Saturday, May 19, 2012

3 Ways to Treat Adult ADHD Without Taking Prescription Medications

If you have been looking for ways to treat your adult ADHD without taking medication, then you have came to the right place. Inside this article I will share with a couple of ways that I know of, that you can start using today to treat your ADHD symptoms. So I strongly suggest that you read this entire article right away as it contain valuable information that you can start to use right now.

First let's talk a little about prescription medications that doctors normally prescribe adults who are diagnosed with ADHD.

The 4 most common medications that are used are:

1. Adderall

2. Focalin

3. Vyvanse

4. Concerta

According to the doctors these drugs are the best treatments that are available to adults suffering from ADHD. This is not always the case. Not everyone responds well to taking medications. There are also come side effects that are associated with taking the above medications. Some people experience the following symptoms: insomnia, upset stomach, and irritability.

Now we are going to move on to the other ways of treating ADHD besides taking prescriptions medications.

The first thing we are going to talk about is called brainwave entrainment.

Brainwave Entrainment Audio

This is a very subtle approach to dealing with ADHD symptoms. It is a series of sounds or should I say binary beats that tune into certain areas of brain causing them to relax and almost putting you into a trance like state. It sounds like something out of a Science Fiction novel but is real. It is really simple and also really effective.

The next form of treatment we are going to talk about is natural dietary supplements.

Natural Dietary Supplements

Natural dietary supplements such as Ginseng and Gingko Biloba have been know to help adults suffering with ADHD. I have read that in blind study groups that it has been proven to help patients focus better and get threw a day much more easily.

Last but not least we are going to talk about simple diet changes.

Diet Changes

By simply changing how and what you eat can drastically reduce and improve your symptoms. By reducing the amount of sugars and salts that you intake combined with exercise has been proven to help people suffering with ADHD.

So my recommendation to you is that if you have been suffering with ADHD, and do not want to start taking prescription medications try any of the above. As a matter a fact try all 3, it can only help you.

One more bad thing about starting prescription medication is that once you usually start, its a good chance that you are going to have to take them for the rest of your life. So instead of just accepting the medications right from the beginning, try out some other alternatives before you commit to something for life.

10 Symptoms That You Are Suffering From Adult ADHD

Do you think that you have been suffering from adult ADHD for any amount of time? If so you have come to the right place. Inside this article I will share with you what I believe 10 of the top signs that you have been suffering from ADHD. Many people suffer from ADHD there entire life without even knowing it. That is why I have written this article so you can have some kind of direction or at least to point you in the right direction.

Let's play with some numbers to start off. Three to ten percent of kids in school suffer from ADHD. Of those three to ten percent 60% of them will continue to suffer from ADHD as an adult. Of that 60% only four to five percent will be actually diagnosed as having adult ADHD. So that leaves about 50% of adult with ADHD will never know that have the condition.

The symptoms of adult ADHD range from not being able to properly follow directions to struggling on the job to struggling at home with their family.

Of all the symptoms that can be signs of ADHD the following are some of more prominent indicators that you are suffering from adult ADHD:

1. Always being late and forgetting to do things.

2. Always feeling anxious or having a feeling of anxiety with everything that you do.

3. Not feeling confident in yourself or having low self esteem.

4. Unable to find a job or not being able to keep a job for very long.

5. Anger management problems or always upset about any little thing.

6. Making important decisions quickly or being a very impulsive person.

7. Drug/substance abusing or having and addiction to either.

8. Never getting anything done or putting everything off until later.(Procrastinator)

9. Becoming easily frustrated with the most simplest of task.

10. Bored with life or sense of feeling like nothing is worth doing?

How many of these can you honestly answer? Did you even make it threw reading all of them? If you did manage to read all of them. Write down the ones that you can place yourself under.

The above are some general questions that you can ask yourself if you suspect yourself of having adult ADHD. The list was complied from research of ADHD sufferers answers when ask certain questions and how they deal with certain situations.

Just as a good number to go off and because I do not want to leave you blind guessing. I say if you can place yourself in 5 or more of the above. It may be time to seek further help or you may be interested in online ADHD test. Before seeking professional help many people head online to take many of the professional online test that available to adults suffering with ADHD.

