Medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can be beneficial to both children and adults who suffer from the disorder. However, it is not the only treatment option, and a doctor will decide what may work best for you or for your child. The medications on the market today are specifically made to help those with ADHD and can be classified into two main groups: stimulant medications and non-stimulant medications for ADHD.

Stimulant Medications for ADHD

Stimulants are the most widely prescribed medications for ADHD for both children and adults. Widely known medications such as Ritalin, Adderal, and Dexedrine fit into this subcategory of stimulant medications.

Stimulants work by increasing the amount of dopamine levels in the brain, and one of the functions of dopamine is to control attention. It also controls motivation, pleasure, and movement. By regulating the dopamine levels, doctors can regulate the attention spans and energy levels of those they are treating.

These types of medications for ADHD come in both short and long-acting types that either have to be taken a few times a day or just once, depending on the medication. As with all medications, there are side effects that you or your child may experience on these drugs and with stimulants, you may see mood swings, restlessness, headaches, loss of appetite or more. Once again, this depends on the specifics of the medication that you or your child has been prescribed.

Non-Stimulant Medications for ADHD

In most cases, non-stimulant medications are used only when stimulant medications have not worked to control the symptoms well enough, or created intolerable side effects that made the medications ineffective for treating the ADHD symptoms.

Right now, there is only one non-stimulant medication approved by the FDA that is specifically used to help control the symptoms of ADHD, Strattera, but atypical anti-depressants and certain blood pressure medications are also used and can be helpful in treating symptoms. Non-stimulant medications work differently from stimulants in that they boost the levels of norepinephrine, which is a different brain chemical.

While the positives of non-stimulant medication include also helping with anxieties or depression and having long-lasting effectiveness, these types of medication do not seem to be as helpful in controlling hyperactivity as the stimulant medications are. Because of this, non-stimulant medications may or may not be a good choice for you or your child, depending on the symptoms exhibited. The side effects of non-stimulant medications are usually milder than those found with the use of stimulant medications which make them a good choice if the side effects of stimulant medications made those type of solutions ineffective in your treatment or the treatment of your child.

Because there are so many medications available, the best medication for your own personal brand of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can only be determined by your doctor. Only they can decide which types of medication would be most beneficial to you or your child, and they may even want to try natural or herbal remedies before any medications are prescribed. Whatever the symptoms you or your child experience, there are ways to help, and with the best medication, you or your child can begin to feel better and more productive in everyday life.

*We do not and cannot, due to FDA regulations, claim that any medicinal, herbal or natural recommendations can treat a disease. Therefore, the information found on BestADHDMedication.com can only claim that some individuals do benefit from the following.

þ	The correct ADHD treatment or medication CAN effectively help manage and control ADHD symptoms.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

(ADHD)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as ADHD, is a disorder thought to be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain which causes distractibility, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity. This disorder effects 3-5% of school aged children, and nearly 8% of adults, although the percentage for adults is mostly estimated since many adults with ADHD do not realize they have the disorder and are not treated for it.