Prevalence of Teenage ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects individuals across various age groups. While ADHD is commonly associated with children, many adolescents and adults continue to experience symptoms and challenges related to the condition. According to a comprehensive research review, it was established that ADHD affects 5.6% of teenagers aged 12 to 18 worldwide.

Symptoms 

Symptoms of ADHD in teens and their severity can vary, but there are also standard manifestations that help make a diagnosis. The main symptoms of ADHD in teenagers are as follows:

• Hyperactivity: Hyperactivity may result in exhibiting restless behavior, such as fidgeting, tapping, or squirming. Teens may also struggle to remain seated in situations where it is expected.
• Inattention: These signs include difficulty sustaining attention on tasks, organizing activities, or following through on instructions. Teens with ADHD may also frequently lose items or forget things necessary for tasks or activities.
• Impulsivity: Teenagers may act impulsively without considering the consequences of their actions. This could include interrupting others, blurting out answers, or engaging in risky behaviors without thinking through the outcomes.

Associated Challenges

Teenagers with ADHD face a variety of challenges that can impact their well-being and overall quality of life. Some of the key challenges include:

• Academic Struggles: ADHD can impact academic performance due to difficulties with organization, time management, and sustained attention. They may struggle to complete assignments, study effectively, or perform well on tests.
• Social Difficulties: Teenagers with ADHD may face challenges in forming and maintaining friendships due to impulsivity, hyperactivity, or difficulty understanding social cues.
• Poor Emotional Regulation: ADHD can affect emotional regulation, leading to mood swings, irritability, or emotional outbursts. It can also cause heightened levels of frustration and anxiety or low self-esteem.
• Executive Function Difficulties: Teenagers with ADHD often struggle with planning, organization, problem-solving, time management, and self-regulation.
• Strained Family Relationships: Parents may feel overwhelmed or frustrated by their teenager’s behavior, while teens may feel misunderstood or criticized, which puts a strain on family relationships.
• Peer Rejection and Bullying: Teenagers with ADHD may struggle to fit in with their peers or become targets of teasing and harassment. This can further exacerbate feelings of loneliness and isolation.
• Complicated Transition to Independence: The transition from adolescence to adulthood involves learning skills for handling responsibilities associated with independent living. For example, managing finances, maintaining employment, and establishing healthy routines. Because of the symptoms, all this can be challenging for those with ADHD.

The Impact of ADHD on Motivation in Teenagers 

The impact of ADHD on motivation is profound and multifaceted, basically stemming from its core symptoms and challenges. Adolescence is a time when individuals are expected to become increasingly self-directed and self-motivated in pursuing their personal, academic, and extracurricular goals. However, research indicates teenagers with ADHD may struggle with motivation.

One of the hallmark symptoms of ADHD is inattention, which can significantly impair a teenager’s ability to stay focused on tasks for an extended period. This can make it challenging to maintain motivation and engagement. ADHD is also associated with deficits in executive functioning, which can lead to ineffective goal-directed behavior, so teens may struggle to maintain a sense of purpose and direction in their lives.

ADHD can also make one more prone to acting on impulse or giving in to distractions. Such habits also can derail motivation and slow down progress towards goals. The experience of repeated setbacks or unmet expectations due to ADHD-related difficulties can create a negative feedback loop in teenager’s minds that further undermines motivation.

Strategies for Motivation

Learning about all these challenges, you may question, ‘How to help teens with ADHD get motivated?’ There are various strategies that improve motivation, but each teenager is unique, so it may take some trial and error to find the methods that work best for a particular person. Some examples are the following:

