Non drug treatments for ADHD

Source: Harvard Health

Some doctors are hesitant to prescribe ADHD medications to adults, especially older adults, who have a greater risk of drug interactions. If the impact of ADHD is minor, a doctor may instead advise treatments that don't involve medications:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Emotional therapy
• Neurofeedback

Cognitive behavioral therapy

ADHD may have a particularly serious impact on a certain part of life, such as job performance. A therapist can help work on areas that need special attention. One widely used approach is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This type of psychotherapy helps people change negative thought patterns into positive, healthier ways of thinking. The idea is that if you change the way you think about a situation, your feelings and behaviors can change, too. For example, CBT may help change "all or nothing" thinking, in which in many people with ADHD tend to think that their accomplishments must be either perfect or a failure.

Emotional therapy

ADHD is not just about paying attention in conversations and in meetings. ADHD can lead to frequent emotional ups and downs, which can ham-per relationships and everyday activities. Just waiting in line can make a person with ADHD quite irritable. So can minor setbacks, such as having a project not turn out quite right or having a boss who changes deadlines or who demands more work at the last minute. It may help to find a psychiatrist or another type of therapist and meet regularly to discuss your symptoms and any challenges or successes in your life.

It's also common for adults with ADHD to have other mental health conditions. An estimated 50% of adults with ADHD, for example, also have an anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Having ADHD along with another condition can severely interfere with daily functioning.

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a form of treatment that teaches you how to regulate your brain waves in an effort to enhance brain function and mental well-being. Brain activity is monitored through a machine called an electroencephalograph. Brain signals pass from one or more leads placed on your head to a computer, which translates the brain signals into a video or audio display.

People with ADHD often have excessive slow-wave activity in frontal leads, indicating reduced frontal brain activity. Through neurofeedback, you can learn to do tasks that may enhance the function of the prefrontal cortex by suppressing slow-wave activity and increasing higher (that is, faster) frequencies.

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