The exact cause of ADHD remains unknown, but there is no shortage of speculation concerning its etiology, most of which centers around the brain. The source of these differences is not yet known, but some hypotheses have been presented.

Hereditary dopamine deficiency

Research suggests that ADHD arises from a combination of various genes, many of which have something to do with dopamine transporters.

Diet Food

It has long been suggested that ADHD could be the result of a nutritional problem. Recent studies have begun to find metabolic differences in these children, indicating that an inability to handle certain elements of one’s diet might contribute to the development of ADHD, or at least ADHD-like symptoms. Despite the uncertainty of nutrition as a cause of ADHD it does play a role in the diagnosis and treatment of the disorder. Certain dietary issues, most commonly a moderate to severe protein deficiency, can cause symptoms consistent with ADHD. Learn more about : Balanced program of vitamins, minerals, and nutritional supplements to ADD / ADHD

Enviromental Factors

There is no compelling evidence that social factors, alone, can create ADHD. The few environmental factors implicated fall in the realm of biohazards including alcohol, tobacco smoke, smoking during pregnancy, allergies, and lead poisoning.

Read more:

- Using Hypnotherapy to Treat ADHD

- Guide to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

- What is ADHD?

Here’s why:

Finally, after hundreds of hours of research, a comprehensive, complete, and accurate guide has been created to help you understand everything there is to know about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder…written specifically for you, even if you have no prior knowledge of ADHD or other behavioral disorders.

Every single important fact…from symptoms to treatments, to the latest theories of testing and diagnosis are laid out for you in this groundbreaking new guide entitled:

ADD A to Z:
Your Guide to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

“ADD A to Z” is a thorough guide written in a style that is easy to understand – even without your Medical Doctorate. Soon enough, you’ll have a deep understanding of ADD, it’s symptoms, treatments and everything in between.

In fact, you will be astounded at how directly, honestly, and completely this disorder is covered, and how much you can learn…even if you didn’t know a thing about it to start.

Keep in mind, the information in this guide isn’t the kind of stuff you could scrape off the internet at various different sites.

The facts, theories, and professional opinions in this guide are a result of hour upon hour of solid, tested, and objective research, compiled and worded by “regular people” like you and me.

You’ll get tons of solid facts, useful resources, and a much more thorough understanding of ADHD…and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

READ MORE this Great Info:

- ADD A to Z:
Your Guide to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

- Attention Deficit Disorder

- ADHD Alternative Natural Treatment

ADHD is most commonly diagnosed in children. When diagnosed in adults, it is regarded as adult attention-deficit disorder (AADD). It is believed that around 60% of children diagnosed with ADHD retain the disorder as adults.

From a developmental/behavioral standpoint, the DSM-IV states that ADHD is a developmental disorder that presents during childhood, in most cases before the age of seven, and is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention and/or hyperactive-impulsive behavior. The DSM-IV also stipulates that in order to be diagnosed, the condition must also result in significant impairment of one or more major life activities, including interpersonal relations, educational or occupational goals, as well as cognitive or adaptive functioning. ADHD may be also diagnosed in adulthood, but symptoms must have been present prior to age seven in order to yield a positive diagnosis.

The ICD-10 differs from the DSM-IV in that it requires both inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior to be present before a diagnosis is warranted.[6]

The Amen classification is an informal definition and categorisation system which reorganises and extends the DSM-IV. It is not widely accepted as a formal classification, although it is still used by many doctors wordwide.

Read more:

- ADHD Treatment

- Ritalin and the D.A.R.E Program

- Nutrition & ADHD ???

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and it is a chronic condition that can have a great impact on a child if a child does not get help, or if the right ADHD treatment is not prescribed. Some of the most common symptoms of ADHD are impulsivity, inappropriate behavior, and hyperactivity. These children have difficulty staying on task and completing projects, which if not identified and treated early can be a huge barrier throughout the school years and eventually on the job. Before there was a diagnosis, these children were just seen as having lots of energy, or were just wild and always getting into trouble. Now that ADHD treatments are available, parents have the option of getting their child help so that they can be more productive in school and have fewer disruptions at home.