My Husband Has PTSD And Is Not The Same

The number one complaint or comment made by military spouses these days is," My husband/ boyfriend is not the same man that left to go to war." The sad fact is that these spouses couldn't be more right. Many of our loved ones are not the same and will never be the same again. Post traumatic stress will take the strongest and most brave soldier and drag him or her into a whirlwind of symptoms that are difficult to understand and to conquer. These symptoms are often so severe that they will leave you wondering whom this person is, what in the world is wrong, and what can you possibly do to help?

The most important thing that you can do for yourself and to help your spouse, who may have post traumatic stress, is to educate yourself. You need to know what the symptoms are - not a checklist of words that sound bad but that you can't relate to. You have to realize for yourself how this condition relates to your husband. You need to realize the possible risks of this disorder, and what to do about it.

It is true that your loved one is not the same and will never be the same person. He is forever changed. He may be in the middle of the biggest mental minefield imaginable. He may not even know what is happening to him. He may not be able to verbalize what is going on in his mind and in his body. He might not be able to ask for help.

Your loved one may be violent, angry, aggressive, isolating, drinking, doing drugs, threatening or seriously considering suicide. He could be going through flashbacks, nightmares, and not be able to sleep. Most PTSD suffers quickly find themselves frazzled and worn down to the point of giving up. These are symptoms that he is not going to verbalize to you, unless the problem is so blatantly obvious that he has no choice.

Post traumatic stress is a very serious disorder. Suicide rates of troops who are coming back from the sandboxes of Iraq and Afghanistan are off the chart. Our soldiers are coming back and killing themselves record numbers. So if your loved one has recently returned from a war zone, and your observation is that he is just not the same, look for signs and symptoms that may indicate post traumatic stress.

The number one thing that you can do to help someone who has PTSD, is to know what is happening with them and to be proactive. PTSD is a debilitating disorder, and those who have it often can't even verbalize their experience at the time.

It is absolutely correct your husband is not the same and he's never going to be the same again, but there is hope for those who have PTSD. As a spouse, as someone who cares, first step is to get the concrete facts of what PTSD is, what the symptoms are, and how to deal with them. Secondly, you must formulate a plan of how you will react when the symptoms arise. Post traumatic stress does get better with time. People do get recover and go on to live very happy, productive lives. There absolutely is hope, but recovery takes a lot of support and time.

If you're feeling that your loved one is "just not the same", you are not alone. There are thousands of military wives that feel the exact same way that you feel. There is light at the end of the tunnel- you just have to know what you dealing with, and learn how heal from it.

Activities For Alzheimer's Patients Promote Mental Stimulus

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that if someone has Alzheimer's they are no longer able to enjoy the activities they once liked to do. They have the impression that these folks are merely vegetables who are content to sit and while away the hours staring into space. This is definitely not a true picture of a typical Alzheimer's patient. While the person may eventually become unable to participate in even the simplest of pastimes, in the early stages of the disease their minds are active and will stay that way longer provided they have opportunities for stimulus.

No one likes to feel that there is nothing exciting left in life or believe that there's isn't anything more they can achieve in life. Like everyone else, the dementia patient still has a healthy body which likes a bit of action now and then. They also like to feel that they are contributing to their upkeep by being helpful and doing small tasks. Tailoring the jobs that they are allowed to do must be done to keep them safe. For example, a person who has enjoyed cooking their entire life may not be up to working around hot stoves and ovens, but they might still be able to wash and prepare vegetables and other cold foods. If it's something they enjoy, make a real effort to find ways for them to do so.

Dancing and music can be another enjoyable therapy for Alzheimer's patients. In the solitude of their room, you can put on soft music to soothe and comfort them. If they like to dance, make the music a bit livelier, and hit the dance floor with them.

Spending time with a favorite pet can stimulate them mentally as well as physically. Sedentary patients can be encouraged to take walks in the company of their dogs. Unfortunately, not every nursing facility can allow pets. If this is the case, make sure your loved one has opportunities to spend time with an animal in your care, or take them out to a zoo where they can see a variety of animals. Be careful to limit the animals they see to those who won't frighten them.

