Have you ever seen a child in a classroom trying to remain calm and focus on their teacher's lecture? It's almost like letting a bouncy ball loose inside of a glass cage, the way their body twists and contorts with pure energy. In the same regard, you may have noticed someone in the office who has difficulty staying on time with their projects. While they may be friendly and willing to work with others, they often fall short when the tasks become demanding.
Are these two individuals destined to bounce through life, never following a direct path towards a common endpoint? What if there were a way to teach children, as well as adults, the steps and techniques they can use to manage their abundant energy and brain fog? If you or someone you know suffers from these issues, they may have undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder.
The main component that separates the ADHD and ADD mind is the difference in energy expenditure during any given moment. Young children who have been diagnosed with ADHD find themselves having trouble sitting still, remembering facts in the classroom, running from room to room, jumping off their desks and chairs and expressing themselves with physical actions.
Adults that have ADHD have learned that their energetic outbursts bring more harm than good in their personal lives. Instead, they opt for nervous ticks such as wiggling their toes, tapping their fingers on their desk, drumming on their chair or chewing on their fingernails. In serious cases, sufferers may exude harmful behavior that can damage their quality of life. Here is a list of various factors that can plague individuals with intense ADHD:
As you can see, the range of side effects that an adult or child experiences vary quite immensely.
With individuals that have ADD, their symptoms and side effects may present themselves more subtly. For example, can you remember a moment from your past where you couldn't get your work done? You may have found yourself daydreaming about what you're going to do that weekend, or how you wanted to hang out with friends. Whatever the case may be, any semblance of normality was thrown out of the window momentarily.
In the ADD mind, this behavior never stops. Most of us have had moments where we felt like procrastinating and avoiding work tasks. For ADD patients, they cannot avoid that behavior or overcome the symptoms.
For younger individuals that have been plagued with ADD, their symptoms may take a different turn. Here is an incomplete list that you can use to diagnose your children or the children of a family friend:
If the child is within a school setting, planning a session with a counselor on campus may be the best approach to understanding their ADD. These individuals are trained to understand the trials and tribulations these students experience on a daily basis.
One of the hardest battles with adults and children that struggle with ADHD and ADD is how to treat them. While there are both holistic and medical approaches to the topic, these sufferers need to discover what works best for them. This section will give you some ideas of how you can approach the issue with pharmaceutical treatment, as well as non-invasive strategies specifically for ADHD and ADD.
The first treatment plan, and the one that has the most data to support its effectiveness, is the traditional medical approach. When a patient enters the office of a trained therapist or psychologist, the individual will follow a simple, easy-to-complete questionnaire. These questions give valuable information to the clinic about how to treat your symptoms and begin reversing the chaos.
From this point, the meeting with the psychologist or therapist will begin. These individuals will often have family members or friends in the room during the first meeting with the patient to discuss their family history. In ADHD and ADD patients, family history is a critical piece of information that can help with the diagnosis of the patient.
Topics such as grade performance, academic aspirations, relationships in the home, behavior outside of the classroom and legal issues can give great insight into the patient's ADHD or ADD.
Once the therapist or psychologist reaches a diagnosis, they create a treatment plan for the patient. Although the treatment often varies from person to person, it usually consists of a pharmaceutical component and behavioral therapy.
In a general sense, stimulant medications have long been used in patients that have difficulty regulating their mood and energy. The medication soothes the mind and provides clarity for once in the patient's life. Medication, in combination with small, easy-to-implement behavioral changes, can improve a patient's life in ways they never thought imaginable.
Concerta (methylphenidate extended-release) is a medication used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents, and adults. It is a stimulant that affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control. Concerta helps improve attention, focus, and self-control by increasing levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. The medication is designed as an extended-release tablet, meaning it provides a controlled release of the active ingredient throughout the day, reducing the need for multiple doses. It is typically taken once daily, in the morning.
While many healthcare professionals use this as their standard treatment for ADD and ADHD patients, it's not for everyone. Some families and sufferers choose a holistic approach to the problem by implementing routines, natural supplements, and working with ADHD and ADD instead of against it.
Achieving an equilibrium without medication stems from paying attention to the patient's schedule. As any ADHD or ADD patient knows, keeping track of time and staying on schedule seems like an impossibility. However, mastering the ability to abide by time constraints and deadlines is an absolute must!
In combination with timers and scheduling, patients can experience results by using brain-empowering supplements such as L-Theanine, vitamin D, omega-3's and small dosages of caffeine. These supplements give the individual the ability to remain focused and honed in on specific tasks that they must complete throughout the day.
One of the most powerful lessons that ADHD and ADD patients can learn is that nothing is wrong with them. The reality is that ADHD and ADD are superpowers when the individual learns to harness and embrace their strength.
Many of the world's greatest minds -- Bill Gates, Jim Carey, Richard Branson, Walt Disney, Ty Pennington and Michael Phelps -- have been diagnosed with the disorder. The difference between you and them is that they've developed the skills and techniques to harness their gift and use it for good. They forgave themselves for their setbacks and only focused on the things that naturally created happiness in their mind and body.
An impactful technique that readers can use to their advantage is the ability to hyperfocus. Individuals that have ADHD and ADD find tasks and activities that capture all of their attention for long periods. Ask them about this, and they will tell you how they can go from sunrise to sunset performing tasks that bring them joy. When they tap into that focus, they can change the world for the better!
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional consultation or advice related to your health or finances. No reference to an identifiable individual or company is intended as an endorsement thereof. Some or all of this article may have been generated using artificial intelligence, and it may contain certain inaccuracies or unreliable information. Readers should not rely on this article for information and should consult with professionals for personal advice.