adhdYou will probably have heard the letters ADHD and ADD in passing, and maybe you know someone who has been diagnosed with the condition, but do you really know what it is?

Medical terms can be complicated, especially when abbreviated!

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and ADD is simply attention deficit disorder. Whilst both are subtly different, they are essentially very similar in nature, and the overall general treatment is the same regardless. The types of ADHD/ADD which fall underneath the same umbrella however are very different, and should be diagnosed and treated differently in effect.

The difficulty in this case comes from recognising symptoms, and identifying the type. Treating the appropriate type of ADHD/ADD in the correct way will have a much greater success rate for the person involved. Thankfully, testing has come on leaps and bounds over recent years, so more and more people suffering with the effects of this difficult condition can get effective treatment faster, and live their lives free of the sometimes debilitating effects of this complex condition.

The main symptoms of ADHD/ADD are:

  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Easily distracted
  • Often losing things
  • Not organised
  • Often late
  • Easily side-tracked
  • Often working on several tasks at once because of an inability to concentrate on one thing

As you can see, these are traits which could be easily mislabelled, especially in adults.

Whilst children are most often diagnosed with the condition, it can and does affect adults, and it is most often the case that the adult has had it since childhood, but it has only just been picked up, often because of a family member or someone close has noticed traits and persuaded the person affected to seek help.

There are several types of ADHD/ADD, but the main are inattentive, hyperactive, and combined. Inattentive is often the hardest to diagnose because the symptoms which present could be put down to someone being a little withdrawn or shy, when in fact they are down to ADHD/ADD. Because of this, many go undiagnosed.

Much in the way of study and research has gone into the best treatment options for ADHD/ADD, and the best ways to identify the particular type. EEG biofeedback has shown great hope for treatment, with those undergoing this form showing a 60/70% success rate in medication reduction after treatment. More research is going into this, but it certainly shows hope on the horizon.

The key first step to seeking the treatment required to live a life in control of ADHD/ADD symptoms is to seek help if you are at all worried. If you are concerned about symptoms which you believe could be down to this condition, call the practice now on 03 9095 7990 to arrange an appointment to discuss your worries and possible options.

Diagnosis of the condition, and then determining the type is the first step to a targeted treatment plan, which will help make life much easier for the person involved, as well as close friends and family, in understanding the condition and its effects.