| Doctors and pharmaceutical companies might | | | | the first place. And not only are medications |
| make it seem as if ADHD medication is the only | | | | unable to provide a holistic solution to the disorder; |
| treatment option that effectively diminishes the | | | | their effects only last a few hours. Children as |
| symptoms of ADHD. What these experts | | | | young as six years old usually have to take pills at |
| probably won't tell you is that ADHD is a disorder | | | | least two times a day! In other words, |
| triggered by certain lifestyle and environmental | | | | medications are an inadequate long-term solution |
| factors, and it affects individuals in different ways. | | | | for ADHD. |
| The same can be said for ADHD treatments - | | | | Children and adults with ADHD are better off |
| not every child with ADHD will respond to the | | | | without medication. In fact, a long-term study on |
| same treatment option the same way. While | | | | the effects of ADHD medication called the MTA |
| medication may have brought benefits to some | | | | Study revealed that ADHD medications are, after |
| individuals, it will not do so for every person with | | | | three years, no more effective in treating the |
| ADHD. And what we need to be critical about is | | | | disorder than taking no medications! There is also |
| how long these benefits really last, and whether | | | | a lot of research which shows that when used in |
| ADHD medications are really the best long-term | | | | the long term, the side effects of ADHD |
| treatment option. But before answering this | | | | medications outweigh all of its benefits. Is it really |
| question, we need to understand how medications | | | | worth taking a drug that may cause heart |
| work and why they are prescribed in the first | | | | damage, stunted growth, and hallucinations really |
| place. | | | | worth receiving little or no benefits in the long |
| Western medicine views ADHD as a disorder | | | | run? |
| resulting from an imbalance in key brain | | | | ADHD is a complex disorder, and the right |
| neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and | | | | treatment plan should involve more than just a |
| norepinephrine. ADHD medications are legal | | | | prescription for medication. In fact, it should stop |
| stimulants that are thought to momentarily | | | | relying on medications at all. If your doctor is too |
| restore the balance among these two | | | | insistent on getting your child medicated, perhaps |
| neurotransmitters. Once this balance is achieved, | | | | you should take a step back and consider other |
| the symptoms reduce and the child begins to | | | | alternatives. Instead of turning to a simplistic |
| function like a "normal" child should, with less | | | | solution for ADHD, your health care specialist |
| uncontrollable daydreaming, talking, or moving | | | | should take time to identify the genetic and |
| around as if driven by a motor. | | | | environmental factors that triggered the disorder. |
| However, ADHD is not merely caused by a | | | | Then he or she should structure a holistic |
| deficiency in neurotransmitters; the biological | | | | treatment plan based on this information - a |
| explanation is but one tiny piece of the larger | | | | treatment plan that focuses on lifestyle changes |
| ADHD puzzle. ADHD emerges in an individual when | | | | rather than medication. Alternative treatments for |
| certain lifestyle choices and environmental | | | | ADHD will take more time and patience than |
| conditions interact with that person's predisposition | | | | simply taking a pill, but allowing the body to heal |
| to the disorder. With that in mind, ADHD | | | | without the help of drugs is the only way anyone |
| medication only addresses the chemical imbalance | | | | can overcome ADHD safely and effectively in the |
| without doing anything to change the | | | | long run. |
| environmental factors triggering the disorder in | | | | |