• Setting Realistic Goals: Help a teenager learn how to identify and set specific, measurable, and achievable goals that they can work towards. It’s also important to celebrate small victories to boost motivation and confidence.
• Providing Routine: Establish a structured, consistent, and predictable routine to help teenagers with ADHD stay organized, manage their time effectively, and reduce overwhelm.
• Creating a Supportive Environment: Establish a nurturing environment with a sense of empowerment and motivation to help them thrive academically and personally.
• Promoting a Growth Mindset: Teach your teenager to view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning rather than setbacks. Focus on instilling the importance of effort, persistence, and resilience over perfectionism.
• Teaching Time Management and Problem-Solving Skills: Help your teenager choose effective time management and problem-solving techniques, such as using timers, setting alarms, brainstorming solutions, and prioritizing tasks.
• Using External Aids: Explore helpful tools, such as visual schedules, checklists, and reminders to help teenagers with ADHD stay on track.
• Encouraging Physical Activity: Encourage your teenager to participate in physical activities they enjoy because regular exercise can help improve focus, mood, and overall well-being.
• Minimizing Distractions: Create a quiet, organized study environment with minimal distractions to help improve focus and productivity.
• Breaking Tasks into Manageable Chunks: Offer help with breaking down tasks into smaller, more manageable actions. This will help prevent overwhelm, build momentum, and maintain motivation throughout the task.
• Supporting Extracurricular Activities: Engage your teenager in extracurricular activities that align with their interests and strengths to help boost their self-esteem.

Tips for Communicating Effectively With Your Teenager

Parenting teens with ADHD may require slightly more effort than parenting other teens, but it doesn’t mean it’s difficult. They just need more attention and patience. Following are some tips to help you communicate with your teenager through their ADHD challenges:

• Practice Active Listening: Listen attentively to your teenager without interrupting or jumping to conclusions. Be empathetic and show that you understand their perspective before offering advice or solutions.
• Use Positive Reinforcement and Feedback: Praise and encourage your teen for efforts and progress, no matter how small. Help them focus on strengths and provide constructive feedback to help improve areas of difficulty.
• Overcome Challenges Together: Approach challenges as a team and work collaboratively to find solutions. Have open communication and validate your teenager’s feelings and experiences.
• Offer Choices and Autonomy: Empower your teenager by offering them choices and involving them in decision-making whenever possible. Respect their opinions and preferences.
• Be Patient and Flexible: Most importantly understand that communication may be challenging for your teenager with ADHD, so be patient and supportive with their struggles.

Seek Professional Support When Needed

It’s important to seek professional support if your teenager’s struggles with motivation persist or if other ADHD signs become severe. Mental health professionals such as psychologists or psychiatrists experienced in ADHD can assess symptoms, provide an accurate diagnosis, and offer suitable personalized treatment options. These treatment plans can include medication, therapy, and educational support. Healthcare professionals can also help with effective parenting strategies to navigate challenges and support your teenager’s needs. 

Note that in-person appointments are not the only option. It is also possible to see a healthcare professional online due to telemedicine for ADHD treatment in Texas and other states.

Conclusion 

Teenagers with ADHD face unique challenges that can impact their motivation and overall well-being. Motivating a teenager with this mental health condition requires patience, understanding, and a proactive approach. By implementing various strategies and maintaining two-way open communication, you can help them overcome their challenges and thrive in life without ADHD holding them back. Remember to seek professional help when needed and continue to support your teenager on their journey towards success.

Also read:

Does My Teen Need A Therapeutic Boarding School?

3 Tips to Improve Your Teen’s Mental Health

The post How to Motivate a Teenager With ADHD? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Many parents experience defiance, rebellious, and even explosive behavior with their teenager at times — but when does it cross over to a diagnosis of possibly being on the spectrum? Some teens that are ADHD could possibly be diagnosed high functioning on the spectrum.

Research has proven girls are less likely to be diagnosed with ASD than boys, it’s also important to understand that high-functioning autism doesn’t always diminish your teen’s intelligence level. ASD students can be very smart, however struggle with organizational skills.

Identifying high functioning autism (HFA) in a teenager can be challenging, as the symptoms may be subtle and varied.

Common Signs and Behaviors of High Functioning Autism in a Teen

1. Social Skills – HFA teens and young adults can have difficulties with peer relationships and making friends. What may seem as socially awkward, young people with high functioning autism typically have a hard reading non-verbal cues such as understanding body language or facial expressions. They usually will avoid social activities and gatherings with a large number of people.

