ADD and Treatment
ADD and treatment is typically associated with problems at home, school or at work. The psychiatric disorder may be difficult for doctors to diagnose and treat.
The psychiatric disorder is most often referred to as attention hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Mental health specialists diagnose ADHD using SPECT brain images.
The symptoms include being easily distracted, forgetful and disorganized. The use of medications such as stimulants and antidepressants can 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. The scans of the brain show that people suffering from this type are able to maintain normal activity while concentrating and at rest in the prefrontal cortex, but they are less active in their cerebellum and the basal ganglia. These areas help produce dopamine, which is the neurotransmitter that is responsible for motivation, tranquility and concentration. This type has a limited attention span, is easily distracted by sounds or other stimuli and is unable to shift focus. They also have difficulty falling asleep and are often woken up at night with nightmares or anxiety. They can be easily annoyed and are often angry.
Ring of Fire ADD is characterized by all the classic ADD symptoms however, it also has difficulties in shifting their attention from one thought to the next and from one task to another. They are sensitive to light, noise, and touch. They talk too fast and are highly impulsive. They experience periods of depression and low energy, are quick to anger and are prone to relapse into negative thoughts and guilt.
Limbic ADD can be confused with depression, but it is different than depression because it causes increased activity in the limbic part of the brain (the brain region that sets our emotional tone and regulates the level of happiness or sadness we feel) and reduces activity in the prefrontal cortex at both rest and during concentration. It can be treated by supplements such as L tryptophan (5-HTP) as well as saffron, inositol, which improve alertness, mood and clarity. treating adult add can also be helpful to reduce neural activity and prevent nerve cells from firing in a erratic manner or excessively.
It is important to distinguish between ADD and mood disorders like Bipolar Disorder, which can cause frustration, irritability, and poor self-esteem. The difference is that ADD with Limbic Symptoms is more prone to constant anger and frustration over time, while Bipolar Disorder symptoms tend to come in waves.
Overfocused ADD
Over-focused ADD patients tend to get caught up in negative thoughts and behaviors that result in excessive worry. This is due to rigid behaviors that are similar to those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). These individuals often become threatened emotionally when they are required to shift their attention from one thing to another and react with a threatening or hostile behavior.
These people are likely to have an inability to keep their cool and their anger stems from a chronic negative or low-grade sadness "glass half-empty syndrome" and often feeling of despair and desperation. They may also struggle with memory issues, experience extreme anger, and may have a short fuse.
People who have hyper-focused ADD are unable to adapt when it comes to changing tasks, and may become enthralled by their hobbies or work. They are more likely to miss deadlines at work and forgetting appointments at home and they may not finish homework or other school assignments. They can also be stubborn and resentful when punished by their teachers or parents.
Children with overfocused ADD can be irritable and stubborn, and they might throw temper tantrums when their interests are not recognized. They might be obsessed with certain activities such as toys and video games. They also have difficulty expressing their feelings, and can be extremely sensitive to criticism or rejection.
This form of ADD is more common among children, and can be difficult to diagnose. These children often don't understand that their problem is caused by their inability to shift their focus from one thing to the next. This is why it's essential to seek help from an expert, since these youngsters are more likely to be misdiagnosed by family doctors and even psychologists. This kind of ADD is treatable with dietary modifications, supplements, and cognitive-behavioral therapies. This kind of ADD is hard to treat even with stimulant medication, because it can increase hyperactivity. Functional neuroimaging can be used to distinguish between the seven types of ADD. It is especially useful in diagnosing overfocused ADD.
Anxious ADD
Many people suffering from ADD have a high level of anxiety. This is a comorbidity (having more than one disorder at the same time) is common and affects about half of people suffering from ADD/ADHD. Stress and anxiety can resemble the symptoms of ADD/ADHD, and incorrect diagnosis can lead to inadequate treatment and more frustration.
Anxious ADD can cause issues with work, school and social settings. This kind of ADD can lead to low achievement and feelings of being unsatisfactory. People with anxiety ADD tend to avoid difficult tasks and activities because they think they're not capable of completing the task.
They also fear being criticised or judged. Due to this, they tend to hide their issues from others. These people can be so stressed and anxious that they experience panic attacks. These can be very dangerous and life-threatening, resulting in a pounding heart, sweating and breathing difficulties. Contrary to Classic ADD, those with Anxious ADD are more active in their basal ganglia as well as the amygdala. They operate on an instinctual basis and place a high priority on safety. This causes the brain to shut down the PFC, which can make it hard for these individuals to concentrate.
When a person has anxiety and ADD/ADHD their symptoms are more difficult to manage. This is due to treatment strategies for ADD/ADHD, which are designed to stimulate the brain could increase anxiety in those who suffer from anxiety ADD due to a decrease in the activity of their PFC.
Amen Clinics psychiatrists employ functional neuroimaging, like SPECT scanning to discover where in the brain there are areas of low or high levels of activity. This helps them differentiate between the seven types and determine the best treatment.
A psychiatrist will take the complete medical history of a patient and conduct a physical exam to determine if the patient suffers from ADHD or ADD. Additionally, he or will ask questions about mood and behavior to assess a patient's overall functioning. Sometimes, medication is used to treat ADHD and ADD. However, in many cases, patients require other treatments, like cognitive behavior therapy as well as exercise, nutrition sleep strategies, and desensitization. This can aid in improving their ability to manage their emotions and improve their overall function.
Temporal Lobe ADD
This kind of ADD affects the temporal lobe in the brain, which is responsible both for memory and mood. People suffering from this kind of ADD struggle to retain and learn they experience mood instability and suffer from extreme anger or aggression issues. They also are often affected by a variety of sensory issues, including experiencing a sense of deja vu, or seeing shadows or objects change shapes and hearing sounds that others don't. They are often sensitive and irritable, and often become overstimulated by certain activities, such as computer screens or crowds.
This kind of ADD has similar symptoms to Classic ADD. These include inattention spans that are short and disorganized. It also has difficulty staying on task or following directions. This type of ADD does not cause excessive impulsivity or hyperactivity. This type of ADD occurs more often in women. This type of ADD is characterized by low levels of dopamine in the brain which can result in feelings of low motivation or poor self-regulation. Some of the symptoms include difficulty sleeping and feelings of irritability or anxiety.
In this case QEEG scans of the ADD brain reveal that people with over-focused ADD are experiencing difficulties shifting gears. They have normal activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus (the brain's "gearshifter"). They are not able to move from one task or thought to another, and get stuck in negative thought patterns and behavior.
This is a form of ADD that is characterized by people who are highly motivated and hardworking but are unable to pay attention to important tasks. They can lose track of their schoolwork and their teachers or parents are often annoyed or ashamed of their behavior. They may experience difficulties in relationships because of their tendency to be impulsive and reactive. They also have issues multitasking and working in a group. In some instances they might experience anxiety or depression. They are susceptible to panic attacks, and are susceptible to hallucinations. Treatments for this type of ADD are not advised, since they do not address the root cause of symptoms.