Best ADHD Medication For Adults With Anxiety
Anxiety disorders can affect up to 50 percent of the adults who suffer from ADHD. Treatment strategies for both conditions include medication as well as therapy.
Stimulants can be effective in enhancing attention and focus. They work by keeping receptors that are already "fired up" in your brain "turned-on". They can cause tics and raise your heart rate.
Stimulants
Stimulants, such as amphetamines and methylphenidates are the first medications doctors typically use when treating ADHD. These drugs act quickly to enhance focus and decrease the impulsivity. They can alleviate anxiety in certain people by increasing norepinephrine levels. The majority of stimulant drugs are controlled substances and therefore have a high risk of addiction and abuse. However, some adults find that they are able to take them without issue. They do cause initial insomnia that could be due to a relapse of ADHD symptoms when the medication has worn off or to changes in the pattern of sleep. This can be minimized by taking the drug only once per day, instead of three or four times, and by establishing regular sleep routines.
Stimulants can trigger adverse effects, such as a sudden rise in blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and changes in hearing or vision. They can also cause weight loss or anorexia, particularly if they are taken at high doses. The stimulants can also cause mood instability in certain people and trigger psychotic or manic-like symptoms to develop. They are not recommended for those with bipolar disorder, or severe anorexia. The stimulants can trigger mood swings if they are abruptly stopped. In these instances, it is important to gradually reduction in the dosage.
Medications to treat anxiety that are not related to ADHD could be used to treat those suffering from the disorder. Antidepressants such Sertraline or Fluoxetine, for example can be helpful with depression and anxiety that are related to ADHD. These medications are often prescribed "off-label", for ADHD. Some doctors prescribe these medications for ADHD however, medical research does not support this use.
Non-stimulant medications for ADHD are slower to take effect, but can help reduce the tendency to be impulsive and increase attention. They are less likely than stimulants to trigger an increase in heart rate or agitation since they do not increase the amount of norepinephrine that is present in the brain. Drugs that belong to this class of drugs include strattera (atomoxetine) and Clonidine (Kapvay and Intuniv) and Guanfacine in ER (Intuniv and Tenex).
Combinations of strategies, including the use of cognitive-behavioral treatments, behavior therapy, and medications, are a viable option to treat ADHD and anxiety. The most effective treatment for anxiety and ADHD is a combination of medication and behavioral therapy.
For instance, cognitive-behavioral therapy assists in teaching skills that can reduce anxiety in people by incorporating techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness meditation and techniques for calming. Certain children with ADHD also suffer from anxiety, and in those instances, the most effective strategy is to treat the ADHD first, and then to prescribe an SSRI for anxiety. This here will allow the child to be more focused in school and experience fewer ADHD-related anxiety symptoms. It is important to attend therapy regularly to get the most benefit. A doctor could prescribe an additional psychiatric drug to treat anxiety when needed. This could be a tricyclic medication, such as Tofranil. If anxiety isn't addressed, it could affect a child's capacity to take part in therapy and benefit from it. This is why it's crucial to determine the cause and treatment right, the first time.