2. Emotional Regulation – Dealing with heightened emotions such as anger, rage and stress can be more difficult for HFA teenagers. Reality is, it’s just as challenging for an average person when they are going through the natural emotion of being extremely upset, however teens on the spectrum have more of a struggle not only expressing themselves appropriately, but understanding others’ emotions.

3. Academic Performance – In many situations you are working with smart teenagers that are unable to achieve their potential, usually because of their emotional issues and lack of organizational skills. Many HFA teens will excel in subjects that are their favorite interests.

4. Struggle Expressing Empathy – HFA teens struggle with understanding the perspective and feelings of other people. This is yet another reason why they have problems making and keeping friends.

5. Executive Functioning Challenges – Many young people that are high functioning on the spectrum have difficulty with organization, time management, and planning. They struggle with multi-tasking as well as completing or initiating tasks independently.

How a Therapeutic Boarding School Can Help My High Functioning Teen

Have you exhausted your local resources for your teenager? Do you feel like you’re constantly walking on eggshells or maybe your son or daughter is simply not moving forward in their life?

The good news is, there are life skills and/or social skills therapeutic programs that can help your teen or young adult launch into a healthy future.

Therapeutic Boarding Schools for teens and/or young adults can offer the following ways to help stimulate your teen in a positive direction, incorporate both social skills and life skills and give them a second opportunity at bright future:

1. Therapy through emotional growth. A teen or young adult displaying a level of resistance to school or work will need to address the underlying causes in therapy.

2. Social skills help your teen communicate more effectively and efficiently and, as a result, help them build, maintain and grow relationships with family, peers and eventually their colleagues and clients. 

3. Building encouragement through a positive peer environment. Expressing frustration and anger with your child will likely make them feel worse and increase failure to launch behaviors. This helps them learn to build friendships through a positive peer culture.

4. Structure. Help your teen find the right balance between staying busy and having down time as well as developing organizational skills.

5. Goal setting through mentorship and internship programs. Typically, these programs will have interests and enrichment programs your teen will be involved in — and more importantly be motivated by.

6. Accountability through basic life skills of chores, hygiene, financial literacy, culinary skills, healthy diet decisions and more.

7. Enrichment programs that can range from caring for animals, woodshop, landscaping, farming, arts and music, community volunteer work, gardening and more. These programs can help your teen with coping skills for anger and stress management.

8. Education – from finishing high school to starting college classes or enrolling in vocational training, every student has an opportunity to learn.

Therapeutic boarding programs can equip your HFA teen or young adult with coping skills to deal with adversity, handle their emotions and change that real-life can throw at them, as well as help students identify who they are by what they can do, rather than what they have done.

Also read:

Why Therapeutic Settings Are Effective

5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools

How to Help Struggling Young Adults

The post How to Help My Teen With High Functioning Autism first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Fortunately, there are many strategies available that can make life easier for teens dealing with ADHD. From lifestyle changes to medication, the right combination of support and therapies can help your teen manage their symptoms and succeed in life. Understanding the different approaches available will allow you to create an individualized plan tailored specifically for your teen’s needs.

Understanding ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a brain disorder characterized by difficulty focusing, controlling impulses, and excessive levels of physical activity.

Individuals with ADHD often demonstrate persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that affects their daily activities. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, individuals must be evaluated by a doctor or mental health professional. It’s important to note that ADHD isn’t caused by poor parenting, and it can be managed with the right treatments. 

Making Lifestyle Adjustments

There are many lifestyle adjustments that can help teens with ADHD better manage their symptoms. Establishing clear expectations, providing structure, and avoiding distractions can all help to reduce impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention. Encouraging your teen to get plenty of exercise and a good night’s sleep can also help them stay focused during the day. 

For instance, having a regular sleep schedule and avoiding electronics at least an hour before bed can help ensure that your teen gets enough rest. It’s also important to provide frequent positive reinforcement for any behavior changes they make, as this will help motivate them to keep making improvements.

Helpful Apps for ADHD

There are numerous helpful apps available that can help teens with ADHD stay organized and on task. From reminders to note-taking apps, these tools can make managing their day-to-day activities easier. The way ADHD apps work is by breaking down tasks into manageable chunks and helping individuals stay focused. For instance, many apps feature timers that allow users to keep track of how long they’ve been working on a task. 