Not all parents and professionals agree on what type of ADHD treatment is the best, or if it should be used at all. Some parents feel that it is unnatural to treat a child with prescription medication that could have significant side effects, or otherwise harm the child. Side effects are dose dependent and can be lessened by reducing the dosage or switching to a different medication. Many times behavior modification therapy is not effective on its own, which is why ADHD treatment usually requires use of a stimulant drug. Stimulants have a paradoxical effect on children; these drugs do not increase hyperactivity, which is a normal response in adults, but help the child focus, control behaviors, and improve self-esteem. Stimulants used in ADHD treatment help children to complete tasks, learn more efficiently, and interact more positively with their peers.

Physicians and psychiatrists develop individualized ADHD treatments for each child, because not all experience the same symptoms or have the same level of severity. There can also be other conditions that are present as well, such as mental or physical disorders that need to be addressed in addition to ADHD treatment. Such conditions may have a great impact on how the child responds to therapy, and if not treated simultaneously will tend to slow down progress. There are a number of sites on the internet that discuss ADHD, the symptoms, and how to go about getting help for your child. ADHD treatments and the controversies surrounding them are also discussed in depth. If you suspect your child has ADHD have him or her evaluated by a professional as soon as possible, so that your child can get the treatment he or she needs.

Read more: All Natural and Drug Free Treatment for ADHD

(c) ADHD Treatments

First, I must stress that though I don’t adore this disorder, I do appreciate it and prefer it over other disorders (if, like Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron we each must be saddled with one flaw of extreme degrees, anyway). I am blessed with creative skills, have a reputation for being hyper…aware, cautious, and correct, and have a respect for challenged thinkers and learners.

I also will note that when I was first diagnosed, when my brilliant and life-saving therapist suggested I look into ADD and ADD treatment alternatives, I had been trying to understand what was wrong with the way I approached the world…to the point of conceding to having a behavioral problem and a subsequent or precedent drug addiction—to speed (street meth). So at the time of discovery and the blessings of a real name for the disorder, I had been twelve-stepping in recovery programs like Narcotics Anonymous, and was reticent about getting medical/chemical ADD treatment.

But after reading the best books, magazines, and on- and offline articles on ADD and finding that 1) all those years of snorting crank pointed not to a rebellious adamancy to staying a dope fiend but to an authentic and savvy self-medicating effort; 2) I was not an addict who needed more and more to normalize; and 3) there are medications that are designed for ADDers that are BETTER than stepped-on street speed…I decided on chemical ADD treatment.

So here are the treatments I read about (or studied up on), as defined and described by the greatest ADD specialists in the country—David Sudderth, Joseph Kandel, Thom Hartmann, Sari Solden, Thomas Whiteman, Michelle Novotni, Kate Kelly, and Peggy Ramundo:

Biofeedback

Typically involuntary, certain impulses and electrical activity in the brain can be voluntarily modified. The ADDer, whose brain wave patterns are evidently different than non-ADDer brain wave patterns, is hooked up with electrodes (no pain). The ADDer sits facing a video screen/monitor, as the technician “amplifies brain activity.” The resulting patterns appear on the screen, whereby the ADDer manipulates controls electronically to manipulate and take control of the brain wave activity.

Behavior Modification/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
You might already understand behavior modification as consisting of a system of punishments and rewards, each applied to reinforce positive behavior. For the ADDer, the disorder is as much about “unacceptable/inappropriate” behavior as it is about miserable feeling and unique thinking. There are approximately 69 symptoms of ADD, most of them behavior-based: perception of social cues is skewed; the ADDer interrupts/blurts; he/she has demanding difficulties with organization; he/she has trouble with time and timing; he/she is challenged by waiting; he/she cannot easily relax or enjoy leisurely activities…. With behavioral therapy, which targets one or a few of such challenges at a time, the ADDer learns to “self-regulate.”

