Treating ADD and ADHD With Natural Methods
I've asked a friend of mine who has suffered from ADHD, or ADD, all his life to write a short post on the subject, and in particular, some alternative or natural treatments to ADHD that appear to be effective.
use acronyms throughout this, so you should know that ADD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder, and ADHD for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Background
I am an ADHD expert…to ONLY myself, to only my particular disorder, also know. So as I write, I do so from a place of 40 plus years of history of the disorder, of diagnosis in only the last four years, and of having self-medicated (with street drugs) and later having researched and engaged in therapy and medical treatment for my ADHD.
ADHD is thought by many to be a child's disorder, which of course it is, but many sufferers like me are never diagnosed so we carry ADHD into our adult lives. When ADD or ADHD first appears in a child's behavior, it is usually interpreted incorrectly by the parents. The child can't concentrate or focus on anything for very long, so he or she has difficulty taking tests or completing homework assignments and has problems in school and is thought to be stupid and perhaps teased by classmates. But the child is not stupid at all. In fact, the child might get A's in a couse he or she really likes but an F in one that doesn't really interest him. Or the child may be overly energetic and disruptive in class. Teachers are more knowledgeable about ADD these days, because for years the cause of the problematic behavior was not properly diagnosed.
Adults who have ADD or ADHD usually have had it since childhood, and their disorder remained undiagnosed until ironically their child was diagnosed with the problem. They recognize that they had the same symptoms as their child when they were young.
Alternative Treatment Options
But I would like to share with you the ADHD alternative treatment methods I have learned about along the forty-year journey of hell and heaven, too.
First, know that while street meth is not a legitimate ADHD alternative treatment, it is what one MD says clever of you to try. That is, many intelligent, proactive individuals who have ADHD but have not been diagnosed and are at their wits’ end trying to “cure” themselves will do what is called self-medicating. So don’t be ashamed or overly obsessed with the esteem issues that come with street drug use. Just get to a doctor or psychiatrist for diagnosis and understanding of the disorder.
Then, weigh the options available to you by reading whatever you can: read magazines, books, on- and offline articles. Find the works devoted strictly to ADHD and written by experts and professionals in the field, including the following (listed here in no particular order): David Sudderth, Joseph Kandel, Thom Hartmann, Sari Solden, Thomas Whiteman, Michelle Novotni, Kate Kelly, and Peggy Ramundo.
At this point you will have come across the “traditional” or most common treatments, such as psychotherapy and drug (Amphetamine, Ritalin, etc. Al.) therapy combined, and will have found some ADHD alternative treatments, as well. These include such alternatives as the following:
HOMEOPATHIC/NONTRADITIONAL MEDICINES
Some turn away from western medicine to such alternatives as acupressure—a healing technique that has been successfully applied for smoking habits, weight problems, anxiety disorders, fertility issues, and even HDHD symptoms. As of 1997, the Lincoln Hospital Recovery Center in Bronx, New York, for example, administers acupressure treatments to those with ADHD. They have had remarkable results: kids have been positively impacted in regards to their sleep and hyperactivity patterns, blood pressure and depression problems, studying and participating, working, and just sitting…calmly and without the “mind spinning” so familiar to those with ADHD.
ENERGY HEALING
Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, for instance, are energy healing approaches that work on the premise that the human being is a dynamic being, connected by physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional components. Energy healing methods seek to balance these components, so in the person with ADHD, the symmetry that results is said to be calming—slowing the activity down so the person can focus, is less anxious, and is less intrusive and defiant.
DIETARY CHANGES
A close investigation of foods that are or contain allergens and irritants to the nervous system has revealed the possibility of ADDers being especially negatively impacted. ADD treatments in this area include eliminating or curbing intake of white flour, sugar, and/or additives/preservatives. But the controversy still roars on this one, and FDA and other regulatory bodies have not acknowledged the veracity of gross dietary changes…yet.
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
Much attention has been paid to holistic treatment, other ADHD alternative treatment, and vitamin therapies. And many vitamin sources claim to help alleviate such symptoms as inability to focus, edginess, and sleep problems. But as with any ingesting therapies, inappropriate application can lead to damaging results on other parts of the body and brain. So what most specialists will acknowledge as important is nutritional balance, antioxidant vitamin supplements (A, E, for example), and/or a multi-vitamin…though as with many alternatives they will not attest to any remarkable cures or absolute recovery, which has yet to be proved, documented, and announced…for now, anyway.
Suggested Reading
Tags: ADD, ADHD, Alternative Treatment, children, Family, learning problems, Natural Traetment
November 6th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
[...] Bala wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptSome turn away from western medicine to such alternatives as acupressure—a healing technique that has been successfully applied for smoking habits, weight problems, anxiety disorders, fertility issues, and even HDHD symptoms. … [...]
November 7th, 2008 at 8:13 am
For 33 years volunteers at the non-profit Feingold Association of the US have been showing people how to determine if some simple changes in their diet will address their ADHD symptoms. In the majority of cases, getting rid of several groups of additives can bring impressive results.
The studies have been conclusive enough to persuade the British government to encourage companies to get rid of additives like food dyes. And the European Union will be requiring foods with dyes to carry warning labels.
Even the American Academy of Pediatrics has written that they “might have been wrong” to dismiss the reports of thousands of parents that food additives affected their child’s behavior and ability to learn.
The British Medical Journal has recently published an editorial calling for diet to be a standard treatment for ADHD.
You can see lots of study abstracts at http://www.diet-studies.com and can access information on the Feingold diet at http://www.feingold.org.
September 7th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Could you recommend any specific resources, books, or other blogs on Reiki?
June 23rd, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Dealing with children who have ADHD can be a daunting task, if not for the support of loved ones it would be much more difficult