How do I get help with ADHD?
Start with educating yourself about ADHD. Medication is often the first line of treatment. Medication isn’t for everyone, and here ADHD-specific therapy or coaching can help. Moreover, medication combined with ADHD therapy or coaching is more effective than medication alone.
Psychoeducation
Once you have a diagnosis, international guidelines recommend that the first step is to educate patients and their families about ADHD. It is sometimes difficult to find trusted resources when educating yourself and your family about ADHD. Keep an open but critical thinking mind.
I keep a curated list of books, articles, podcasts, and videos about ADHD on the resources page.
Medication
Stimulant medication is the most effective treatment option for ADHD in both children and adults. There are two types of stimulant medications; amphetamine based (e.g. Adderal, Vyvanse, Amfexa), and methylphenidate-based (e.g. Ritalin, Concerta, Contramyl).
The discovery that stimulant medication helps with ADHD goes back to 1937 when Charles Bradley, discovered that amphetamine medication reduced ADHD-like symptoms. In 1944, Leandro Panizzon created methylphenidate, which was approved — as Ritalin — in the 1960s by the FDA for children with ADHD.
ADHD medication is also one of the most researched in psychopharmacology. ADHD stimulant medication is more effective in reducing symptoms than medications for conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Not everyone wants to take medication. Many people are resistant to taking medication for ADHD — I was. Parents may be worried about how medication affects their children. Adults may not like the idea of having to take a drug for life, or feel like it is somehow cheating to take a performance drug.
Furthermore, not everyone can take medication. Around 25% of people can’t tolerate stimulant medication. There are non-stimulant options such as atomoxetine (e.g. Strattera, Attencit).
We all react differently to the medication. While research shows amphetamine-based medication are better for adults, some adults may find methylphenidate-based stimulants better for them. In South Africa, we do not have any generic amphetamine-based medications yet, while we have many — cheaper — methylphenidate-based genetics.
Importantly, not all methylphenidate medications are the same. They have different delivery mechanisms, some are short-acting, some are designed to last 8 hours while others are designed to last 12 hours. You might find that Concerta works better than Contramyl.
Past negative experiences with ADHD medication often put people off trying again. There are also more stimulant options today than there were 10 years ago. I encourage clients to persevere and to find the medication that is right for them or their child.
That’s why it’s important to find a medical professional with in-depth experience in this area, who knows the options, and is willing to work with you to find the right solution for you or your child.
For more information on ADHD medication, have a look at my ADHD Matters Newsletter, Special Edition — Huberman on ADHD medication.
Therapy and coaching
For young children, medication combined with “parent behaviour training” is the recommended approach. Parent behaviour training aims to educate and support parents in creating an environment that helps the child (and family) manage ADHD-related difficulties.
For young children and young teens, supportive psychotherapy — therapy not aimed at ADHD symptom reduction — may also be helpful for young children and young teens who may be struggling with the impact of ADHD on their life.
“Pills don’t teach skills”
For half of adults, medication alone is not sufficient. Medication combined with ADHD specific psychosocial interventions is more effective than medication alone.
For adults, therapy, and coaching tailored for ADHD are shown to be effective in managing life with ADHD. Russel Barkley notes that general psychotherapy is not effective for dealing with ADHD-symptom related struggles. Typically, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — and related modalities, such as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACR) — are recommended for ADHD.
For more information, visit ADHD Coaching and Therapy resources.
