ADHD is a difficult condition for anyone to deal with, but it can be particularly hard for ADHD teenagers to cope with the disorder because it makes them so different from their peers. ADHD teens have a particularly tough time because, unlike younger ADHD patients, they notice how they're different from their peers, and they may be embarrassed at their own hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. On the other hand, ADHD teenagers may begin to notice the mental side effects of conventional psychostimulant drugs in a way they did not as younger children; this means that ADHD teens are more likely to want to find solutions for their disorder outside the realm of conventional drugs.
Luckily, there are other solutions for ADHD out there. The best possible solution to ADHD in teenagers typically involves a combination of treatment methods. Besides conventional drugs, which may cause anxiety and insomnia, ADHD teens can seek help through behavioral therapy, homeopathic treatments, and dietary changes.
Behavioral Therapy
This type of therapy has been shown to be very effective with ADHD teenagers. It basically involves meeting with a behavioral therapist and following simple instructions. The ADHD teen will learn to control his own behavior through setting up his environment in a way that allows him to function optimally, and the ADHD teen's parents or guardians will meet with the therapist to learn how to encourage good behavior and discourage bad behavior.
Behavioral therapy is one of the most recommended ways of dealing with ADHD in teenagers and adults, as they are more capable than ADHD children of understanding and controlling their own behavior. Because ADHD people mature emotionally far more slowly than normal people, behavioral therapy may work in ADHD teens even if it didn't work when those same teens were children.
Dietary Changes
Typically, teenagers aren't the healthiest of eaters. Most of them can, after all, eat all the fatty, sugary foods they want without adding inches to their waistlines, so they're usually not as worried about diet as adults are. But what ADHD teens may not know is that their lack of care about what they eat may be making their ADHD symptoms worse.
Science is now showing that ADHD people tend to have deficiencies in vitamins and minerals like magnesium and zinc. While the connection between these deficiencies and ADHD symptoms isn't clear yet, supplementing these deficiencies with vitamins and an all-around healthier diet has been proven to help reduce or eliminate ADHD symptoms. If your ADHD teenager is interested in trying this approach with ADHD, she should consult with a nutritionist or dietician who will be able to recommend the best way to create a healthy diet.
Homeopathic Treatments
ADHD teenagers who are tired of the anxiety and sleeplessness that might come from their conventional ADHD drugs may find help in natural homeopathic remedies. A good remedy will include herbal supplements like Hysoscamus and German chamomile that have been proven to reduce or eliminate ADHD symptoms by rebalancing brain chemistry. The best part is that these treatments are safe and completely side-effect free.
More is Better
It is generally agreed that a combination approach to ADHD treatment is best for ADHD teenagers, so mixing nutritional, homeopathic, and behavioral therapies may be the most effective way for a teenager struggling with this disorder to overcome his symptoms and to live a full, healthy, balanced life.
Shannon Pollock is a passionate advocate of natural health remedies who has been researching their use for many years. Find out more about some of the most effective treatments for ADHD on her site, Natural Health Remedies and More.
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