For teens with ADHD who tend to have difficulty staying on task, these apps can be incredibly helpful. Whether it is the Goally’s CoPilot app or Game Garage, there are lots of ADHD-friendly apps for teens. 

Medication & Therapy

For many teens with ADHD, medications such as stimulants can be an important part of managing symptoms. These drugs work by stimulating the parts of the brain responsible for focus and impulse control. Therapy can also be beneficial in helping teens better understand and cope with their disorder. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on changing negative thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms. 

Also, social skills training can help them develop better communication and problem-solving strategies. The key is to find the right combination of strategies that work best for your teen.

Family Support & Advocacy

Having a strong support system at home is essential for teens with ADHD. Parents, siblings, and other family members can provide emotional support and understanding while helping to create an environment that’s conducive to learning. Additionally, parents may want to advocate for their teen in school by communicating any concerns they have about the child’s academic performance or behavior. 

Some of the other resources that may be available to your teen include special education services, tutoring, and support groups. The best way to determine which option is right for your teen is to consult with a mental health professional. 

By understanding ADHD and the different approaches available, you can help create an individualized plan of care for your teen that will set them up for success. With the right combination of lifestyle adjustments, medications, therapies, and family support, teens with ADHD can manage their symptoms and gain the confidence needed to achieve their goals.

Please remember that if you are ever concerned about your teen’s well-being, you should reach out to a mental health professional for advice and support. With patience, understanding, and the right resources in place, teens with ADHD can learn how to better manage their symptoms and lead fulfilling lives.

Also read:

3 Causes of Teenage Mental Health Issues

5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools

The post How to Help A Teen With An Attention Deficit? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

The post Tools To Improve Focus For Teens With ADHD first appeared on Help Your Teens.

It’s more difficult to diagnose in teens because hyperactive symptoms are less obvious. If your teen was diagnosed with ADHD, it’s not the end of the world.

They may struggle in some areas, but there is nothing that they won’t be able to overcome with proper treatment and organizational skills.

What are some of the symptoms of teen ADHD?

-Disorganization.  Especially when it comes to homework. ADHD teens are typically very smart but their lack of organizational skills prevents them from completely school assignments. Maybe they forgot to write it down or left it in their locker.  This can bring their grade from an A to an D very quickly.

-Lack of focus. A teen with ADHD might have trouble staying on task — and are easily distracted. They may start on a project only to end up starting another before finishing. Being easily distracted can lead to careless mistakes at school, work, or home.

-Impulsivity. Teens in general tend to be more impulsive than adults. For a teen with ADHD, resisting temptation may be particularly difficult, potentially leading to dangerous decisions. A teen with ADHD with act without thinking about the consequences.

-Social awkwardness. Teens with ADHD sometimes have difficulty following or participating in a conversation. ADHD can interfere with conversational skills in several ways: sometimes the teen will talk too much, or interrupts while someone else is speaking — or they will walk away in the middle of the conversation.

-Procrastination. Putting things off is a byproduct of lack of focus. It’s especially noticeable in things that take a long time. Your teen might put off homework or other duties so long that they completely miss deadlines.  With ADHD teens this procrastination is not always intentional.

-Hyperactive. ADHD teens tend to have fewer hyperactive symptoms than younger children with ADHD. But some are a flurry of activity. They may be set on playing their favorite video game one minute and going to a friend’s house the next.

-Trouble keeping friends. With some ADHD teens, it’s difficult for them to keep friends. Some of lack the social cues that are required for developing long lasting relationships.

-Personal hygiene. It’s not true of every teen with ADHD, but some have a problem keeping up with personal hygiene. It may have to do with disorganization and procrastination.

-Defiance. With ADHD teens, through the puberty years oppositional defiance disorder (ODD) will sometimes rear its’ head. Now you are dealing with a defiant ADHD difficult teenager that needs to learn coping skills for his/her anger and impulsiveness.

Summary:

There’s no single test for teen ADHD. The process includes a physical exam and hearing and vision tests. It usually involves filling out questionnaires and input from parents and teachers.  Teen ADHD is not something you can diagnose on your own.

