ADD and Treatment
ADD and its treatment are often associated with problems at work, school or home. The psychiatric condition isn't easy to identify and manage.
The psychiatric condition is often referred to as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD. Mental health experts diagnose ADHD with SPECT brain scans.
Symptoms include being easily distracted, forgetful, and disorganized. Antidepressants and stimulants can help.
Limbic ADD
The most common form of ADD, also known as classic ADD or hyperactive-impulsive ADD, is characterized by inattention, a lack of organizational skills, difficulty staying on task, and trouble with memory. Brain scans reveal that those suffering from this type can maintain normal activity during concentration and at rest in the prefrontal cortex, however, they have less activity in their cerebellum as well as the basal ganglia. These areas help produce dopamine, which is the neurotransmitter responsible for motivation, calmness and focus. People with this type have a hard to focus their attention and are easily distracted by noise and other stimuli, and have short attention spans. They have trouble falling asleep, and often awake in the middle of the night, battling anxiety. They are often overwhelmed by emotions and possess an impulsive personality, getting easily frustrated and easily annoyed.
Ring of Fire ADD is defined by all the standard ADD symptoms, but also by a difficulty in shifting their attention between thoughts and shifting their focus from one task to the next. They are sensitive to light, sound, and touch. adult treatment for adhd talk too fast and are impulsive. They can experience periods of agitation and low energy, are quick to anger and are prone to relapse into negative thoughts and guilt.
Limbic ADD can be confused with depression, but it is distinct from depression because it causes increased activity in the limbic portion of the brain (the area that sets our mood and determines the level of happiness or sadness we feel) and decreases activity in the prefrontal cortex both rest and during concentration. It can be treated by supplements like L tryptophan (5-HTP) along with saffron, inositol that increase alertness, mood and mental clarity. Amino acid GABA can also be helpful to calm neural activity, inhibiting nerve cells from firing in a erratic manner or too frequently.
It is important to differentiate between ADD and mood disorders like Bipolar Disorder, which can cause irritability and frustration and low self-esteem. The difference is that ADD with Limbic Symptoms has a more constant level of anger and frustration over time, while Bipolar Disorder symptoms tend to appear in waves.
Overfocused ADD
Overfocused ADD sufferers often get stuck in negative thoughts and behavior that cause excessive worrying. They exhibit rigid behavior patterns similar to the ones of people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which is the reason it's often incorrectly diagnosed. They are often frightened emotionally when they are asked to shift their attention from one task to the next and react with a threatening or hostile behavior.
adult adhd treatments are often irritable and their irritability may be caused by a low-grade chronic sadness or negativity. They may also experience difficulties learning, experience memory issues, or experience severe anger and aggression.
People who have hyper-focused ADD are not flexible when they have to change tasks, and could be captivated by their work or hobbies. They are prone to missing deadlines at work and not remembering appointments at home, and they might not finish homework or other school assignments. They could also be stubborn and resentful when they are disapproved of by their teachers or parents.
Children with hyperfocused ADD can be irritable and stubborn, and can throw temper tantrums if their needs are not being accepted. They can be obsessive about specific toys, activities and video games. They may also have trouble communicating their feelings and are very sensitive to rejection or criticism.
This type of ADD is more prevalent in children and can be difficult to identify. Children who exhibit this type of behavior may have difficulty understanding the cause of their problems. by an inability to change their focus from one task to another. This is why it's essential to seek the help of an expert, since these youngsters are more likely to be misdiagnosed by family doctors and even psychologists. This type of ADD is usually treated with diet changes, supplements, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. This kind of ADD is extremely difficult to treat even with stimulant medications as it can cause the intensity of hyperactivity. Functional neuroimaging can be used to differentiate between the seven kinds of ADD. It is especially useful in diagnosing overfocused ADD.
Anxious ADD
Many people with ADD suffer from high levels of anxiety. Comorbidity, which is having multiple disorders simultaneously is a common problem and can affect up to half of people with ADD/ADHD. Stress and anxiety may mimic the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. Incorrect diagnosis can cause unsuitable treatment and anger.
Anxious ADD can cause problems with work, school, and social situations. This kind of ADD could cause low performance and feelings of being unsatisfactory. People with anxiety ADD are hesitant to take on difficult tasks or events because they are afraid they won't be successful.
They also fear being criticised or being judged. They are afraid of being judged or criticised. others. These people can be so anxious and stressed that they experience panic attacks. These panic attacks can be severe and life-threatening. They cause heart pounding sweating, breathing difficulties and difficulty. Contrary to Classic ADD, those with Anxious ADD are more active in their basal ganglia as well as the amygdala, which operate on an instinctual basis and place a high priority on safety. This can shut down the PFC and can make it difficult for those with this condition to focus.
If someone suffering from ADHD or ADD has anxiety their symptoms are generally more difficult to treat than those of someone who isn't suffering from anxiety. This is due to treatments for ADD/ADHD, that are designed to stimulate brain activity, can increase anxiety in people who have anxious ADD.
Amen Clinic psychiatrists employ functional neuroimaging, such as SPECT scans to identify where in the brain high and/or lower levels of activity are found. This allows them to differentiate between the seven kinds of ADD and determine the best treatment for each person.
To determine if a patient has ADD/ADHD, a psychiatrist gathers a complete medical history and conducts an examination. They may also inquire about mood and behavior to assess the patient's overall performance. Some medications are used to treat ADD/ADHD, but in most cases, patients need other therapies too, including cognitive behavioral therapy, nutrition and exercise, strategies for sleep, desensitization and other techniques to relax. This can improve their ability to manage their emotions and improve their overall performance.
Temporal Lobe ADD
This kind of ADD affects the temporal lobe of the brain which is responsible for memory and mood. This kind of ADD is characterized by a difficulty in learning and storing information, mood instability and severe anger or aggressive issues. They also suffer from a variety of sensory issues, such as feeling like they've experienced deja vu, or seeing shadows or objects changing shapes, and hearing sounds other people can't hear. They can be irritable, sensitive and easily overstimulated.
This kind of ADD has similar symptoms to Classic ADD. These include low attention spans and disorganization. It also has difficulty staying on task or following instructions. However, this type of ADD doesn't cause hyperactivity or impulsivity. This kind of ADD occurs more often in women. People with this type of ADD may suffer from low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine which can lead to feelings of depression and low self-regulation. Symptoms include difficulty sleeping, anger and anxiety.
In this instance, qEEG scans of the ADD brain show that those with Overfocused ADD are experiencing difficulties shifting gears. They show normal activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (the brain's "gearshifter"). They are unable to move from one thought or task to the next and are stuck in negative thoughts and behavior.
This is a type of ADD that is characterized by people who are extremely motivated and hardworking but tend not to pay attention to important tasks. They can get lost and become embarrassed or tired by their behavior. They may have a difficult time in relationships because they can be hyper-active or reactive, and have difficulty with multitasking or working with other people. In certain situations, they can be depressed or anxious. They are susceptible to panic attacks and susceptible to hallucinations. Medications are typically not recommended for this type of ADD as it doesn't address the root cause of the symptoms.