All you need to know about ADHD
The effects of Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can certainly be controlled.
If you are unable to pay attention to a given task, interrupt others regularly, or feels to move around when you shouldn’t, you might be suffering from the ADHD. It makes it difficult for a person to control impulsive behaviors and pay attention. In addition to that, the person suffering from this disorder may stay active and restless all the time. Generally, ADHD is linked with childhood but it can pass into adulthood if necessary measures are not taken. The issues regarding hyperactivity do improve with age but problems like disorganization, inattention, and poor impulse control stay within your personality unless treated properly.
The first step of curing this disorder is to determine the causes that lead to ADHD. Researchers working in this domain have indicated that various genetic, as well as non-genetic factors, might contribute to this illness. Some common factors include:
· Smoking, drinking, or use of drugs during pregnancy
· Low Birth Weight
· Brain Injuries
· Excessive exposure to environmental toxins at a young age
· Genetic Issues
For any disease of the world, we look for symptoms that point towards a particular problem with the patient. Medical experts have divided the symptoms of ADHD into three categories (Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity). Most of the people suffering from this disorder offer a combination of these symptoms. Some common signs of all these types of symptoms are described below.
Inattention:
· Inability to listen when spoken to directly
· Make careless mistakes in school, work, or other activities of daily routine
· Regular forgetfulness in daily activities
· Find it hard to organize different tasks and activities like keeping belongings and other stuff in order, meeting deadlines, and managing time
· Gets easily distracted by irrelevant thoughts
Hyperactivity and Impulsivity:
· Non-stop talking
· Couldn’t wait for your turn in queues and conversations
· Unable to stay seated in situations where it is expected like in a classroom or an office meeting
· Interrupting other during games, conversations, and other activities
· Answering a question even before it is completed
· Fidgeting and squirming while sitting (continuously in a state of motion)
Although these symptoms are closely associated with ADHD, it is not necessary that a person facing these problems is suffering from this disorder. For instance, depression and anxiety can lead to a lot of these symptoms.
Once a medical professional diagnoses an individual with ADHD, the next step is to treat the illness. Despite the fact that there is no cure yet, available ADHD treatments can improve functioning by reducing symptoms. Most of the times, a combination of multiple treatments like medication, therapy, and education is needed to get maximum benefits.
Medication:
This is the most obvious method of curing a disease and the patients of ADHD are usually treated with Stimulants. Given the fact that the person suffering from this disorder is already incredibly active, this technique might seem a bit strange on the first look but researchers believe that this medication increases the production of Dopamine (a brain chemical), which keeps the person attentive and improves his/her thinking. On the other hand, Non-stimulants are also used for treating ADHD but they usually take longer than stimulants. Non-stimulants are sometimes prescribed to eliminate the harmful effects of stimulants. In some cases, a combination of both (stimulants and non-stimulants) is also used to treat ADHD. Atomoxetine and Guanfacine are two popular non-stimulants.
Therapy:
Practical observations have revealed that therapy is not an effective method of treating ADHD unless it is used to complement the medication. The techniques of therapy may differ depending upon the age of the person. Adults may need the services of a licensed mental health provider (therapist) to organize his/her life while teachers and parents can do this task for children and teens. The basic aim is to help the individual by breaking down a complex task into a number of simpler ones. Praising or rewarding the good work gives a massive boost to the ones who are suffering from this disorder.
Education:
Parents and teachers of a child with ADHD need to be trained so that they could handle the situation effectively. Mental health professionals play an important role in this regard as they guide the parents about the mental state of their child and the attitude that is needed to tackle him/her. For instance, encouraging and rewarding positive behaviors is quite helpful. Simultaneously, parents need to adopt stress management techniques to stay calm on the mischievous behavior of their child. All in all, if a proper path is followed to treat a person with ADHD, he/she can become a useful citizen of the society.

Computer Scientist by qualification who loves to read, write, eat, and travel