The teen years can be difficult for any child, but having ADHD often contributes to additional challenges. Symptoms of ADHD can affect many different areas of a teen’s life, including school, family, friendships, and emotions.

You can help by talking to your family doctor about treatment options to ensure that your teen’s symptoms are well-managed. You can also help your teen with day-to-day struggles by using positive reinforcement, having a structured routine, and making sure your child engages in healthy behaviors, including getting enough sleep and staying physically active.

If you find that your home life has become unbearable (in some situations the ODD goes from zero to ten quickly), the school setting is no longer working — it might be time to consider a therapeutic boarding school.

Read: 5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools.

Read: What Are the Goals of Boarding Schools.

Read: Help for Struggling Young Adults.

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If you’ve exhausted your local resources for your ADHD teenager and they are still struggling, contact us to learn about the benefits of a therapeutic boarding school for teens with ADHD.

The post Troubled Teens with ADHD first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Teens with ADHD have difficulty focusing and being organized, which leads to trouble in school, at work, and at home. Plus, hormone changes affect medications intended to treat ADHD symptoms. Teens with ADHD do not have to despair, though. There are strategies and tips for managing symptoms and making life a little easier for teens with ADHD. Here’s some advice for teens with ADHD.

Study and School Tips for Teens with ADHD

Studying, focusing, and recalling information are difficult for teens with ADHD. While these challenges make facing school rough on teens with ADHD, they do not make success in school impossible. Students should work with their parents, teachers, and counselors to identify their unique challenges and work toward finding solutions. Experiment with strategies until you find those that help you most in school. You may find that one of these study and school tips helps you to succeed in school:

• Get a planner – Use a paper planner or the calendar on your smartphone, but use some form of a planner. Record homework, test dates, due dates, and other important school-related information in the planner. If you use your smartphone, set reminders in advance of assignments so that you don’t feel overwhelmed at the last minute when something is due for school.

• Plan early on for college and career – Because procrastination and difficulty in school are typical for teens with ADHD, it is important to start thinking about the future in advance. Consider your strengths and areas of interest and think about what you want to do when you graduate. Research colleges and work with teachers and guidance counselors to plan ahead. If you know which college you’d like to attend or which career path you’d like to follow, it may motivate you to do better in high school because you know you are working toward a goal.

• Experiment to find the best place to study – Some teens with ADHD study better when they are in a quiet place, while others need to have some noise in order to focus better. You may need complete quiet, so you could try headsets that block out all noise. Or, you may need to listen to music with noise-canceling headphones or earbuds so that you just hear your music and are not distracted by other noises around you.

• Join a school athletic team. – Not only is exercise known to improve brain function, but doing it regularly can help burn off that restless energy that can be distracting when sitting in class. It’s usually better to join a non-contact sport like swimming that allows you to focus only on your own role rather than your own, your teammates’, and your opposition’s.

Relationship Tips for Teens with ADHD

Teens with ADHD may have issues with peer relationships. In fact, research shows teens with ADHD have fewer reciprocal friendships and are more ignored or rejected by peers. Similarly, they are likely to be victims of bullying or be the bullies themselves. There are some things teens can do to improve their relationships with their peers…

• Talk about friendships and relationships – Find someone with whom you can discuss your friendships and relationships. The best option may be your therapist or school counselor, because they can help you with coping strategies and relationship strategies to help you overcome some of your friendship and relationship issues. These trusted adults are here to help you, so be as honest with them as possible.

• Improve communication skills – Relationships are all about good communication, so teens with ADHD should work to understand non-verbal cues and become better listeners. Try to be more aware of the other person’s body language. Watch her face and hands and see whether she is relaxed and comfortable, or nervous and uncomfortable. Take a deep breath and focus on what she is saying while she talks. Try not to interrupt or change the subject. Talk with a parent or counselor about improving your communication and social skills so that you are more relaxed and less anxious with friends or people you are interested in dating.

