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Natural Treatments for Symptoms of Adult ADHD

Even though adult ADHD cannot be cured, its symptoms can be treated. The extent to which a person's life is inhibited by ADHD depends on how well his treatment plan is addressing his individual symptoms. A patient with ADHD may be prescribed a medication such as Ritalin, but new evidence supports the idea that using natural treatments can complement the effects of medication.

  1. ADHD Coaching

    • Coaching can be a very helpful way for an adult with ADHD to address some of his most frustrating symptoms. For example, by keeping in contact with a coach, someone with ADHD can learn skills to help him to manage relationships and organize a schedule. He may also learn how to set concrete long-term goals and continuously be encouraged to reach them successfully.

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps an adult with ADHD to address behaviors and mindsets that have caused aggravation in his life. For example, an adult who has been dealing with ADHD for a long time may become pessimistic about his future and lose a lot of self-esteem. This pessimism and lack of self-esteem can ultimately lead to a less-productive life, and the negative cycle is perpetuated. CBT can bring this to a person's attention and provide helpful lifestyle and mindset tips for breaking the cycle. CBT is not yet proven to be a treatment that is successful by itself (without the help of ADHD medication). However, a study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston concluded that patients who combined drug therapy and CBT experienced fewer ADHD symptoms than patients who just took ADHD drugs.

    Exercise

    • According to Healtalk.com, exercising helps increase three neurotransmitters--dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine--that are commonly considered to be at low levels in people with ADHD. It also decreases feelings of stress and increases feelings of well-being by increasing the amount of endorphins that are released by the pituitary gland. Becoming a tri-athlete is not essential to getting the positive effects of exercise. Simply getting 30 minutes of exercise (walking counts) every other day may be enough to naturally help relieve adult ADHD symptoms. Doing an exercise that involves paying attention to specific movement (tai chi or tap dancing, for example) may be especially beneficial for someone whose mind often has trouble focusing.

    Complementary and Alternative Medicine

    • Advertisers promote a wide variety of alternative treatments for adult ADHD. Some of them include: bio-feedback, herbal medicines, homeopathy, iron supplements, yeast and restricted diets. These treatment methods are not necessarily harmful. Some may have even been used and anecdotally supported for a long time. However, because they have not been scientifically proven to combat adult ADHD symptoms, doctors do not counsel patients to use them as primary form of treatment.

    Warning

    • Even a combination of exercise and therapy may not successfully treat an adult with ADHD if these treatments are not used in conjunction with proper medications. Since each person with ADHD experiences unique symptoms, he requires an individualized treatment plan that can only be prescribed by a physician.

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