Games involving memory which they once played as children can be a delight. If necessary, keep the games very simple. Even games like Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, or Crazy Eight can keep them entertained and thinking. You can also try simple activities, such as batting a balloon around the room, which can be a lot of fun.

Just because a person has Alzheimer's doesn't mean they want to spend their remaining years sitting docilely and doing nothing. Keeping their minds and bodies occupied can be wonderful therapy that can also extend their years of lucidity.

Low Self Esteem Among Young Girls

Recent research carried out, based on interviews with 500 young girls from across the UK, revealed that around twenty five per cent of them feel under pressure to conform to an "Ideal image". Five per cent claimed they hated the way they looked, with twenty per cent claiming there would be much they would like to change. All these results indicating a feeling of low self -esteem among these young people.

The survey, which was carried out by the Future Foundation on behalf of Dove, interviewed girls aged between 11 and 17 years of age, and reveals the alarming effect that low Self-esteem is having on their future prospects and outlook on life. Only a third of those interviewed felt confident that they would go on to have success in any chosen career.

This lack of self-esteem and self-confidence in their appearance has resulted in them spending as much time in attending to it as they would spend on their homework, nearly forty five minutes applying make-up in contrast to just fifty or so minutes on home work. Almost fifty per cent described themselves as ordinary and claimed they would be far happier if they felt more attractive.

This alarming image of thousands of young girls suffering from low self-esteem and self-confidence could have long term effects on the future of women's roles in society.

The results of this particular survey have indicated that by the middle of this century the United Kingdom could lose hundreds and thousands of professional women such as doctors, lawyers and business entrepreneurs, plus the possibility of lacking fifty future women members of parliament.

It is also claimed that this lack of self-esteem and self-confidence at present being displayed by these girls will make it highly unlikely they will aspire to careers in business, politics or sport.

It is a highly disturbing picture that is being painted by the results of this survey, a picture of thousands of young girls unknowingly condemning themselves to lower expectations of life and future happiness. It would be easy, and in some ways justified to blame the media, magazines, television and pop videos, for this undermining of young girls self-confidence. They are subjected to a constant barrage of images of near perfect models and highly glamorous life styles, to make them think that they are somehow inadequate if they do not conform to these images; but the future does not have to be that bleak.

Dove has launched a high self-esteem programme, aimed at 11 to 14 year old girls, to be introduced and rolled out in the form of workshops in schools across the country.

In addition to these workshops, parents and other adults can strive to boost young girl's self-esteem in as many ways as possible. Praise them for any small achievement they may make. Convince them that they are as attractive as any air brushed model, and that personality and a healthy outlook on life are just as important as physical beauty. Raising their self-esteem will raise their aspirations, and their future prospects.

Understanding Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Trisha is a seven-year old African-American female in foster because of neglect and physical and emotional abuse. When I first saw her, she was not in foster care. She was dressed in jeans and a clean shirt. Her hair was puffy and unkempt. She sat up straight in her chair and did not move an inch without her mother's say. She was being seen for physical abuse by her father. Some of her symptoms included stealing food, hoarding food, and lying. She was later removed from her mother's home because of neglect and possible abuse.

When I first saw her with her foster-mother, she seemed like a different child. Her hair was braided and neatly tied in a pony-tail. She was clean and neatly dressed. She was rambunctious and hyperactive. Later sessions would show this out further. Her stealing and hoarding of food became less pronounced, but she was still telling stories. I was treating Trisha for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which we see in soldiers come home from the war. I was using an evidenced-based practice called Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which was developed for children 3-18 years of age. An evidence-based practice means that when this type of therapy is replicated (more than several times) there was vast improvement in symptoms of the clients. It is shown to be an effective type of therapy. This therapy is used for sexual abuse, domestic violence, and physical abuse.

This model of therapy has several components and the most important part is using the parents/ foster parents as part of the treatment. First you assess from the client's point of view, how they have been feeling to see if they have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. With young children, you give similar measures to the parents. Once tabulated, you go over with the parent what you found and if they indeed have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The next few sessions are based on educating the child and parent, depending on the type of abuse they suffered, what it is and what it looks like. It is an unfolding process.

