How We Treat ADHD
The Arroyos approaches the treatment of adult attention/deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from an interdisciplinary approach. Adult patients with ADHD have been suffering from this condition since childhood. Many adult ADHD patients are in denial about their condition, minimize the disorder, or have deep-seated feelings of shame, inadequacy, or failure that make it difficult to address the underlying ADHD condition. Helping the patient to acknowledge the ADHD and start to change their self-concept from failure and inadequacy to coping with a psychological and biological disorder that is not their fault is a cornerstone of the Arroyos approach to treating adult ADHD.
Research shows that the combination of medication and psychotherapy often results in the best outcomes for the treatment of adult ADHD. Our clinical psychologists and psychiatrists work together as a team to find the right interdisciplinary approach to help you cope with the complications of ADHD in your life, regain a sense of self-esteem, and create new goals so that you can live your life well.
Diagnosing Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
By definition, ABy definition, ADHD symptoms must be present by age 12. Your Arroyos clinician will talk with you to obtain a clear history of when your symptoms began, how they were expressed, and in what ways they interfered with your functioning. We will also give you some questionnaires and psychological tests to help us understand your condition better. With your permission, we may want to speak to your parents and loved ones to get a broader perspective on your history of symptoms and current difficulties in functioning.
Problems with attention are a symptom, not a diagnosis. Other psychological and medical conditions can cause attentional problems. Moreover, patients with ADHD often have other psychiatric disorders as well. For this reason, your Arroyos treatment team will assess you for other mental health diagnoses that may cause problems with attention, such as anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, and drug and alcohol problems to determine whether ADHD is the correct diagnosis or the only diagnosis. It is of the utmost importance that we do our best to give you an accurate, and comprehensive, diagnosis to best plan your treatment.DHD symptoms must be present by age 12. Your Arroyos clinician will work with you to obtain
Types of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
There are three subtypes of ADHD – predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive/impulsive, and combined presentation (both inattentive and hyperactive). While children can have any of these three types of ADHD, hyperactive and impulsive symptoms tend to resolve as a child gets older. For this reason, most adults with ADHD present with the inattentive subtype.
ADHD patients with the inattentive subtype experience several of the following symptoms in at least two settings over at least a six-month period, beginning before the age of 12:
- Failing to give close attention to details
- Difficulty sustaining attention in tasks
- Difficulty listening when spoken to directly
- Often does not complete work assignments, chores, or projects
- Often has problems with organizing activities and tasks
- Has difficulty committing to tasks requiring sustained mental effort
- Often loses things required for activities and tasks
- Is easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli
- Often forgetful in day-to-day activities
These symptoms interfere with social, occupational, or academic functioning, and are not caused by another psychological problem, drugs or alcohol, or a medical condition.
Psychotherapy for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Psychotherapy for ADHD involves helping the patient accept the diagnosis of ADHD and then formulating a plan to address the condition. In the early stages of treatment, the patient is given psychoeducation about the condition to help them understand that ADHD is a neurobiological condition. Treatment usually will be most effective if the patient is prescribed medication that help correct an inherent chemical imbalance that will allow them to focus their attention effectively. As the patient experiences the benefits of medication, psychotherapy helps to develop better organizational skills, addressing self-esteem issues, and focuses on learning complex social skills. Adults with ADHD often have very low self-esteem and need to discuss their self-image and self-concept and past failure experiences that have been shaming and traumatic.
Couples and family therapy may also be beneficial to address conflicts and issues that may arise as a result of the impairments and difficulties caused by untreated ADHD. Issues around finances, inability to sustain personal responsibilities or sustain a career, interpersonal conflicts, substance abuse issues, and other psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and depression may have taken a toll on parents, spouses, and children. Couples and family therapy can help address these concerns to improve family functioning and help the patient improve the quality of their interpersonal relationships.
Medications for ADHD
Your psychiatrist will work closely with you and your psychologist to select the right medication program for you. Pharmacogenomic testing through The Arroyos laboratory service may be recommended to better match your medications with your genetic profile. There are several classes of medications used to treat ADHD. The choice of which class of medication, brand, and dose is made between you and your psychiatrist. If you have a history of substance abuse, your psychiatrist will select medicines that have a low potential for addiction. Psychopharmacology is a complex process, and you may have to try more than one type of medication before you find the right prescription plan to treat your condition. Research shows that for many adult patients, the best outcomes are achieved with a combination of medications and psychotherapy. Your treatment team will regularly consult to maximize the coordination of your psychiatric and psychological care at The Arroyos.
How to Help a Loved One
If you have a loved one who is suffering from ADHD, it is important to talk with them right away about your concerns. They may be embarrassed about their condition, have difficulty putting their feelings into words, feel hopeless or worthless, or be preoccupied with feelings of guilt shame. They may be suffering from other conditions as well, such as depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol abuse, or bipolar disorder. Let them know that you care and that you are confident that they can feel better if they speak to a trained professional. Please call us if they are willing to schedule an intake appointment. If they are unwilling or unable to get help, they may need to be hospitalized. If they are expressing thoughts of hurting themselves or someone else, this is an emergency. Call 911 or take them to the nearest emergency room.