ADHD|ADD diagnosis: a discovery
In ADHD and ADD treatment, should one choose health or medication? This is put a bit sharply. But there are still questions when using medication in AD(H)D, especially in adults and with long-term use. Your GP, psychiatrist or neurologist can help you further in this regard.
We prefer the sure to the uncertain and in recent years developed a healthy programme involving lifestyle changes (sleep hygiene, diet and exercise). Most of our patients are satisfied with this ADD treatment. Below, I first explain how I arrived at this healthy treatment.
The long search for a healthy treatment for ADD
I have since worked as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist for more than 30 years. Both in psychiatry and in my own psychology practice. Over the years, I learned about ADHD|ADD problems with adults know.
And also, over time, I learned to distinguish these clearly and eventually quite easily from other psychological problems. I then retrained myself to design ADHD|ADD treatment with minimal or no medication use.
This story can be partially retold in an earlier blog, Kung-Fu Panda or the ADHD|ADD symptoms .
The miracle of medication
For the first few years, I suggested to the GPs of patients with AD(H)D to prescribe methylphenidate (sold under various brand names). This made their symptoms disappear almost immediately.
As a result, the psychotherapy for ADHD|ADD of these patients in our Psychologists' Practice could be reduced to a few sessions. Whereas previously, these people with ADHD|ADD followed longer and sometimes intensive classical psychotherapy. Meanwhile, we are several years down the line and no longer speak of a miracle.
Groundbreaking in The Lancet
Changing diet to cure ADHD.
Supporters and opponents of ADHD|ADD medication
Those in favour are more likely to be situated with the pharmaceutical industry and biological psychiatry. These speak of ADHD|ADD as a psychiatric syndrome, a neurological disorder, or ‘ADHD|ADD syndrome’ for short.
The opponents of medication are mainly found among independent scientific researchers. And among some psychotherapists and critical doctors, who point out the dangers of medication. Some of them even go so far as to call ADHD a fabrication of ‘Big Pharma’!
In turn, our clinical practice shows us an intermediate position.
Why ADHD|ADD exists
The criteria for ADHD and ADD are described in the DSM, which is used by just about all general practitioners, psychiatrists and many psychologists worldwide. Linked to this, there is also the APA, which recognises this diagnosis.
There is the epidemic increase in the incidence of ADHD|ADD in Europe and USA. There is research trying to show that there is a genetic basis for ADHD|ADD. And also the role of the dopaminergic-noradrinalergic system has been described. Also, one finds certain abnormalities in anatonomy and brain functioning in ADHD|ADD.
Diagnostic tests, questionnaires and imaging studies are used to detect ADHD|ADD.
And there is a medication for ADHD and ADD, namely methylphenidate.
ADHD|ADD: why this does not exist
A number of scientific researchers as well as doctors, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists are convinced that the ADHD|ADD diagnosis is an invention of the pharmaceutical industry.
A fantasised problem
And that this industry also inflates the fictitious ADHD|ADD problem to epidemic proportions, for commercial reasons.
In doing so, they point to many studies on the effects of methylphenidate in ADHD|ADD that-whether deliberately or not-were poorly designed. Or that wrong conclusions were drawn from these studies and certain results were omitted or minimised.
Sponsors of ADHD
Some opponents of ADHD|ADD also claim that both the authors of DSM and APA members and many research studies on methylphenidate in ADHD|ADD are heavily sponsored by pharma.
No test
Other sources point out that there is no real diagnostic ADHD|ADD test available, only questionnaires that are said to have low reliability and low validity.
They say the only way to arrive at a diagnosis is to question a list of subjective complaints. Complaints that also appear in many other syndromes. And each of which may in itself be the result of parenting difficulties, trauma or other social environmental factors. Or that have a medical cause.
There is therefore little scientific basis for ADHD|ADD as a disease, according to these researchers:
Where does the cause lie?
They indicate that still no cause for ADHD|ADD has been found, no biomarker. No causal evidence that the noradrenaline and dopamine systems underlie ADHD|ADD. No evidence of the relationship between ADHD|ADD and any abnormal neuroanatomy. Or between ADHD|ADD and abnormal functions of the brain. They also consider it ‘extremely unlikely that a genetic cause’ will be found for ADHD|ADD.
Our experience in Psychologist Practice with ADHD|ADD in adults
In our experience, both camps are somewhat guilty of black-and-white thinking.
In our clinical experience, such a thing as ADHD|ADD does exist. But its psychodiagnosis requires a detailed knowledge of the subjective symptom pattern of ADHD|ADD. And a careful questioning of the symptoms and disease history of both the patient and his/her environment.
And not least asks ADD diagnostics extensive experience and knowledge. Knowledge of the many other psychological problems and psychiatric syndromes with which it is too often confused. For example, depression, burn-out, autism and Bipolarity.
ADHD|ADD as a neurological disease
What complicates the diagnosis of ADHD|ADD is that it is an unremarkable phenomenon.
Children with hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are noticed (too) quickly, often by the teacher at school.
In contrast, children and adults with only attention-deficit disorder (ADD) are unobtrusively present, timid and withdrawn. Brave but absent-minded.
A unique set of ADHD symptoms
It strongly seems that there is effectively a unique and coherent set of non-unique subjective symptoms called ADHD and ADD. At least in clinical practice anyway.
Also, we see these issues time and again in family members of our patients. Without being able to attribute this to environmental factors.
I therefore fear that well-meaning, passionate researchers and psychologists risk throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Quitting patients without hope?
Quite a few of my patients stopped taking the medication after some time and relapsed into their old misery.
Because increasingly troublesome side effects (nervousness, insomnia, headaches, severe rebound,...) appeared. Or because general medication intake had the effect of changing their own personality (‘I don't recognise myself anymore’). Or that they had the impression of being in a straitjacket, trapped in their own body and mind.
ADHD|ADD: an alternative to medication
Is there any alternative other than relapsing into a life that is both for the ADHD|ADD patient as for the environment is very heavy to bear?
An alternative does exist for some cases, I learned in the meantime.
Eat and live healthier
That alternative is a thorough and lasting conversion of eating and living habits. It also increases the chances of a healthier body and a longer life. You can buy our healthy programme by clicking on the button below.
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There is a need for further independent Scientific research on the effects of diet, lifestyle and natural supplements.
(*) Source: “ADHD:What do we really know?”, Lydia Furman in “Rethinking ADHD, from brain to culture”, S Timimi & J Leo(ed.) Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire (2009)
This site has a lot more for you info on ADHD and ADD available than what you just read.
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