adhd symptoms and treatment and Treatment
ADD and treatment is typically associated with problems at school, home or work. The psychiatric disorder may be difficult for doctors to diagnose and treat.
The psychiatric disorder is often referred to as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Mental health professionals use brain imaging using SPECT to determine ADHD.
Symptoms include being easily distracted, forgetful and disorganized. Medications like stimulants and antidepressants can help.
Limbic ADD
The most common form of ADD, also known as classic ADD or hyperactive-impulsive ADD, is characterized by inattention, a lack of organizational skills, difficulty staying on task, and trouble with memory. Brain scans reveal that those suffering from this type can maintain normal activity while concentrating and rest in the prefrontal cortex, however, they have less activity in their cerebellum and basal ganglia. These regions help to produce dopamine, which is an important neurotransmitter that is that is responsible for motivation, tranquility and focus. This type has a limited attention span, and is easily distracted by sounds or other stimuli and has a hard time shifting attention. They also have trouble sleeping and frequently wake up at night with anxiety or nightmares. They can be easily annoyed and are often angry.
Ring of Fire ADD is characterized by all the classic ADD symptoms, but also by the difficulty of shifting their attention from one thought to the next and between tasks. They have a sensitivity to light, noise, and touch and talk too quickly and are impulsive, and easily provoked into a mean-spirited behavior. They have periods of moodiness and low energy levels, are quick to anger and are prone to relapse into negative thoughts and guilt feelings.
Limbic ADD can be mistaken for depression, but it is distinct from depression because it causes increased activity in the limbic part of the brain (the brain region that sets our emotional tone and regulates the level of happiness or sadness we are) and reduces activity in the prefrontal cortex at both rest and during concentration. It can be treated by supplements such as L tryptophan (5-HTP) along with saffron, inositol which increase alertness, mood and clarity. Amino acid GABA can also help reduce neural activity and prevent nerve cells from firing irregularly or in excess.
It is important to distinguish between ADD and mood disorders such as Bipolar Disorder, which also can trigger irritability, anger and low self-esteem. The difference is that ADD with Limbic Symptoms is more prone to constant irritability and frustration over time, whereas Bipolar Disorder symptoms tend to appear in waves.
Overfocused ADD
Over-focused ADD sufferers tend to get stuck in negative thought patterns and behaviors that trigger excessive worrying. This is because they exhibit rigid behaviors that are similar to those suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). They may become emotional when they are requested to switch their focus between tasks and can respond with oppositional or argumentative behavior.
They are often angry and their irritability may be due to a low-grade chronic depression or sadness. They may also struggle with memory issues, feel intense anger, and have a short fuse.
People who have hyper-focused ADD might be rigid when it comes changing tasks and may become absorbed in their job or pastime. They are more likely to miss deadlines at work and forgetting appointments at home, and they might not finish homework or other school assignments. They can also be very resistant and angry when they are punished or reprimanded by their parents or teacher.
Children with hyperfocused ADD are often angry and stubborn, and they might throw temper tantrums when their interests aren't respected. They can be obsessive about particular toys, activities, and video games. They may also have trouble expressing their feelings and be very sensitive to rejection or criticism.
This type of ADD is more common in children, and is often difficult to recognize. Children who exhibit this behavior often have trouble understanding that their problems are caused by an inability to change their focus from one task to another. This is why it's essential to seek out help from an expert, since children with this kind of behavior are more likely to be misdiagnosed by family doctors and even psychologists. This kind of ADD is usually treated using diet changes, supplements, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. This kind of ADD is hard to treat, even with stimulant medication, because it can increase the intensity of hyperactivity. Functional neuroimaging can be used to identify the seven distinct kinds of ADD, and is particularly helpful for diagnosing overfocused ADD.
Anxious ADD
Many people with ADD suffer from high levels of anxiety. Comorbidity, which is having more than one disorder at the same time, is common and affects up to half of people with ADD/ADHD. Stress and anxiety can mirror the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. Incorrect diagnosis can lead to inappropriate treatment and frustration.
Anxious ADD may cause problems at school, at work, or with social situations. This kind of ADD can lead to underachievement and feelings of unworthiness. People who suffer from anxiety ADD avoid challenging tasks or activities because they fear they won't succeed.
They are also afraid of being judged or critiqued. Because of this, they tend to hide their issues from their peers. They can become so stressed and anxious that they experience panic attacks. These panic attacks can be extremely severe and life-threatening. They trigger an increase in heart rate sweating, difficulty breathing and difficulty breathing. Anxious ADD differs from Classic ADD because it has an increased activity in the basal ganglia and the amygdala. These areas are instinctive and place a high value on safety. This shuts down the PFC and can make it difficult for people with ADD to concentrate.
If a person with ADHD or ADD has anxiety the symptoms are typically more difficult to manage than those of someone who isn't suffering from anxiety. This is due to treatment strategies for ADD/ADHD that are designed to stimulate the brain could actually increase anxiety in people with anxious ADD by decreasing the activity in their PFC.
Amen Clinics psychiatrists use functional neuroimaging such as SPECT scans in order to determine the areas of the brain where low and/or higher levels of activity are occurring. This helps them differentiate between the seven types and determine the best treatment.
To determine if a patient has ADD/ADHD, a psychiatrist takes a thorough medical history and conducts a physical exam. They may also ask about the patient's mood and behavior to evaluate the patient's overall performance. Medications are sometimes used to treat ADD/ADHD however, most patients need other therapies as well, such as cognitive behavioral therapy as well as nutrition and exercise sleep strategies, desensitization, and other relaxation techniques. This can improve their ability to manage their emotions and improve their overall functioning.
Temporal Lobe ADD
This kind of ADD affects the temporal lobe in the brain, which is responsible both for memory and mood. This kind of ADD is manifested by a lack of learning and storing information as well as mood instability and extreme anger or aggression issues. They also suffer from various sensory issues, like experiencing a sense of deja vu or experiencing shadows or objects changing shapes and hearing sounds that others don't. They can be irritable, sensitive and easily overstimulated.
This type of ADD is characterized by similar symptoms to Classic ADD. These include low attention spans and disorganization. It also includes difficulty in staying focused or following directions. However, this kind of ADD doesn't cause hyperactivity or impulsivity. This kind of ADD is more common in women. People with this type of ADD might have low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine which contributes to their feelings of depression and poor self-regulation. It is characterized by sleeplessness, anger and anxiety.
In this instance QEEG scans of the ADD brain show that those with over-focused ADD are experiencing difficulty shifting gears. They show normal activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (the brain's "gearshifter"). They are not able to move from one task or thought to the next, and they get stuck in negative thought patterns and behavior.
This is a type of ADD where individuals can be highly motivated and productive, but they have a tendency to get easily distracted by non-essential or unimportant tasks. They can get lost in their schoolwork and their teachers or parents are often annoyed or embarrassed by their behavior. They may be struggling in relationships due to their tendency to be impulsive and reactive. They also have trouble multitasking and working in a group. In certain situations, they could experience anxiety or depression. They might be susceptible to panic attacks and hallucinations. Medications for this type of ADD are not usually advised, since they do not address the root causes of symptoms.