• Adopt a service dog. – ADHD service dogs provide endless benefits to their owners, especially when it comes to relationships. In public, they provide an easy topic of conversation and a buffer for any potentially awkward run-ins. One-on-one, they provide completely nonjudgmental companionship. It may be difficult for your peers to understand you, but a dog will always accept and love you for exactly who you are. They even make playtime better: no competition, just fun!

Keep in mind that the teenage years are not easy for anyone. When your ADHD symptoms make your life more difficult, mention it to a trusted adult and work through it together. You can experiment with strategies that improve your studying and schooling to see what works for you. You also can approach relationships with some strategies in mind so you can foster friendships and date more successfully.

Read: 5 Benefits of Boarding Schools.

Read: The Impact of Bullying on Teens.

Contributor: Vee Cecil

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If you are struggling with your ADHD teenager and have exhausted your local resources, learn more about how residential treatment can help your troubled teen make better choices. Contact us today for  a free consultation.

The post Advice for Teens with ADHD first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Every parent wants their child to do well in school and succeed in life. It’s challenging to watch your teen’s grades slip, despite the time, attention and effort you put into helping them improve. This can be even more difficult for parents of children with ADHD. If your teen has ADHD and you’re looking for ways to help them improve their grades, we’ve gathered some tips below.

Unique tools

Kids with ADHD simply do not learn successfully under conventional methods. So it’s wise to try unconventional study methods.

Create a word puzzle to help your child with a specific subject which they are struggling in. Rather than simply reading a book and quizzing them on the information, this is a fun way to study that doesn’t feel like school work.

Have your teen review the information they studied for a few minutes just before they go to bed can also help them remember the information and process it while they sleep.

Break it up

According to PsychCentral.com, cramming for an exam simply doesn’t work. It can put added pressure and anxiety on your teen, which hinders them from understanding and remembering information. Experts suggest breaking up study time into increments for better success. For example, if your child has an exam in a week, ask them to study for 25 minutes each day leading up to it, rather than for hours the night before.

Don’t put the phone away

This one sounds counterproductive, but it actually isn’t. If your child is one of the millions of kids today with a smartphone, don’t ask him or her to put it down just yet. The apps and resources in smartphones can actually be helpful to your child.

For kids with ADHD, planning ahead is crucial. At the start of the school year or even a particular week, have your child note key due dates in the calendar of their phone. Also, have them set up reminders with the alert feature so they never miss something important. This article offers more insight — though geared toward college students, middle and high school students alike can benefit from the tips.

When studying, however, ask your child to put their phone in airplane mode or simply take the phone until they are finished to avoid distractions.

Physical activity

Physical activity is helpful in reducing stress, clearing the mind and getting blood flowing. But for kids with ADHD — and kids in general who may be dealing with the pressures that come with being a pre-teen or teenager — physical activity is even more important. Some experts even say that movement is medicine when it comes to ADHD, helping to increase attention and improve mood.

Even if your child is not interested in sports, make it a point to incorporate a brisk walk, bike ride or even a game of catch into family time. This can help with bonding and also bring forth the aforementioned benefits.

Above all, keep the lines of communication open with your child, assess what’s working on a regular basis and adjust your strategy as needed. It can be tough to help children with special needs help themselves. But with preparation and creativity, it will be easier for the two of you to achieve success together.

Read: 5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

Read: Goals of Behavior Modification Programs for Teens.

Read: Why Residential Therapy Works.

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If you are struggling with your ADHD teenager and have exhausted your local resources, learn more about how residential treatment can help your troubled teen make better choices. Contact us today for  a free consultation.

The post 4 Tips to Help Teens With ADHD Improve Their Grades first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Although the causes of ADHD are unknown there are several characteristics that have shown to play a role in the development of the disorder. For instance, if a parent has ADHD, their child has more than a 50% chance of also having the disorder. Many parents search for alternatives to prescriptions to help with ADHD.

ADHD is also linked to children with a low birth weight, children who experience head injuries at an early age, and children of women who smoke or drank during pregnancy. Although these risk factors have played a part in the development of ADHD, the causes are still unknown.

With the improvements of modern medicine, doctors have found ways to use prescription drugs as an ADHD treatment. There are both stimulant and non-stimulant medications to treat ADHD symptoms. Stimulants increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain to improve concentration, while non-stimulants affect neurotransmitters.

