ADHD – Looking For Causes On The Way To Finding Solutions
Recently one of my neighbors stopped by to chat about some neighborhood issues. In the middle of the conversion he changed course completely and informed me that he thought he might have ADHD. After that he went on to clue me in to his theory that he thought he might have gotten the condition from breathing paint fumes while doing a little touch up work around the house.
My experience above may sound a little weird but it seems like almost everyone believes they have at least at touch of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and the causes seems to get more bizarre by the day. I have almost gotten to point where I believe that if a space alien showed up at my front door the first thing he would say would be " You know I have ADHD".
The truth about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is that we really don't know precisely what causes the disorder, or what conditions might be working behind the scenes to trigger the it. Nevertheless, most research points to the conclusion that ADHD is a neurological disorder of the nervous system that affects several areas of the brain, including those responsible for self-regulation, executive function, and short-term memory. It has also become crystal clear in recent years that ADHD has a genetic component with children of at least one ADHD parent having about a 50 percent chance of being diagnosed with the disorder.
Exploring the five most current theories about the cause of ADHD
*Environmental factors prior to birth such as exposure to alcohol or exposure to cigarette toxins in the womb may increase the chances of being born with the disorder. Additionally, some believe that high levels of lead in the bloodstream may cause ADHD.
*Structural abnormalities are a real possibility when trying to nail down possible causes. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) tells us that four brain regions in children with ADHD are smaller than those in children without the disorder.
*Heredity. Research has yet to reveal why and how ADHD is passed on from one generation to the next. But while we don't have all the answers statistical studies tell us that ADHD children are very likely to have one close relative with the disorder.
*Brain chemical messengers. This is complicated one with some conflicting information about which neurotransmitter chemicals produce the ADHD symptoms of inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity/restlessness that have become so familiar to many of use. Some believe it is a shortage of dopamine and norepinephrine causing a less than satisfactory interacting with other brain chemicals. Others believe a shortage of dopamine alone leads to an abnormal reaction with other brain chemicals, specifically norepinephrine and serotonin.
*Failure to snooze. We all know how we act and feel when we become sleep deprived. A sleep deprived brain will do almost anything to keep going, and there is some research to suggest that hyperactive people with ADHD may be feeling and acting that way because of the brains efforts to compensate for drowsiness.
Looking for solutions
For those 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 stimulant 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 to consider non-prescription options. A couple examples of these are behavior modification therapy and/or natural remedies. Natural remedies for ADHD are a side effect free way to address such problematic symptoms as inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, erratic behavior and hyperactivity and 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.
Questions and Answers
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