By Ben Martin, Psy.D.

Table of Contents:

• An Introduction to ADHD
• Symptoms of ADHD
• Problems Related to ADHD
• Causes of ADHD
• How is ADHD diagnosed?
• Treatment of ADHD
• Additional Treatments for ADHD
• ADHD in Adults
• Getting Help for ADHD
• Future Directions in ADHD
• Resources for ADHD

In addition to medication to treat attention deficit disorder (ADHD), there are a variety of other treatment options available through mental health professionals. Once some of the behavior problems are under control, the child may be better able to understand the challenges they may have caused to the people around them. Everyone involved can benefit from techniques to manage the past and present consequences of ADHD behavior, and counseling the child and the family group may offer a solution.

Psychotherapy for ADHD

In psychotherapy , the child can be helped to talk about upsetting thoughts and feelings, explore self-defeating patterns of behavior, learn alternative ways to handle emotions, feel better about him or herself despite the disorder, identify and build on their strengths, cope with daily problems, and control their attention and aggression. Such therapy can also help the family to better handle the disruptive behaviors, promote change, develop techniques for coping with and improving their child’s behavior.

Behavioral therapy is a specific type of psychotherapy that focuses more on ways to deal with immediate issues. It tackles thinking and coping patterns directly, without trying to understand their origins. The aim is behavior change, such as organizing tasks or schoolwork in a better way, or dealing with emotionally charged events when they occur. In BT, the child may be asked to monitor their actions and give themselves rewards for positive behavior such as stopping to think through the situation before reacting.

Social Skills Training for ADHD

Social skills training teaches the behaviors necessary to develop and maintain good social relationships, such as waiting for a turn, sharing toys, asking for help, or certain ways of responding to teasing. The behaviors that are appropriate in different situations are explained and then practiced with the therapist. Clues that can be taken from people’s facial expressions and tone of voice may be discussed.

Support Groups for ADHD

Mutual self-help support groups can be very beneficial for parents and individuals with ADHD themselves. A sense o...