ADHD is short for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder which is a condition consisting of problematic behaviors that impact a person's ability to function normally in a number of different areas; mainly the ability to maintain focus, exhibit impulsive actions, and become noticeably hyperactive or restless.
As perplexing as the condition itself can be perhaps the most confusing facet of ADHD is finding the right treatment approach capable of delivering results without inviting unwanted side effects. One of the options often preferred by many psychologists is behavioral modification therapy. In this article we will take a closer look at behavioral therapy as it applies to ADHD.
Behavior consists of feeding information forward and then returning an answer or solution that may be internalized or physically acted upon. For example, you decide you are hungry in between meals, so you grab a snack to tide you over for a few hours. Once done you evaluate whether your snack achieved its intended purpose. If it didn't you probably will reach for another snack and eat it. Mission accomplished!
If you have adult ADHD, your brain's feed-forward and feed-back processes may not be in synch. While you likely have little trouble knowing you are hungry, and that a snack is needed, you may have trouble following through on your decision, evaluating whether you did the right thing, and figuring out the next step if you didn't do the right thing.
For example, someone without attention deficit disorder would get hungry, quickly consume their favorite snack, and feel relieved or satisfied. But an adult with ADHD may face various distractions along the way. They may become distracted and forget about the healthy snack in desk opting for the co-workers half eaten bag of chips which is sure to leave them feeling flat in a half hour or so. If the healthy snack in the desk isn't remembered chances are they will simply decide the best option is fight through the hunger until lunch or dinner, possible leading to an episode of binge eating. Additionally, after the binge eating episode someone with ADHD will likely remember the perfect snack was in their desk drawer all along.
Behavioral Modification and ADHD
Does the name Ivan Pavlov ring a bell? Many will know the name instantly while others will not. Nevertheless, Pavlov gained famed by training dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell - a case of rewarding and modifying behavior that usually cannot be consciously controlled. Pavlov's experiments illustrated how learned responses can be suppressed. His experiments were then modified and adapted by the Americans Skinner and Wolpe to produce what we currently refer to as behavioral modification therapy.
Skinner was a pioneer in the area of operant conditioning which accepts the premise that behavior generally understood as intentional and conscious is modified by changing the response to elicits. Wolpe gained his fame for his groundbreaking efforts in the areas of desensitization and assertiveness training.
By the 1970's, behavioral therapy was embraced by the mental health community and became a mainstay for treating such challenging conditions as anxiety, depression, and phobias. During the 1980's it was adopted as a way to treat the new and controversial condition we now refer to as ADHD.
While many therapist still use conventional behavioral therapy to treat ADHD others have adopted newer forms of behavior modification therapies including cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy. Traditional behavioral therapy seems to do the most good in institutionalized settings which are already highly structured and where rewards and penalties can take on the form basic life needs.
What next? For adults struggling with ADHD finding an effective treatment option is an important first step. The most common forms of treatment are prescription stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and non-stimulant medications such as Intuniv or Strattera. While effective, all ADHD prescription medications come with a number of serious label warnings.
The risk of side effects, or perhaps lack of success (30% of the time), has prompted many adults to consider non-prescription options such as behavior therapy and/or homeopathic ADHD remedies. Natural remedies such as these are a side effect free way to address such problematic adult ADHD symptoms as inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, erratic behavior and restlessness which can be used both as a standalone treatment or as a compliment to other non-prescription alternatives. They also have been shown to produce long-term lasting benefits about half of the time.
Robert D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic consumer advocate for natural health and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field. To discover more about ADHD along with information about a safe and effective herbal and homeopathic ADHD remedies Click Here
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