for adult ADHD treatment.)
 

Education and Psychotherapy as Adult ADHD Treatment

Although medication for adult ADHD treatment gives needed support, the individual must learn to succeed on his or her own. To help in this struggle, both "psychoeducation" and individual psychotherapy can be helpful components of adult ADHD treatment.
 
A professional coach can help the adult with ADHD learn how to organize his life by using "props," such as: 
 
  • A large calendar posted where it will be seen in the morning
  • Date books
  • Lists
  • Reminder notes
  • Special places for keys, bills, and the paperwork of everyday life.

 

Tasks can be organized into sections, so that completion of each part can give a sense of accomplishment. Above all, adults with ADHD should learn as much as they can about their disorder.

 
Psychotherapy can be a useful adult ADHD treatment adjunct to medication and education. First, just remembering to keep an appointment with the therapist is a step toward keeping to a routine. Therapy can help change a long-standing poor self-image by examining the experiences that produced it. The therapist can encourage the patient with ADHD to adjust to the changes brought into his or her life by treatment -- the perceived loss of impulsivity and love of risk-taking and the new sensation of thinking before acting. As the patient begins to have small successes with the new ability to bring organization out of the complexities of life, he or she can begin to appreciate the characteristics of ADHD that are positive -- boundless energy, warmth, and enthusiasm.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD