ADHD Symptoms and Treatment Paper Example

Definition of ADHD

Attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder of brain noticeable by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/ hyperactivity which hamper with functioning or development.

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The components of ADHD

Inattention

Inattention means, a person roams off the task, lack determination, has a problem maintaining focus, and, confused. Moreover, the origin of these problems is not due to defiance or lack of understanding.

Hyperactivity

Hyperactivity people tend to move around continuously, comprising in conditions in which it is not necessary; or extremely fidgets, taps, or, talks. In an adult, it may be extreme anxiety or wearing others out with endless activity.

Impulsivity

Impulsivity suggests that an individual makes rapid actions, which now without involving thinking and that may have a high potential for harm, or a quest for instant rewards or incapability to delay satisfaction. An imprudent individual may be social meddling and excessively interrupt others or make significant decisions without placing into consideration the long-term outcome.

Symptoms and signs

The main key behaviors of ADHD are inattention and hyperactivity. Some individuals with ADHD have only one of the behaviors, such as Carl while others have both hyperactivity impulsivity and inattention. Most people are joined type of ADHD; however, in the case study, Mr. Jones is suffering from only type only. He has a symptom of inattention that is evidenced by the decline of his grade from B- to C- and inability to perform excellently at work.

It is considered normal to have some unfocused motion activity, inattention, and, impulsivity, but for individuals with ADHD, these behaviors are more features more often, more severe and, hinder with or lessen the quality for how they operate socially, at a workplace, or/and at school. Carl, for instance, ADHD has affected him to a point he currently prefers to withdraws himself to the rest for his friends, he no longer performs excellently both academically and also at work

Inattention

Individuals with symptoms of inattention may frequently:

• Overlook or miss certain information, makes thoughtless errors in school, at work or during other exercises,
• Have challenges when it comes to supporting attention in play or task, entailing lectures, dialogues, or lengthy reading,
• Not appearing to be listening when talked too directly
• Not adhering to instructions and fail to complete chores, schoolwork or duties in the workplace or pick up a task but rapidly lose concentration and get easily abstracted
• Having problems arranging tasks and activities, such as what to do in a series, protecting materials, and belongings in order, having careless work, poor management of time, and, failure to meet deadlines
• Dislike or avoid tasks, which desire constant mental effort such as homework or schoolwork or for adults making reports, finishing forms or appraising extensive papers.
• Losing things essential for tasks or activities, such as cell phones, paperwork, books, keys, wallets, and, eyeglasses
• Be easily preoccupied with unconnected thoughts or incitements
• Be forgetful in day-to-day activities such as returning calls, chores, and, keeping schedules

The above-stated condition explains further the daily life of individuals like Carl who suffer from inattention, moreover, it explained as to why people with inattention tend to produce low-quality job or task.

ADHD symptoms can feature as early as between the age of 3 and 6 and can persist through adolescence and adulthood stages of life. Most of the times, symptoms of ADHD can be mistaken for disciplinary or emotional problems or missed completely in quiet, well -behaved children, causing a delay in identification. An adult with undiagnosed ADHD tends to have a history of problems at work, poor performance, or difficult or failed relationships. This is witnessed in the case of Carl, Carl has once being involved in a failed relationship that left him depressed, now he is frequently seeking sick leave from his place of work and he was performing excellently and could score a grade of B-, but his score has lowered to C-.

ADHD symptoms can experience change as time goes by. In youth people, hyperactivity-impulsivity is the most common symptom. As a child, attain an elementary level, the sign of inattention may become more extended and cause the child to have trouble with academic life. In adulthood, the intensity of hyperactivity reduces and may illustrate n more frequent as a feeling of fiddling or restlessness, but inattention and impulsivity may dominate. Several adults with ADHD also find trouble to retain a relationship and have antisocial behaviors. Therefore, impulsivity, restlessness, and inattention tend to persevere into adulthood

Risk Factors

There is no exact cause of this brain disorder, however, there are like other several diseases, a number of factors can act as the underlying cause. Genes, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, or drug use during pregnancy, introduction to environmental pollutants during pregnancy, contact with environmental contaminants, such as high levels of lead, at a tender age, low birth weight and, brain injuries.

ADHD for the case of Mr. Jones it is most likely to have been caused by brain injuries. Carl is a depressed person. Depression is linked with prevalent changes in the structure of the brain and its function. For instance, Bremner et al, (2000) conducted a study that showed that individuals with depression frequently have a smaller hippocampus. The hippocampus is a significant function of the brain that helps in processing memories for long duration storage. The hippocampus is linked to the several areas of the brain that control how a person feels and react to stress, for example, is connected to the amygdala that regulates the encounter of fear.

Depression is considered a stress illness and individuals with depression usually provide a higher level of circulating stress specifically cortisol. Cortisol is lethal to the cells within the hippocampus and excess cortisol is a theorized mechanism explaining why people with depression have a smaller hippocampus. McKinnon et al, (2009) claim that, even in individuals who have not yet encountered a weighty stress, a smaller hippocampus elevates the risk of obtaining a stress associated psychiatric diseases. Some brain imaging study has demonstrated that people with depression appear to have abnormal patterns of brain stimulation with some areas over-active and other areas under-active,

ANHD is more prone to males than in females, and males with ADHD are more likely to have problems chiefly with inattention. Other conditions such as anxiety disorder, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse are associated with people with ADHD.

Treatment and Therapies

There is no cure for ADHD currently, but treatments that can assist to reduce symptoms and enhance functioning include medical, education or training, psychotherapy, or a combination of the treatment. However, since I am a counselor I could offer Carl psychotherapy treatment.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy treatment to ADHD can assist patients and their families to cope better with day-to-day challenges. This method would be helpful to Carl in his course of treatment since much of his depression come from his family. Under psychotherapy, there are two types of therapies that can apply to the case study behavioral therapy and family therapy.Behavioral therapy

This kind of psychotherapy aimed at assisting an individual to change his or her behavior, it comprises of practical assistance such as helping one complete task or helping one to concentrate or working through emotionally difficult occasions. Furthermore, this therapy teaches an individual how to observe his or her own action, give oneself praise or reward for performed desirable actions such thinking before acting, managing to produce duality work, and, regulating anger.

Friends, teachers and family members are anticipated to give positive or negative feedback for specific behavior or actions and assist establish clear lists of chores, rules, and, other structured procedures to help an individual manage to control his or her action. In my case, to add up on that I would teach my patient social skills that are purposed to help the client become social to others

This method is advantageous since I can teach individual mindfulness strategies or reflection. An individual learns how to be aware and accepting of one's own thought and feelings to enhance concentration and focus, I would encourage Carl to adjust the life changes that come with treatment such as repelling the urge to take needless risks or think before performing an action.

Family and marital therapy can help family members and spouses find better ways to solve troublesome behavior's, to inspire behavior changes, and, develop connections with the patient.

References

Bremner, J. D., Narayan, M., Anderson, E. R., Staib, L. H., Miller, H. L., & Charney, D. S. (2000). Hippocampal volume reduction in major depression. American Journal of Psychiatry

McKinnon, M. C., Yucel, K., Nazarov, A., & MacQueen, G. M. (2009). A meta-analysis examining clinical predictors of hippocampal volume in patients with major depressive disorder. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience: JPN, 34(1), 41.