Food Changes/Dietary Intervention

A close investigation of foods that are or contain allergens and irritants to the nervous system has revealed the possibility of ADDers being especially negatively impacted. ADD treatments in this area include eliminating or curbing intake of white flour, sugar, and/or additives/preservatives. But the controversy still roars on this one, and FDA and other regulatory bodies have not acknowledged the veracity of gross dietary changes…yet.

Psychotherapy

A schedule of sessions with a trained and qualified therapist enhances one’s understanding, gives one a reflecting surface (human), and provides one with the social tools of communication (the give and take), self-improvement, and social protocol. Therapy is often recommended in conjunction with medication or other treatments, as one method compliments the other and one method’s weaknesses are compensated for by the other…and vice versa.

Medication

Taking pills is an abhorrent habit to some. To others, pills are a “crutch” we too easily lunge for when a peep of an ailment appears. But for those with a chemical insufficiency or imbalance, the replacement or stabilizing effects of external chemicals is a Godsend. Consider it this way, the way it was explained to me: when I was pre-ADD (before they identified the exact problem), I was severely depressed. (ADD and depression are bedmates, best friends.) I finally went [back] to therapy, seeing a doctor of psychiatry who volunteered at the clinic I visited every Friday. I rarely was awake and dry-eyed. I heard my own brain rationalize at least twenty times a day that after the walking, hiking, praying, writing, helping others, etc., the only solution was to kill myself. Not in any dramatic way, but as a utilitarian solution, as an out. After initial intake discussions, Dr. N. announced he would put me on Prozac.

Now, I was an NA veteran by this time, having been in recovery for over ten years. I was terrified of drugs (ironically, after being the queen that ruled over them for so long). Hey explained, “So you’re walking down the nastiest part of town at 3 a.m.. You get stabbed. You don’t stand in the middle of the street with a huge gaping, bleeding, and painful hole in your chest, pontificating on the pros and cons of getting medical treatment. You have a hole in your heart. We are going to give you medical treatment for that.”

Dr. N was right. And he made me laugh at my resistance and my philosophizing—as some are wont to do—about how horrible you are if you take a pill. So I take pills. I take Dextroamphetamine capsules, but you may go for something different…for different reasons:

Amphetamines: the formula/dosage I take is perfect for me, for focus, for emotional and (ugh, yes, behavioral) control or balance or leveling or calming or whatever you wish. Interestingly, speed is perfect for this ADDer who is normally speedy (in action, thought, and blunder). It somehow counteracts, or does a reversing of the very properties it and the speedy one have. It has a half-life (lasting effect) of about 6 hours, and in the time-released form for me lasts over 12 hours. At the same time, I can eat, sleep, and do other things that a dope fiend on a bag of speed cannot…like have great sex, laugh, etc..

Ritalin: Ritalin is one of the grandparents, the elders, of ADD treatment drugs. It is also still debated over constantly, especially with regards to children. (Do we dope every little imp that acts like a class clown or swings like a chimp on the jungle gym?) Ritalin is still mysterious as an agent for quelling ADD symptoms, but many swear by it for or despite its minimal side effects (weight loss, mood swings, and others) compared to its positive effects, which lend themselves to clarity, stability, patience (physical and mental focus), and other nuances I cannot speak to here. The half life is approximately four hours, but Ritalin also now comes in time-released pills, so the effects can be sustained for longer periods of time.

Other more commonly used meds: Also in contention with the two most “popular” or most often used or most studied meds are the increasingly introduced Adderall; Cyclert; and some of the SSRIs and MAOs. As with all medications, with these and the ones I describes from a personal (and not professional) point of view, research thoroughly before asking a doctor about one in particular, before, that is, committing to one. Each works in mysterious ways, still, and each works differently for and on each individual.

For me, the luck of history (of speed “abuse”) pointed to the med, and the blessing of having been with a therapist for four years—both together—have become my [literally] life-saving grace. May you, too, be so blessed.

