Treatment for ADHD and Executive Function Disorder
Start Living Your Life to Your Full Potential
If you or someone you love is struggling with ADHD, then he, she or you are probably have trouble screening out ideas or external stimuli that are unrelated to whatever it is you’re trying to focus on at a given moment.
And if that sounds at all familiar, then I’ll try to keep this as brief and helpful as possible!
“Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder” is actually a rather misleading name for a neurobiological disorder that is, in fact, NOT about a deficit of attention.
Rather, ADHD has to do with an inability to CONTROL one’s attention: starting it up, directing it, shifting it, and maintaining it amid competing attractions and distractions, and despite waning energy and enthusiasm.
This is why another, more descriptive and appropriate term for the same issue is executive function disorder.
And just to be clear, while ADHD is one of the more commonly diagnosed mental disorders in young people, ADHD also affects countless adults, as well.
So, whether you’re a teen or adult who’s grappling with ADHD or executive function disorder, you’re far from alone.
Unfortunately, many adults who’re struggling with ADHD or executive function disorder remain undiagnosed.
To make matters worse, many adults with ADHD or executive function disorder are reluctant to explore the possibility that they have the condition, fearing regret or a need to completely overhaul the structures and habits that, however troublesome, are at least familiar to them.
As an ADHD therapist, I get it.
I can’t tell you the number of times adult clients have said to me something along the lines of, “Well, I’ve gotten along all right so far …”
They simply don’t realize how much more they can achieve, and how their lives can dramatically improve, once they get the help they need and deserve!
Diagnosing ADHD and Executive Function Disorder
Of course, we all experience difficulties concentrating from time to time …
So, how can you tell if you or someone you love is truly struggling with ADHD?
Unfortunately, diagnosing ADHD and executive function disorder takes an ADHD therapist or other professional with specific experience, as well as a bit of time.
In order to qualify for a diagnosis, ADHD must have affected your life for a significant period of time, as well as negatively affect your life in serious ways.
That being said, if you think you may be struggling with ADHD, you likely have problems with:
- Inattention – A generally short attention span and difficulty paying attention to others.
- Impulsivity – Often interrupt others or do things without thinking through the consequences.
- Hyperactivity – A seeming need to always be doing something, regardless of whether or not that “something” moves you closer to a specific goal.
If you believe you have ADHD, in your first sessions I’ll ask you questions about your childhood, your parents, other family members, and your experiences in school, work, and your relationships, in order to create a complete picture that will screen out other diagnostic possibilities, such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, hormone imbalances, and other physical and psychological issues.
And if it turns out you do have ADHD, don’t worry … help is available!
Working with an ADHD Therapist: Get the Help You Need and Deserve
Fortunately, several treatment options are available that can help anyone who’s wrestling with ADHD or executive function disorder …
As a board certified psychiatrist and ADHD therapist, I’ve been helping clients with ADHD for the better part of the past three decades, and have found the best treatment for ADHD is typically a combination of medication and psychotherapy that includes some coaching.
1. Medication – The neurotransmitters dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) fire inefficiently in those with ADHD.
Accordingly, just as certain medications help restore the effective functioning of serotonin to help alleviate depression, stimulant medications have been shown to help DA and NE functioning and alleviate ADHD symptoms. In fact, stimulants work amazingly well for about 80% of those who try them. They do not stay in the body long and can be taken on days when focused attention is needed, and not on other days, such as on weekends.
Well-designed research studies have shown no long-term ill effects, and these medications do not reduce creativity. However, stimulants can improve your ability to screen out irrelevant matters when focusing on a specific task, as well as decrease your emotional reactivity and the impulsive actions that result.
Please note that, while I can prescribe these medications to patients, I can only provide ADHD meds to people I’ve seen in person, at least once.
2. Professional Counseling and Psychotherapy – While medication can help you overcome the symptoms of ADHD, you’ll likely also need some help with concrete suggestions to overcome issues such as organization and time management difficulties. This is where some form of coaching comes into play.
And some form of counseling and psychotherapy can not only be extremely helpful in coming to terms with and accepting the diagnosis and the changes that treatment will bring, but also help you move past the no-longer-relevant thinking patterns that can hinder your progress.
Discovering that the issues you’ve been struggling with aren’t your fault can call for a major mental reorganization of the way you see yourself. You may need to mourn for the years of under-achievement, the relationships that went awry, or the parenting you couldn’t do as fully as you might have wished. But at last it will all make sense and you can learn acceptance, which is a prerequisite for moving forward in life with confidence and optimism.
Most people with ADHD are extremely bright and creative and have an incredible amount to offer the world … they just can’t seem to get their lives organized and functioning smoothly, despite all of their creativity and intelligence.
As an ADHD therapist, psychiatrist and father, I know how difficult it can be. Two of my children struggled with ADHD, which is one of the reasons I’m so passionate about helping people work through these issues.
I also know first hand that ADHD treatment and professional help overcoming executive function disorder is available … and it works.
Of course, this doesn’t mean it will necessarily be easy.
Creating change takes work. It can be stressful, and it’s something that’s much easier to do in a supportive therapeutic relationship.
It’s not easy to switch off a lifetime of thinking about yourself as inadequate or messed up. But you’ll soon find that you do NOT need to keep feeling embarrassed or ashamed, and you no longer need to keep struggling or settling for less than your full potential.
So, if you believe you or someone you love is struggling with ADHD, I encourage you to contact me, today, and schedule an appointment. I look forward to speaking with you and helping you create the relationships and life you truly love.