ADHD Center for Success

I am often asked if there are effective alternative treatments for ADD/ADHD rather than the more common use of medications.

This is a popular question asked as there are many people who prefer or insist to be med-free in their treatment of AD/HD. Let me first establish that I work in a medical world as a psychotherapist. While medications are not my favorite choice I DO find pharmaceuticals to be most effective and most consistent in the treatment of AD/HD. Much of the literature will point to a combination of medication and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) as the most effective treatment modality. My personal belief is that  ADHD coaching has the edge on CBT although some will consider them one in the same.

Now, what are the alternatives? I’ve heard reports from ADHD parents, adults and holistic practitioners touting an assortment of alternative treatment modalities. While I have personally utilized some of the alternatives listed below it would be prudent for me to endorse all alternative the treatments listed below. In some cases, I’ve listed web links for you to explore but you should not consider this is not an endorsement.

EEG Biofeedback – or Neurofeedback is an interesting, reportedly effective but expensive treatment methodology. Think of Neurofeedback as a personal brain training that exercises the neural pathways that allow the brain to have better function in a variety of areas. You can google it or go to: http://www.eeginfo.com/ for starters.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)– is a popular therapeutic technique that has gained some popularity for working with ADHD. For more info: Google [NLP, ADHD].

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) – From the EFT website, “Based on impressive new discoveries regarding the body’s subtle energies, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has proven successful in thousands of clinical cases. It applies to just about every emotional, health and performance issue you can name and it often works where nothing else will.”  http://www.emofree.com/

Acupuncture & Eastern Medicine – Google [acupuncture, ADHD]
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/31125/acupuncture_for_attention_deficit_disorder.html,  http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/acu_info/pressrelease/adhd.html

Brain Gym – Brain Gym® – is the registered trademark for the starter educational, sensorimotor program developed by Paul E. Dennison, Ph.D., an expert in child motor-development. It is based upon more than 80 years of research by educational therapists, developmental optometrists, and other specialists in the fields of movement, education, and child development.   http://www.adhdnews.com/braingym.html

Chiropractics – I’m less familiar with chiropractic treatments for ADHD but I must admit I’ve heard several stories of positive outcomes.

ADHD Diets -  Check out the following links: Is Diet a Factor in ADHD and ADD? ,   ADHD with Diet,   Food for Focus. 

Herbs & Remedies –
• ATTEND -  to improve focus, attention and concentration. http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com/newsletters/newsletter_31may.htm
• Additional sites:
o http://www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/wellness_concerns/adhd/herbs_and_vitamins_for_ADHD.php
Conventional, Alternative and Innovative Therapies for the Treatment Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – As I was searching the internet for the above information I came across this comprehensive site:
http://www.healing-arts.org/children/ADHD/treatments.htm

~Coach Rudy Rodriguez - Asheville, NC

ADHD Coach Nancy Ratey, EdM, is author of The Disorganized Mind: Coaching Your ADHD Brain to Take Control of Your Time, Tasks, and Talents. Nancy offers adults living with ADHD the following tips to help them organize their lives:

1. Create a family calendar. Put the calendar in the kitchen and make everyone take part, even those who don’t have ADHD. A simple color coded calendar – each person can pick his or her favorite color – can help avoid overbooking, and family members can offer friendly reminders when an appointment is looming. Talk about the week’s schedule on Sunday evening during dinner, so you have a reasonable time frame that you have to process.
2. Clean out the clutter. If you have ADHD, chances are that at the core of your disorder is clutter. Everything you own – from a 10-year old magazine to your wedding album – holds the same level of emotional value, and you feel you need to keep it all. Once a month, mark a Saturday afternoon on your calendar and dedicate three hours to chipping away at the mess – that’s just enough time to make a difference without overwhelming you.
3. Label your life. Once you’ve de-cluttered, it’s time to get organized. Ratey suggests you assign all your important “life items” – like your keys, your wallet, and your mail – a home. With a good organizing system, you’ll be able to put your hands on something fast when you need it.
4. Use to-do lists. Write your to-do list for the next day before you go to bed at night. Use four simple ‘buckets’ to keep your to-dos manageable: calls, emails, tasks, and errands. The hallmark of any good to-do list is length: the shorter the better. People who compile lists with dozens of projects tend to jump from one to the next without finishing anything.
5. Take time. Time every aspect of your day for one week, suggests Ratey. An activity log can help you realize when your ADHD takes over and where you need to make improvements. A simple trick like wearing a watch that beeps on the hour keeps you aware of time and moving in the right direction.

Find more ADHD time-management tips at www.WebMD.com

Shared by: Coach Rudy Rodriguez, Asheville, NC