(c) 2006 - ADD Treatment

But I would like to share with you the ADHD alternative treatment methods I have learned about along the forty-year journey of hell and heaven, too.

First, know that while street meth is not a legitimate ADHD alternative treatment, it is what one MD says clever of you to try. That is, many intelligent, proactive individuals who have ADHD but have not been diagnosed and are at their wits’ end trying to “cure” themselves will do what is called self-medicating. So don’t be ashamed or overly obsessed with the esteem issues that come with street drug use. Just get to a doctor or psychiatrist for diagnosis and understanding of the disorder.

Then, weigh the options available to you by reading whatever you can: read magazines, books, on- and offline articles. Find the works devoted strictly to ADHD and written by experts and professionals in the field, including the following (listed here in no particular order): David Sudderth, Joseph Kandel, Thom Hartmann, Sari Solden, Thomas Whiteman, Michelle Novotni, Kate Kelly, and Peggy Ramundo.

At this point you will have come across the “traditional” or most common treatments, such as psychotherapy and drug (Amphetamine, Ritalin, etc. Al.) therapy combined, and will have found some ADHD alternative treatments, as well. These include such alternatives as the following:

HOMEOPATHIC/NONTRADITIONAL MEDICINES

Some turn away from western medicine to such alternatives as acupressure—a healing technique that has been successfully applied for smoking habits, weight problems, anxiety disorders, fertility issues, and even HDHD symptoms. As of 1997, the Lincoln Hospital Recovery Center in Bronx, New York, for example, administers acupressure treatments to those with ADHD. They have had remarkable results: kids have been positively impacted in regards to their sleep and hyperactivity patterns, blood pressure and depression problems, studying and participating, working, and just sitting…calmly and without the “mind spinning” so familiar to those with ADHD.

ENERGY HEALING

Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, for instance, are energy healing approaches that work on the premise that the human being is a dynamic being, connected by physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional components. Energy healing methods seek to balance these components, so in the person with ADHD, the symmetry that results is said to be calming—slowing the activity down so the person can focus, is less anxious, and is less intrusive and defiant.

DIETARY CHANGES

A close investigation of foods that are or contain allergens and irritants to the nervous system has revealed the possibility of ADDers being especially negatively impacted. ADD treatments in this area include eliminating or curbing intake of white flour, sugar, and/or additives/preservatives. But the controversy still roars on this one, and FDA and other regulatory bodies have not acknowledged the veracity of gross dietary changes…yet.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

Much attention has been paid to holistic treatment, other ADHD alternative treatment, and vitamin therapies. And many vitamin sources claim to help alleviate such symptoms as inability to focus, edginess, and sleep problems. But as with any ingesting therapies, inappropriate application can lead to damaging results on other parts of the body and brain. So what most specialists will acknowledge as important is nutritional balance, antioxidant vitamin supplements (A, E, for example), and/or a multi-vitamin…though as with many alternatives they will not attest to any remarkable cures or absolute recovery, which has yet to be proved, documented, and announced…for now, anyway.

(c) 2006 - ADHD Alternative Natural Treatment

According to the Diagnostical and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-IV, some of the most common signs and symptoms of existing attention deficit are inability to stay focused on a task, short attention span, poor attention to detail, failure to listen to when spoken to, failure to follow directions, careless or reckless behavior, restlessness, fidgeting, constantly moving arms and legs, not being able to sit still, or excessive talking. These symptoms are not all present in every case and vary from person to person, and from child to adult. A diagnosis of attention deficit must be made by a medical doctor or psychiatrist, who can prescribe the proper treatment regimen, including medications and counseling.

The most common medications used to treat attention deficit disorder are those called stimulants, such as Ritalin, Adderall, or Dexedrine. This seems strange because we think of stimulants as speeding you up instead of slowing you down, but in children and in some adults, stimulants have the paradoxical, or opposite effect. These medications have proven to be very effective for attention deficit disorder and are routinely prescribed in addition to behavior modification and individual therapy. Adults diagnosed with attention deficit benefit from coaches who can help them develop coping skills to improve organizational skills and work more efficiently at home and on the job.

