For some people, having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can feel like being trapped in a turbocharged video game, with little chance to win. The challenges—like distraction, absentmindedness, impulsiveness, and forgetfulness—often feel powerful, constantly blocking your progress. You might see the next level, but just can't get there. Frustration, exhaustion, and even hopelessness and depression can follow. But what if you had a plan to help you cope with ADHD symptoms and get to the next level?
ADHD treatment can offer you that path to success.
There are a variety of treatment approaches for ADHD, including medication, counseling (individual, marriage/family, or behavioral) and education. While no single method is right for everyone with ADHD, the right combination can minimize ADHD symptoms and help you work around them. Here are five benefits ADHD treatment can bring:
Focus and clarity
Medication is the most common treatment option for ADHD. It's also the most effective. It works for more than three-quarters of people with ADHD who take it by increasing mental focus and making them less prone to distractions.
"When medication works, it's as dramatic and as effective as eyeglasses," says Edward Hallowell, MD, author of Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most Out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder. Keep in mind that subtle adjustments in your ADHD medications can make a big difference, so there might be some back and forth between you and your healthcare provider (HCP) to find the most effective drug and dosage for you.
Self-awareness and self-esteem
If your talents and strengths have been overshadowed by symptoms and side effects of ADHD, psychotherapy and counseling can help change that. Therapy for ADHD can help you let go of bad feelings about yourself, shift your focus to your strengths, and find ways to capitalize on the things you do best.
"Try to get rid of the negativity that may have infested your system if you have lived for years without knowing what you had was ADHD," says John J. Ratey, MD, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and coauthor of Delivered from Distraction. "A good psychotherapist may help in this regard."
Stronger relationships
Troubled relationships are common among adults with unmanaged ADHD, says Kevin R. Murphy, PhD, president of the Adult ADHD Clinic of Central Massachusetts. Many spouses of people with ADHD become exasperated by their partners' difficulty with staying focused, planning, and following through. Couples may try to work out their issues, but until the ADHD is identified and effectively managed, problems often persist. Once ADHD diagnosis and treatment happens, couples can begin working through the issues to bolster their relationship.
"There needs to be a shared responsibility and an understanding that this is a family issue, not just the patient's issue," Murphy says.
Better physical and mental health
Left untreated, ADHD can pose threats to your health. Depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder are three conditions ADHD treatment can help you avoid. Psychiatrists believe that the mounting frustrations and disappointments of living with untreated adult ADHD raise your risk of these mental health problems as well as antisocial personality disorder. Better impulse control—another benefit of ADHD treatment—can also contribute to your health and well-being by making you less likely to engage in risky behavior, such as reckless driving and substance abuse.
Better financial health
Impulsiveness—a classic ADHD symptom—can lead to overspending and debt. Inattention and forgetfulness can lead to lost bills and late payments. Adult ADHD symptoms can also wreak havoc on your job or career.
Getting a handle on your symptoms through coaching and behavior management strategies can help you gain control of your financial life. Understanding your symptoms—and the secret strengths that often come from having ADHD—can help you find work that allows you to capitalize on your intellectual or creative potential.
Creating the right ADHD treatment plan can take time, so be sure to find a healthcare team that is experienced in adult ADHD. Working with people you like, trust, and can communicate with will give you the power to be a winner in your own real-life video game.
As Robert Jergen, author of The Little Monster: Growing Up With ADHD, put it: "ADHD is like being a superhero, but somebody needs to teach you how to fly."