You begin treatment by teaching the client coping strategies for when they have distressing thoughts. It begins with relaxation techniques including deep breathing, progressive relaxation, finding their safe place. You have them practice this and teach the parents how to do this.

The next step is getting the client in touch with their feelings. You teach the client about different feelings and get them to relate it to when they felt that way. If they get overwhelmed you have them take a time out and use their relaxation exercises. Then you give them a break and do something fun and work on it next session. You are also teaching them further coping techniques and getting them to think of things that work for them.

Next you are teaching them how feelings, thoughts, and behaviors are all intertwined and how they work together. You are trying to get them to recognize the thoughts they are thinking that fuels the feeling and in turn causes untoward behaviors. We are also teaching them and their parents the cognitive triangle, so that the exercises can be practiced at home.

You are culminating in therapy into the biggest project called the trauma narrative. You have them pick out what was the worst thing about the trauma. They begin to write or draw a story about what was the worst thing for them. This takes several sessions. Each week, they read to you or tell you what they drew or wrote about and they tell a little bit more of the story. You share this with the parents. When the story is complete and they can tell you the story, you ask them to tell the story with their parents. The child gets so used to telling the story that they are no longer afraid of it. If there are several traumas, you can repeat the process.

Only a trained clinician in this method should be treating your child if you suspect or if there has been abuse that is causing a disruption in the child's life. You never undertake these steps yourselves. This article outlines just some of the steps taken in treating a child with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Only a professional can diagnose this and treat it.

If someone you love has been abused, please seek help for them and have them evaluated. Trauma-Focused Behavioral Therapy is only one of many models of treatment out there to treat abuse. There are other models out there which prove just as successful.

Mental Illness and Its Symptoms

According to reports, there exist over 200 kinds of psychological illness. You can find a huge array in situations, from psychological depression to anxiety conditions, from obsessive-compulsive disorder to schizophrenia. Mental illness symptoms could also vary from light forms to those types that are more damaging. Remedies might include psychiatric therapy and medicines.

Depression and Anxiety

Although depression is a psychological illness, its symptoms could appear within other mental conditions as well. For instance you might get really down or you may experience sadness or emptiness. You could have anxieties as well as suspicions which go outside of the normal spectrum for the majority. In addition, you might find it hard or hopeless to cope with daily pressure along with your concerns. Although all of these are based on depression, they could suggest that you get another mental illness symptoms or condition.

Major Changes

While everybody changes every once in a while, major or abrupt changes could be indications of mental sickness. One example is, you might out of the blue eat more than normal or much less. You might not desire having sex as much as you used to. In addition, you might all of a sudden take in large amount of alcohol or have illegal drugs. You might not take part in tasks that you formerly enjoyed or you do not prefer to gather or chat with family and friends. You may be instantly terribly upset and then end up with violence.

Hallucinations and Delusions

Once your mind starts to move in various ways compared to the majority of people whom the community takes into account as normal, it could be one of the mental illness symptoms that must be addressed immediately. Delusions could take several forms. Perhaps you believe that you are a famous individual like the president of America or maybe a hero or perhaps a secret agent. You might think that you are a notorious individual like John Wilkes Booth or Jack the Ripper. You might think you could fly or you are bionic. A delusion, basically, is often a strong indication that something in you is not right. Hallucinations offer a similar experience because these are withdrawal from the truth. You could hear noise which nobody else does, or maybe you often see things which usually are not there. You will also experience sensations on the skin which don't occur.

Physiological Problems

In most cases, mental illness symptoms are believed to be entirely psychological, however, there are certain issues which could happen in physical form and this reveals a mental issue. As an illustration, in the event you acquire several physical issues which usually are not defined, often it could possibly be a psychological disorder. Discomfort could also take place in your chest area or lower back and you might have severe headaches. Your heartbeat might increase and you might get dizzy. Complications with your digestive function or abrupt weight loss can also be one of mental illness symptoms that you need to control.