style="font-size:15px;"> criteria was originally intended for diagnosis of ADHD in children,
but later on, the same was also followed for adults.
At least 6 of following symptoms need to be present to consider an adult of ADHD:
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Hyperactivity and/or impulsiveness
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Forgetfulness
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Easily distracted or improper attention
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Inattentiveness
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Frequent mistakes
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Lack of concentration or focus
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Inattentiveness towards a person in direct conversation
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Cannot properly or timely complete tasks
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Cannot follow instructions
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Cannot properly organize activities or tasks
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Avoid tasks requiring substantial thought
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Misplace important things
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Tendency to fidget with the hands or feet, or squirm while
seated
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Leave room when expected to sit
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Act inappropriately in certain situations
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Problems doing activities silently
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Seems to be full of energy, and tends to be moving all the
time.
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Speaks excessively
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Tendency to utter answers before a question is complete
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Cannot wait patiently in relaxed manner, tends to show
irritation
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Tendency to interfere or interrupt in other people's
conversations
Besides the 6 symptoms from the above list, an individual adult with ADHD can show additional characteristics or symptoms that include:
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Hyperactive, impulsive or inattentive symptoms present
before the age of seven that might have caused injury in the past
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Different behavior at childhood compared to other children of
the same age without ADHD
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Have had the symptoms for at least 6 months
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Symptoms may have jeopardized relationships, life at school,
home and/or work
The doctor may look carefully about relationships with family and
performance at school or work, and may consider other symptoms,
that are best visualized by the doctor's experience.
DRUGS AND TREATMENTS
There is no single treatment that can cure a person of ADHD.
Treatments commonly administered include psychological counseling
and/or medication. Depending upon the patient, therapy and
medication are usually provided together to get the best outcome.
MEDICATIONS
Psycho-stimulants are the most typical medications prescribed for
ADHD. These stimulant medications appear to balance and boost the
neurotransmitters levels in the brain.
The objectives of the medications for ADHD are mainly targeted to
treat hyperactivity and inattention. The effects of the drugs can wear-off quickly if taken for a short time. In addition, the dose would vary between patients, so it may take time to find the most suitable dosage for an individual.
Some popular stimulants used to treat ADHD are:
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Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse)
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Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)
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Dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall)
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Methylphenidate (Metadate, Daytrana, Concerta, Ritalin)
The effect of stimulant drugs can be either be short or long acting.
Short acting can last up to four hours, while long acting can last from 6 to 12 hours.
Methylphenidate is a drug that comes in a patch (like Band-Aid or
Nicotine patch), and it can be easily worn on the hip. The medication is gradually released in the body through the skin, and that lasts for about 9 hours. It can take up to 3 hours for the effect of medication to be felt, and it is not to be frequently taken (follow the advice of
doctor).
Like other medications, the stimulants come with side effects. The
person can observe abdominal pain, liver problems, nausea, elevated
pulse,
