| ADHD Drugs & Medication Options |
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For teens with ADHD, using medication can help reduce the symptoms of the disorder up to a certain extent. ADHD is not curable, but a combination of medication, diet, and other environmental factors can help a person with ADHD cope with the symptoms. It's very important to consult with a doctor before considering putting your child on any kind of medication or radical change in diet. Medication can come with side effects and negative interactions with patients, especially for long term use. Learning more about ADHD drugs and medication options can help you make more informed decisions regarding this. It's also important to understand what medication can and cannot do for people with ADHD. Medication is only a piece of the puzzle. It can help teens with ADHD improve their concentration, control impulses, and focus on tasks. However, medication will not completely get rid of all the challenges ADHD teens face like social awkwardness, depression, forgetfulness, and more. The other pieces of the puzzle is making important lifestyle changes like proactively picking tools to help you organize your tasks, getting sufficient sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly. The most common type of medication for ADHD is stimulants (ex. Ritalin, Adderall, etc). According to studies, stimulants have the longest effects on people with ADHD. Stimulants decrease the dopamine levels in the brain, in effect boosting one's concentration and reducing hyperactive and impulsive behavior. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which is responsible for regulating one's attention, pleasure, motivation, and coordination. Stimulants can be taken on a short or long term basis. It also has short-acting and long-acting effects. However, stimulants may also have negative side effects such as feelings of restlessness, nervousness, difficulties sleeping, verbal or physical tics, elevated heart rate, stomach pain, headaches, loss of appetite, irritability, unpredictable mood swings,depression, and more. Different people may experience different kinds of behavioral changes while taking stimulants. Some people become withdrawn, some people become less engaged with activities around them. In some extreme cases, some even develop obsessive compulsive symptoms. Stimulants may also have negative interaction for people with glaucoma, anxiety issues, high blood pressure, and more. Other ADHD drugs and medication options that don't involve stimulants include Strattera which boosts the level of neropinephrine rather than dopamine. The effect is longer lasting than stimulants. However, there are also some side effects like headache, nausea, dizziness, abdominal pain, and the most serious side effect in some cases, an increase in suicidal thoughts. This is especially true for children with ADHD that is characterized by depression and anxiety. Like stimulants, Strattera can also cause insomnia and suppress appetite. Other medication options include high blood pressure medication as well as antidepressants. It's important to work closely with a doctor during the duration of using medication. Not only will it help in making sure that the dosage and the kind of medication used is effective, it also helps to monitor if there's any negative interaction to the patient and make changes to the prescription as necessary.
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