ADHD treatment

What are the most effective ADHD treatments?

For someone with ADHD, medication is typically an important aspect of treatment. It is, however, a difficult decision to make. You and your doctor will collaborate to determine whether medication is an appropriate treatment option. If this is the case, talk to your doctor about whether you require medication simply during school or work hours, or also throughout the evenings and weekends. You and your doctor will also decide on the appropriate medication for you. Stimulants and nonstimulants are the two main categories of ADHD drugs.

Stimulants for the central nervous system

Stimulants of the central nervous system (CNS) are the most widely given type of ADHD medication. These medications act by boosting the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Stimulants like these have a strange relaxing impact on those with ADHD. Many people notice a decrease in hyperactivity and an increase in attention span as a result of this. The effect helps you focus and increases your concentration. The following are some of the most common CNS stimulants used to treat ADHD:

stimulants based on amphetamine (Adderall, Dexedrine, DextroStat)

  • dextromethamphetamine is a kind of dextromethamphetamine (Desoxyn)

  • dexmethylphenidate is a kind of dexmethylphenidate that is (Focalin)

  • Methylphenidate is a kind of methylphenidate (Concerta, Daytrana, Metadate, Ritalin)

Medication that isn't stimulating

When stimulants haven't worked for your ADHD or produce difficult-to-manage side effects, your doctor may recommend nonstimulant drugs. Nonstimulant medicines function by boosting norepinephrine levels in the brain. Norepinephrine is thought to aid memory and attention.

The following are examples of nonstimulant treatments:

  • atomoxetine is a drug that is used to treat a variety of (Strattera)

  • nortriptyline and other antidepressants (Pamelor)

Other nonstimulant drugs may also be beneficial in the treatment of ADHD. It's unclear how these medications help with ADHD, but there's some evidence that they improve the way specific chemicals in the brain that control attention and memory work.

Nonstimulants include the following:

  • guanfacine is a kind of guanfacine that is (Intuniv)

  • Clonidine is a drug that is used to treat clon (Kapvay)

  • Potential stimulant and nonstimulant side effects

Despite the fact that ADHD drugs have certain adverse effects, your doctor can work with you to determine the proper dosage. The most common stimulant and nonstimulant side effects are very similar, albeit stimulants have a larger effect.

The following are some of the possible adverse effects:

  • headache

  • sleeping problems

  • stomach ache

  • nervousness

  • irritability

  • slimming down

  • mouth that is dry

These drug classes' more serious adverse effects are fairly uncommon. The following are some of the more dangerous stimulant adverse effects:

  • Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't there) are a type of hallucination.

  • blood pressure has risen

  • response to allergen

  • suicidal ideation or behavior

The following are some of the more serious negative effects of nonstimulants:

  • seizures

  • suicidal ideation or behavior