ADHD Medications, ADHD Diet, and Alternative Treatments
ADHD : What is "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" ?
ADHD is a neuro-biological disorder that impacts nearly10% of children and teens today. ADHD is not the result of bad parenting, or too much T.V., or a lack of either discipline or love by parents. While any or all of these may be problems, "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" is a genetically based condition.. "ADHD" has neurological and biological roots. There are very strong genetic factors that influence both brain function and development. There are also other potential contributing factors that might cause one to acquire ADHD problems, such as brain injuries received either in utero, or after birth, or high fevers from infections, and so on.
ADHD impacts individuals in four main areas of their life:
Inattention - ADHD causes people to have problems paying attention to routine or boring tasks, or to stay focused on a task long enough to finish the task, especially if the task is not very interesting. The person might be able to focus on interesting projects or entertainment such as video games for long periods of time, but it is the boring tasks of life that are very difficult.
Impulsivity - Often ADHD causes a lack of self-control. Impulsive behaviors or choices can cause havoc in relationships, work, school, or life. Saying things, or doing things without thinking first is a pretty classic symptom of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in both children and adults.
Hyperactivity - About half of those with ADHD are "bouncy" like Tigger, hyperactive, always "on the go," and restless. The standard line is that they act as if they are "driven by a motor." Another good description is "excessive, non-goal directed, motor activity."
Easily Bored - Unless the task is very stimulating, like a video game or TV program or outside playing, those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are often easily bored by a task - especially bored by homework, math tests, balancing checkbooks, or doing taxes, and many of these tasks just never get done.
Focus it is hard to stay focused to the right thing
Self-Control it can be hard to maintain self-control, causing impulsive behaviors
Hyperactivity is excessive, non-goal directed motor activity
Easily bored unless doing something really exciting or stimulating
ADHD is a problem with "working memory," "inhibition," and "executive functions."
Just what exactly is ADHD ?
ADHD is the short abbreviation for "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder", which is a diagnostic label for children with a particular neuro-biological disorder. About nine-percent of children and teens have this condition in the United States, making it one of the most common childhood behavior disorders. Of all children referred to counselors or other mental health professionals, more are referred for ADHD than for any other condition.
ADHD is a chronic and unrelenting problem. And those children, teens, and even adults with ADHD will have problems in many of the areas of their life, including home, school, work, and in relationships. Our new eBook on Marriage and ADHD may be helpful for those adults who are married to someone with ADHD and find that they are struggling a little bit in their marriage. See more below.
The diagnostic criteria for ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, has been updated, revised, and slightly changed in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). They are hoping to better describe the experience of adults, both men and women, who have ADHD, not just children and adolescents.
This revision is based on nearly two decades of research showing that ADHD, although a condition that starts in childhood, may continue through adulthood for some people. Earlier editions of DSM did not offer appropriate guidance to clinicians in diagnosing adults with the condition. By modifying criteria for adults, DSM-5 aims to ensure that anyone with ADHD can continue to get care over the course of their lives if needed. Read more about ADHD in the DSM 5 Revision
The ADHD Diet program has been revised for 2013, and written up as an eBook in PDF format. We have built a new website for it at the ADHD Diet Information site. We have the full 21 minutes information video there for you to view and get lots of good information on making any eating program for ADHD work. And we also have our revised ADHD diet program available to download for just $20. It's worth it. Read more about New ADHD Diet Information Website Now Available
Brain imaging studies show that the brains of those with ADHD are different from those without ADHD in terms of size, activity, and development. Certain regions of the ADHD brain can be as much as 10% smaller than those without ADHD. And areas such as the frontal lobes, cerebellum, and anterior cingulate, can be very under-active compared to normal. These areas can also be as much as two to three years behind in development compared to normal. These differences will remain through the life of a person with ADHD.
ADHD impacts various systems of the brain, particularly systems involved with "executive functions", "inhibition", and "working memory". Most of these involve the activity of the frontal lobes, and the interaction of the frontal lobes with other structures of the brain acting as a "system". But since the frontal lobes are smaller, less active, and behind in development, each of these systems is impacted to some degree. As other areas of the brain are also affected, the look or type of ADHD is different.
Many studies are looking at how the ADHD brain matures in children and teens, and how it matures differently than someone without ADHD. We have discussed this at the ADHD Information Library considering both brain development in children, and in teenagers. One recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health and led by Dr. Philip Shaw considered this important issue. Their research is published in Biological Psychiatry. Read more about Brain Development Delays in ADHD
Here is the brief article on ADHD that generates the most hate email that I get. I'm not sure why. I don't cause ADHD in kids and teens, and I have spent most of my adult life trying to help children and teens with Attention Deficit Disorder. But what follows are the hard facts that parents, social workers, and physicians need to come to grips with. ADHD is not a simple disorder to treat - and we must work to treat each individual, not just a diagnosis. Here are the facts about ADHD and anti-social behaviors. Please read them carefully before sending me one of those angry "anti-social" email responses. We don't make the news, we just report it. Thanks.
Anti-social behaviors are common with ADHD individuals. About 60% of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder kids are also oppositional or defiant. Some are even getting in trouble with the law. Impulsive-Hyperactive ADHD kids are the most likely to get into trouble than are the Inattentive ADHD kids, as they tend to crave the stimulation of anti-social behaviors, and impulsively "act-out". Because they are impulsive, they don't plan their crimes well, and are usually easily caught. Read more about ADHD Teen Problems : Anti-Social Behaviors and ADHD