Post by Mel on Dec 30, 2005 15:40:32 GMT -5
Adult ADD
Adults with ADD may have double the challenge of children with the same disorder! Firstly, they often go undiagnosed because attention deficit disorder treatment tends to focus mostly on children. Although it is a problem which an ADD adult usually carries from childhood, it was not a widely recognized disorder in past generations so they often don't realize they have ADD until their own child is diagnosed. Parents will recognize their own past or present behavior when they look through the list of symptoms for their child. Also, there are several fairly common adult conditions that can mimic ADD , such as depression, anxiety, hormonal imbalances hypothyroidism, manic depression or obsessive compulsive disorder. It is very important that a physician rule out these conditions before properly diagnosing adult ADD.
The ADD adult may have the same challenges as the ADD child with the main difference being that adults have more sophisticated coping mechanisms than children. Behaviors may include: difficulty staying organized, difficulty finishing a task, procrastination, trouble maintaining relationships or controlling their moods, very impulsive, poor financial management, etc. Once adult add is diagnosed, physicians often prescribe antidepressant medication, like Prozac, and if that is ineffective, stimulant drugs likely will be tried. It is very important to understand that the attention deficit disorder adults can successfully reduce or eliminate their symptoms naturally by incorporating diet, exercise and lifestyle modifications.
Adults with ADD may have double the challenge of children with the same disorder! Firstly, they often go undiagnosed because attention deficit disorder treatment tends to focus mostly on children. Although it is a problem which an ADD adult usually carries from childhood, it was not a widely recognized disorder in past generations so they often don't realize they have ADD until their own child is diagnosed. Parents will recognize their own past or present behavior when they look through the list of symptoms for their child. Also, there are several fairly common adult conditions that can mimic ADD , such as depression, anxiety, hormonal imbalances hypothyroidism, manic depression or obsessive compulsive disorder. It is very important that a physician rule out these conditions before properly diagnosing adult ADD.
The ADD adult may have the same challenges as the ADD child with the main difference being that adults have more sophisticated coping mechanisms than children. Behaviors may include: difficulty staying organized, difficulty finishing a task, procrastination, trouble maintaining relationships or controlling their moods, very impulsive, poor financial management, etc. Once adult add is diagnosed, physicians often prescribe antidepressant medication, like Prozac, and if that is ineffective, stimulant drugs likely will be tried. It is very important to understand that the attention deficit disorder adults can successfully reduce or eliminate their symptoms naturally by incorporating diet, exercise and lifestyle modifications.