The Best Overall Treatment for ADHD
Shortly after being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or even before diagnosing, the question arises of how to treat it. Usually, this is a discussion that a person will have with the doctor that is diagnosing him. However, it is good to know the options available for people with ADHD. In truth, there is no one treatment that is the best for ADHD. The best treatment is one that combines several of them into one treatment plan.
Author's Note:
For the purposes of this article the term ADHD is used to talk about all three subtypes of the disorder including primarily inattentive, which is often referred to as Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD.
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Multimodal Approach
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About 10 years ago, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) sponsored a study to help determine the best treatment for ADHD. The study had four groups: medication alone; behavioral treatment alone; combination of medication and behavioral treatment (multimodal); and routine community care (the control group). What the study found, and what most ADHD experts agree with, is that the best treatment approach is the multimodal approach. In other words, one treatment is not the best. It is much better to combine several treatments.
Which Treatments are Best
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When looking at the different types of medication and behavioral treatments available for people with ADHD, there is no way to say one is better than than the other. Medications include stimulants, such as Ritalin and Adderall, and nonstimulants, such as Strattera and antidepressants. Only a physician who has experience prescribing and monitoring these medications should make this determination. The same goes for behavioral treatments such as parent training or group therapy. As each person with ADHD is unique and has different problem areas, each person will need different therapies.
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Medication Alone Does Not Work
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A common statement in the ADHD community is "Pills do not teach skills." This phrase is designed to remind people that ADHD medication is not a magic cure all for ADHD. No matter how good the drugs are, they won't fix everything. Other treatments are necessary for anyone with ADHD to reduce the negatives and accentuate the positives of having ADHD.
Education is Essential
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If you don't know what is wrong, how can you fix it? Education is an essential part of any multimodal treatment for ADHD. Not only will education provide a sense of peace that comes with knowing that others have experienced (and survived) similar problems, but it also gives people with ADHD a chance to learn from them.
Treat the Body and the Mind
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Medication and therapy will help the person's mind, but that does not mean the body can be neglected. Eating a good diet and getting plenty of exercise are also essential part of the multimodal treatment plan. Although there are several "ADHD diets" that are believed to work, simply eating healthy and reducing sweets will help. (Sugar does not cause ADHD, but it does not help it either.) Cardiovascular exercise is also beneficial.
Alternative Treatments
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There is an explosion of all sorts of alternative treatments from biofeedback to tuning forks. Since most of the alternative treatments for ADHD have yet to be proved either effective or ineffective by long-term scientific studies, a person should regard them with a degree of skepticism and one hand firmly on the checkbook. Also, talk to your doctor before beginning any alternative treatment to ensure that the treatment does not affect treatments already prescribed for ADHD.
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