There are several online resources available to anyone wanting more information on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diagnosis, and treatments in adults and children. There is also quite a bit of controversy surrounding this diagnosis and the medications used to treat it. Stimulants can have side effects, and their use should be discussed with your health care provider, to determine if the benefits outweigh the risks.

(c) 2006 - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

I spent more time in the principal’s office in grade school than all the students in the school combined. I got tossed out of more classes in high school than my face had zits. I slept with [really] strange men I met while I was hitchhiking in blizzards from Plymouth State College in New Hampshire to Provincetown, Mass.. I crashed cars (on purpose), I had cars towed for lack of appropriate paperwork, and had cars repossessed for lack of organized check- and other budgeting and accounting. I over-achieved in college and was under-estimated and over-admonished at jobs.

And the harrowing and horrific lists and symptoms go on and on. In fact, for the usual ADHD “victim” (though I now see us as blessed), approximately sixty-nine symptoms or maladies afflict us at any given time—at any minute, second, or millisecond we interrupt; we blurt; we intrude; we mis-read social cues; we are dis- (under-) or over-organized; we fight time and timing; we can’t wait, sit still for long, or rest and relax as “normal” people do; we are, as the blanket observations have it, irritable, impulsive, hyperactive, and defiant. We need (and often for many years go on needing) diagnosis and subsequent ADHD treatment to help us regulate or self-regulate.

Luckily for those of us who do [eventually] get diagnosed, there are attentive, conscientious, qualified, super-intelligent specialists in the field (and professionals in medicine in general) who have developed ADHD treatment methods, procedures, approaches, and medicines. Some of these are as follows:

Medication

Amphetamines: Ironically, when a person with ADHD is hyper and speedy in action and thought, giving him or her speed (amphetamines) as an ADHD treatment is a most common occurrence. Though they don’t know the exact way it works, the amphetamine prescription (federally regulated, as it is highly susceptible to abuse) helps focus, organization, attention span, and many other subtler or quirkier symptoms of ADHD.

Ritalin: Ritalin is one of the grandparents, the elders, of ADHD treatment drugs, working again in ways the scientists cannot exactly pinpoint but in a very similar way to amphetamines. Ritalin is also still debated over constantly, especially with regards to children. (Do we dope every little imp that acts like a class clown or gets angry on the playground or performs on cue in front of the neighbors?) Ritalin is still mysterious as an agent for quelling ADHD symptoms, but many swear by it for or despite its minimal side effects (weight loss, mood swings, and others) compared to its positive effects, which lend themselves to clarity, stability, patience (physical and mental focus), and other nuances I cannot speak to here.

Other more commonly used medications: Also in contention with the two most “popular” or most often used or most studied meds are the increasingly introduced Adderall; Cyclert; and some of the SSRIs and MAOs. As with all medications, with these and the ones I describes from a personal (and not professional) point of view, research thoroughly before asking a doctor about one in particular, before, that is, committing to one. Each works in mysterious ways, still, and each works differently for and on each individual.

Neurofeedback (a. k. a. Biofeedback): Typically involuntary, certain impulses and electrical activity in the brain can be voluntarily modified. The ADDer, whose brain wave patterns are evidently different than non-ADDer brain wave patterns, is hooked up with electrodes (no pain). The ADDer sits facing a video screen/monitor, as the technician “amplifies brain activity.” The resulting patterns appear on the screen, whereby the ADDer manipulates controls electronically to manipulate and take control of the brain wave activity.

