Arts
Dr. B here doing our demystifying the DSM of neurodevelopmental disorders and I'm ending with adult ADD ADHD. Confession, I have ADD but I also choose not to treat it with medications, so I'm going to go through why and the pros and cons and how to know if you truly have ADD or ADHD. If you were diagnosed as a child, then likely it has followed you into adulthood and that diagnosis is a little easier. With myself, I'm almost 50, and so I grew up in the age where my mom did not want to put me on Ritalin. It was over diagnosed and really wasn't ever talked about. I functioned average or I felt below average, but to my parents, I could bring home C’s and that was good enough. I grew up believing that I was not smart. I realized now as I had to get a couple degrees to prove it to myself that I am smart and that I have a high intelligence in areas that don't require attention. I don't think that not treating my ADHD was the problem. It was more of if I knew that my problem was just inattention, I could have made accommodations to feel smarter at a younger age. It wasn't an inability to learn, it was an inability to read and pay attention to what I'm reading and comprehend what I'm reading. But on the other hand, what I'm seeing in our culture now is adults coming and they're saying, I think I have ADHD I want to start medication. I think I've had it my whole life. I want to caution you in that direction because there's so many things that can cause inattention. Anxiety causes inattention. If you are worried non-stop, you can't pay attention. If you're depressed, you can't pay attention. So again, inattention by itself is not a diagnosis of ADHD, so it's important to get that full evaluation. If you come into mentally strong to be evaluated for adult ADHD or ADD, come in with an open mind that maybe it's not that. Maybe it's something else. Let's see how we can treat the whole problem. If we think about the theory of ADHD of an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex, you're not getting enough dopamine. Well, the prefrontal cortex is your highest level of functioning. Your executive function, your ability to take in all the information. And make decisions, right? But it also has to do with the brainstem and the reticular activating system, which is your filter, right? Can you turn it off? Can you turn off the noise in the background? Are you easily distracted by things that pull away from your attention? So those are the two areas of the brain that are affected by inattention. But those areas of the brain can be affected by depression and anxiety and other types of mood disorders or even psychotic disorders. So again, coming in with an open mind, we will ask lots of questions, do assessments. We do a cognitive assessment to see you know how you are functioning, not just in attention, but in in other cognitive areas, and especially in late adult. Can we improve your anxiety? And your inattention. Some of those things because those things can be treated with the Mentally STRONG Method. This strong cognitive behavioral approach. Yes, get treatment, but don't think everybody with ADD needs to be on stimulant medications. There's lots of other ways that we can treat it, and we can often treat it with the Mentally STRONG Method. Remember that you are Mentally STRONG.--Dr. Cristi Bundukamara, Ed.D, PMHNP-BC --- A Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and a Doctor of Healthcare Education has experienced unimaginable trials that have caused many feelings such as depression, anxiety, anger, & overwhelming stress. However, she has developed a new pathway to becoming Mentally Strong & Choosing to be Happy. With purpose, Dr. B has developed the phases that were refined within the Mentally STRONG Method that she created and wants to share with you.https://www.facebook.com/Mentallystronginchttps://www.mentallystrong.commentally_strong_https://www.youtube.com/c/drbmentallystrong