ADD and Treatment
ADD and treatment is often connected to problems at home, school or at work. The psychiatric disorder may be difficult for doctors to diagnose and treat.
The psychiatric condition is commonly known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. Mental health professionals diagnose ADHD using SPECT brain images.
Symptoms of typical ADD include being easily distracted, forgetful, and disorganized. The use of stimulants and antidepressants may 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 of ADD are able to 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 help produce dopamine, an important neurotransmitter that is that is responsible for motivation, calmness, and focus. People with this type have a difficult time shifting their attention and are easily distracted by the noise or other stimuli and have shorter attention spans. They are unable to fall asleep, and often wake up in the middle of the night, battling anxiety. They can be easily annoyed and are often angry.
People suffering from Ring of Fire ADD have all the symptoms of classic ADD However, they also have difficulty shifting their focus from thought to thought and from task to task. They are sensitive to noise, light, and touch and they talk too fast and are impulsive and easily triggered into mean behaviour. They can experience periods of agitation and fatigue, are easily angered, and get stuck on negative thoughts and guilty feelings.
It is possible to confuse the symptoms of limbic ADD with depression. However, it is different in that it boosts activity in the limbic part of the brain at rest and when concentrating. It can be treated with supplements like L tryptophan (5-HTP) along with saffron, inositol, which improve alertness, mood and clarity. Amino acid GABA is also helpful to calm neural activity, inhibiting nerve cells from firing irregularly or too frequently.
It is crucial to differentiate between ADD and mood disorders such as Bipolar Disorder, which also can cause irritability, frustration, and poor self-esteem. The difference between ADD with Limbic Symptoms and Bipolar Disorder is that ADD is more consistent in its level of irritability that lasts over time. Bipolar Disorder tends to exhibit symptoms that appear in waves.
Overfocused ADD
Overfocused ADD sufferers tend to get stuck in negative thoughts and behavior that cause excessive worry. This is due to rigid behaviors that are similar to those suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). People with OCD are often threatened emotionally when they are required to shift their attention from one activity to another and respond with argumentative or oppositional behavior.
They are generally angry and their irritability can be due to a low-grade chronic sadness or negative mood. They may also have trouble learning, experience memory issues, or experience severe anger and aggression.
People with overfocused ADD are inflexible when it comes to changing tasks, and could be captivated by their hobbies or work. They might forget appointments and deadlines at work or at home and may not finish their homework or chores. They may also be stubborn and resentful when they are reprimanded or chastised by their teachers or parents.
Children with hyperfocused ADD can be irritable and stubborn, and they can throw temper tantrums if their interests are not respected. They may be obsessed with a particular activity like video games, toys, and toys. They also have difficulty expressing their feelings, and can be extremely sensitive to criticism or rejection.
This type of ADD is difficult to diagnose, especially for children. These children often don't understand that their issue is caused by their inability to switch their attention from one thing to the next. It is important to speak with an expert as these children are more likely to have their ADD misdiagnosed. This kind of ADD is typically treated with dietary changes, supplements and cognitive-behavioral therapy. This kind of ADD is hard to treat even with stimulant medications, because it can increase hyperactivity. Functional neuroimaging is often used to identify the seven distinct kinds of ADD and is especially useful for diagnosing hyperfocused ADD.
Anxious ADD
Many people with ADD have high levels of anxiety. This co-morbidity (having more than one disorder simultaneously) is common and affects the majority of people suffering from ADD/ADHD. Stress and anxiety may mimic the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. Misdiagnosis may cause inadequate treatment and anger.
Anxious ADD can cause problems with school, work and social situations. This kind of ADD could lead to low achievement and feelings of inadequacy. People with anxious ADD avoid difficult tasks or events because they fear that they won't be successful.
They also fear being criticised or judged. They hide their problems to others. People with anxiety can become so stressed and anxious that they suffer from panic attacks. They can be extremely severe and life-threatening, causing sweating, a pounding heart and breathing problems. Anxious ADD differs from Classic ADD because it has increased activity in the Basal ganglia, as well as the amygdala. These areas are instinctive and place a high value on security. This causes a shutdown of PFC and makes it difficult for these individuals focus.
If someone suffering from ADHD or ADD has anxiety, their symptoms are usually more difficult to treat than those of someone who isn't suffering from anxiety. This is because treatment programs for ADD/ADHD, that are designed to increase brain activity, can actually increase anxiety among people with anxiety-related ADD.
Psychiatrists at Amen Clinics use functional neuroimaging techniques, such as SPECT scanning to discover which areas of the brain are areas of low or high levels of activity. This helps them differentiate between the seven types of ADD and determine the most effective treatment for each person.
A psychiatrist will take an entire medical record and conduct a physical examination to determine if the patient suffers from ADD/ADHD. In addition, he / might ask questions regarding behavior and mood to determine the overall health of a patient. Sometimes, medications are used to treat ADD/ADHD. However, in many instances, patients also require other treatments, like cognitive behavior therapy, diet, exercise, sleep strategies and desensitization. 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 both for mood and memory. People suffering from this type of ADD struggle to learn and store information they experience mood instability and suffer from intense anger or aggression issues. They might also experience sensory issues, such as experiencing like they're in a dream, seeing shadows or objects change form or hearing sounds that other people don't hear. They are sensitive, irritable and easily overwhelmed.
The symptoms of this kind of ADD are similar to those of Classic ADD, including short attention spans and disorganization, difficulties undiagnosed adhd in adults treatment in following instructions or staying focused, and procrastinating. This kind of ADD does not cause excessive impulsivity or hyperactivity. This kind of ADD is more prevalent in women. This type of ADD is characterised by low levels of dopamine in the brain which can lead to feelings of depression or poor self-regulation. Symptoms include difficulty sleeping, anger and anxiety.
In this case, qEEG brain mapping scans of the brain indicate that individuals with Over-focused ADD have normal activity in their anterior cingulate gyrus which is the brain's "gear shifter," but they are struggling to shift gears. They are unable to move from one task or thought to another and get stuck in negative thoughts and behavior.
This is a type of ADD where people can be highly motivated and productive however, they tend to get easily distracted by mundane or insignificant tasks. They can get lost in their schoolwork and parents or teachers are often tired or ashamed of their behavior. They may have a hard relationship with others because they can be hyper-active or reactive, and have a hard time dealing with multitasking or working with others. In certain situations, they could experience anxiety or depression. They may be susceptible to panic attacks and are susceptible to hallucinations. The use of medication is not advised for this kind of ADD, because it doesn't tackle the root cause of the symptoms.