Behavior Modification/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: You might already understand behavior modification as consisting of a system of punishments and rewards, each applied to reinforce positive behavior. For the ADDer, the disorder is as much about “unacceptable/inappropriate” behavior as it is about miserable feeling and unique thinking. There are approximately 69 symptoms of ADD, most of them behavior-based: perception of social cues is skewed; the ADDer interrupts/blurts; he/she has demanding difficulties with organization; he/she has trouble with time and timing; he/she is challenged by waiting; he/she cannot easily relax or enjoy leisurely activities…. With behavioral therapy, which targets one or a few of such challenges at a time, the ADDer learns to “self-regulate.”

Food Changes/Dietary Intervention

A close investigation of foods that are or contain allergens and irritants to the nervous system has revealed the possibility of ADDers being especially negatively impacted. ADD treatments in this area include eliminating or curbing intake of white flour, sugar, and/or additives/preservatives. But the controversy still roars on this one, and FDA and other regulatory bodies have not acknowledged the veracity of gross dietary changes…yet.

Psychotherapy

A schedule of sessions with a trained and qualified therapist enhances one’s understanding, gives one a reflecting surface (human), and provides one with the social tools of communication (the give and take), self-improvement, and social protocol. Therapy is often recommended in conjunction with medication or other treatments, as one method compliments the other and one method’s weaknesses are compensated for by the other…and vice versa.

I do drugs and see a shrink—both of which/whom I am beyond grateful for. May you find the ADHD treatment that works for you.

(c) 2006 - ADHD Treatment

I’m certainly not saying that attention deficit disorders don’t exist, I’m sure they do. However, what I am saying is if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with an attention deficit disorder, don’t go running directly to the pharmacy to get a lifetime supply of drugs. First of all, get a second opinion, and maybe even a third.

I was diagnosed with an attention deficit disorder and spent two months taking a stimulant drug that made me feel like I’d just drank 4 cups of coffee all day long. When I saw a second doctor about it, he told me about the in style quality of attention deficit disorders, and suggested I cease the medication.

Looking back on the experience, I don’t think I have an attention deficit disorder, but rather just wasn’t getting enough sleep during the time I was diagnosed. Therein lies the problem with attention deficit disorders; a lot of things can mimic the symptoms of one, and there’s really no way of telling what’s going on exactly.

Attention deficit disorders are especially popular as diagnosis for kids. School therapists just seem to love labeling kids with an attention deficit disorder whenever they can’t figure what else could possibly be wrong. Personally, I think a lot of kids are just high energy by nature, and have trouble sitting still; I think it’s a bit extreme to label that a disorder and put them on amphetamine like stimulants.

Again, I’m sure that there are children out there that really do have a mysterious and unexplainable attention deficit disorder, but probably 9 times out of 10 they’re just being kids and will probably calm down when they get older.

While it seems that attention deficit disorders are finally beginning to wane slightly in popularity, they’re still a common diagnosis. It looks to me that the new stylish disorder is going to be bipolar disorder. I can’t wait for someone to diagnosis me with that so I can try some new drugs.

(c) 2006 - Attention Deficit Disorders

1. Keeping your personal finances and your business finances separate.

The larger your business is, the more important it is to separate your finances. Not only is it important for tax purposes, but recording all of your business transactions will give you or someone else all of the information necessary to analyze how well you are doing, and what you need to do to expand your business.

2. Set aside a regular time to pay your bills and to bill your customers.

I find that a lot of ADD entrepreneurs are more reluctant to bill their customers on a regular basis. The main reason is that they are so focused on pleasing the customer, that they don’t focus on actually getting paid for a job. In order to develop a habit, you should decide on a regular set time that you are going to focus on sending out your invoice and paying the bills.

3. Schedule time and/or days each week where you not allowed to do anything related to your business.

In order to be a successful entrepreneur you need to spend a lot of time on your business. It is easy for an ADD entrepreneur to completely focus on their business and not focus on their other needs like eating properly, sleeping, physical activity, and spending time with friends and family. Without spending a little time on the other areas of your life your will burnout or breakdown.

by John MacKenzie
About the Author
John MacKenzie is the assistant director of ADD Classes. He also writes a blog titled Adult ADD and Money