ADD and Treatment
ADD and treatment is often connected to problems at school, home or at work. The psychiatric disorder may be difficult for doctors to diagnose and treat.
The psychiatric condition is often referred to as attention hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. Mental health professionals use the SPECT brain imaging method to determine ADHD.
The symptoms include being easily distracted, forgetful, and unorganized. Medications such as stimulants and antidepressants can ease the symptoms.
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 show that people suffering from this type can maintain normal levels of activity during concentration and rest in the prefrontal cortex, however, they have less activity in their cerebellum and the basal ganglia. These areas are responsible for the production of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for motivation, calmness and concentration. People with this type have a difficult to focus their attention, are easily distracted by the noise or other stimuli and have shorter attention spans. They also have difficulty sleeping and frequently wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety or nightmares. They often feel overwhelmed by emotions and possess a short fuse, becoming quickly frustrated with tasks and easily angered.
Ring of Fire ADD is distinguished by all the typical ADD symptoms however, it also has the difficulty of shifting their focus from one thought to the next and shifting their focus from one task to the next. They are sensitive to noise, light and even touch. They talk too fast and are indecisive. They have periods of moodiness 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's different than depression because it is associated with increased activity in the limbic part of the brain (the part that determines our emotional tone and controls the level of happiness or sadness we feel) and reduces activity in the prefrontal cortex at both rest and during concentration. It can be treated by supplements such as L tryptophan (5-HTP), saffron and inositol, which improve alertness, mood and clarity. adult adhd treatment is also helpful to slow neural activity, preventing nerve cells from firing irregularly or too frequently.
It is important to distinguish between ADD and mood disorders like Bipolar Disorder, which can cause frustration, irritability, and poor self-esteem. The distinction is that ADD with Limbic Symptoms is more prone to constant irritability and frustration over time, whereas Bipolar Disorder symptoms tend to appear in waves.
Overfocused ADD
Overfocused ADD sufferers are often caught in negative patterns of thoughts and behaviors that cause excessive worrying. This is because they exhibit rigid behaviors similar to people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). They may become emotionally upset when asked to switch their attention between different activities, and they may react with oppositional or argumentative behavior.
These people are likely to have an inability to keep their cool and their anger stems from a chronic depression or low-grade sadness "glass half-empty syndrome," and often feeling of despair and a sense of worthlessness. They may also experience difficulties learning, have memory issues, or have extreme anger and aggression.
People who have hyper-focused ADD may be rigid when it comes to changing tasks and become engrossed in their job or pastime. They are more likely to miss deadlines at work, and forgetting appointments at home, and may not complete homework or other school assignments. They can also be very resistant and angry when they are disciplined or punished by their teacher or parents.
Children with hyperfocused ADD can be irritable and stubborn, and they might throw temper tantrums when their needs are not being recognized. They may be obsessed with a particular activity such as toys and video games. They also have trouble expressing their emotions and may be extremely sensitive to rejection or criticism.
This kind of ADD is difficult to diagnose, especially in children. Children who exhibit this behavior are often unable to comprehend the cause of their problems. due to the inability of them to shift their focus from one task to the next. This is why it's important to seek help from an expert, as these youngsters are more likely to be misdiagnosed by family doctors and even psychologists. This kind of ADD can be treated with dietary modifications, supplements, and cognitive-behavioral therapies. This type of ADD is difficult to treat, even with stimulant medication due to the fact that it can cause hyperactivity. Functional neuroimaging is a method to differentiate between the seven types of ADD. It is especially useful in diagnosing overfocused ADD.
Anxious ADD
Many people with ADD have high levels of anxiety. Comorbidity, also known as having multiple disorders simultaneously, is common and affects as much as half of those with ADD/ADHD. Stress and anxiety may mimic the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. Incorrect diagnosis can result in inadequate treatment and frustration.
Anxious ADD can cause issues with school, work, and social situations. This kind of ADD can cause underperformance and feelings of being unsatisfactory. People who suffer from anxiety ADD avoid difficult tasks or activities because they fear they won't succeed.
They are also afraid of being judged or critiqued. They also hide their issues from others. In some instances, people are so anxious and stressed that they experience panic attacks. These panic attacks can be extremely severe and life-threatening. They cause an increase in heart rate sweating, breathing difficulties and difficulty. Anxious ADD is different from Classic ADD because it has an increased activity in the basal ganglia, as well as the amygdala. These areas are instinctive and focus on security. This shuts down the PFC and can make it difficult for people with ADD to focus.
If someone with ADD/ADHD has anxiety the symptoms are typically more difficult to manage than those of a person who isn't suffering from anxiety. This is because treatment plans for ADD/ADHD, which are designed to stimulate the brain can increase anxiety in those who suffer from anxiety ADD by reducing activity in their PFC.
Psychiatrists at Amen Clinics use functional neuroimaging techniques, such as SPECT scanning to discover where in the brain there are high and/or low levels of activity. This helps them differentiate between the seven types and determine the best treatment.
To diagnose ADD/ADHD, a psychiatrist collects a full medical history and performs a physical exam. In addition, he or might ask questions regarding the patient's mood and behavior to evaluate the overall health of a patient. Sometimes, medications are prescribed to treat the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. However, in most cases patients also need other therapies, including cognitive behavior therapy and diet, exercise sleep strategies, and desensitization. This can improve their ability to control their emotions and their overall function.
Temporal Lobe ADD
This kind of ADD involves the brain's temporal lobe, which is responsible for mood and memory. People suffering from this kind of ADD struggle to learn and store information and experience mood swings and have extreme anger or aggression issues. They might also experience sensory issues, such as experiencing deja vu when objects or shadows change form or hearing sounds that other people don't hear. They can be extremely sensitive and irritable and are often overstimulated by certain things, such as computer screens or crowds.
This type of ADD has the same symptoms as Classic ADD. These include short attention spans and disorganization. It also presents with difficulty staying on task or following directions. This kind of ADD does not cause excessive impulsivity or hyperactivity. This type of ADD is more common in women. People with this type of ADD may suffer from low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine which contributes to their feelings of depression and low self-regulation. The symptoms can include sleep problems and feelings of irritability or anxiety.
In this instance QEEG scans of the ADD brain show that those with over-focused ADD are experiencing difficulties shifting gears. They show normal activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (the brain's "gearshifter"). They are not able to move from one thought or task to another, and become stuck in negative thinking patterns and behavior.
This is a type of ADD where people can be highly motivated and productive, but they tend to get easily distracted by non-essential or unimportant tasks. They can lose track of their school work, and their parents or teachers are often annoyed or ashamed of their behavior. They may have difficulty in relationships due to their tendency to be impulsive and reactive. They also have difficulty multitasking and working with others. In some cases they may experience anxiety or depression. They are susceptible to panic attacks and susceptible to hallucinations. Medications are not usually recommended for this type of ADD as it doesn't tackle the root cause of the symptoms.