Although these medications have shown improvement in many situations, many people are uncomfortable with the idea of giving young children these medications. Luckily, there are other treatment options to try for children with ADHD to improve their focus before resorting to medications.

Behavioral Therapy for ADHD

Behavioral therapy is often another commonly used way to cope with the symptoms if ADHD. Behavioral therapy helps children and their parents structure the child’s time more efficiently by increasing positive attention, establishing predictability, and creating routines. In most cases, rewarding kids for staying focused will yield better results than punishing them for being off task. It has also been beneficial for parents and teachers to periodically let the child know how they have been doing; for instance, if the child tends to interrupt others by announcing their thoughts frequently let them know every so often how they are doing, as opposed to ridiculing them every time they interject.

ADHD Coaching

David Giwerc, president of the ADD Coach Academy, defines ADHD coaching as an “ongoing collaborative partnership created to facilitate personal growth and awareness that leads to conscious choice, focused action, and a meaningful, rewarding life.” In this relationship the coach and client work together to achieve the client’s goals.

ADHD coaching is used to correct certain behaviors and improve lives by deepening learning and improving focus. It focuses on improving inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity to help those with ADHD reach their goals.  Creating new experiences and applying those new ways of doing things consistently in your life will eventually create new neurotransmitter patterns in the brain.

Exercise

Exercise should be a crucial part in everyone’s life, but it is especially beneficial to children with ADHD. As most of us know, when we exercise it releases endorphins into our system; endorphins help regulate mood, elevate dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine levels. Since people who have ADHD have lowered levels of those brain chemicals, the boost in chemicals helps focus and lengthens attention span.

Team sports or activities where children have to pay close attention to their movements are some of the best ways to improve social skills and work on channeling their energy. Some of these sports include ballet, soccer, basketball, gymnastics, and tae kwon do.

Recent studies have shown that meditation can also help reduce the symptoms of ADHD.  It can help improve attention, anxiety, organizational skills, emotional control, memory and behavior regulation. Meditation teaches children and adults how to pay attention and not act on their impulses. Eventually the child learns how to think through their impulsive actions with meditation before executing them.

There are many meditation classes offered at yoga studios, but it can also be practiced just as easily at home. There are also many guided meditations on YouTube to follow if you are uncomfortable leading your own or your child’s practice.

Sleep

The amount of sleep a child usually gets can also affect their ADHD symptoms. Studies have shown that children who get an extra 30 minutes of sleep are less restless and impulsive. One of the issues with sleep is that children with ADHD can sometimes have issues calming down and actually falling asleep.

Some ways to help children fall asleep are, establishing a consistent bedtime routine, having the child sleep in a cool, dark room, and using melatonin or essential oils. Also make sure to eliminate any screen time an hour or more before it is time for bed. The blue light that is radiated from most electronic devices can delay the release of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone.

By implementing some of these activities into a routine schedule, your child with ADHD can start focusing better; not to mention the bonus of your child not having to use medications. But keep in mind everyone is different, so if one method works for one child, it may not work for another, and some children may still need medication to help their ADHD symptoms.

Read: 5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

Read: Goals of Behavior Modification Programs for Teens.

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If you are struggling with your ADHD teenager and have exhausted your local resources, learn more about how residential treatment can help your troubled teen make better choices. Contact us today for  a free consultation.

The post Are Prescriptions the Only Way to Help with ADHD first appeared on Help Your Teens.

ADHD stimulants strengthen the brain’s inhibitory capacities, by increasing the amount of certain neurotransmitters, like dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Students like these drugs because they enhance their study efforts.

Prescription “study drugs” are commonly abused to increase concentration for last minute cramming or paper writing. The numbers vary significantly by school, with the greatest proportion of users at private and “elite” universities. Some researchers estimate about 30% of university students use stimulants non-medically.

Students believe that they take these stimulants for the “right reasons,” to be more productive in classes and to stay afloat in a flood of intense competition. In the competitive atmosphere at many schools, students seldom take the time to consider short or long-term risks of taking these drugs, nor understand how certain stimulants may interact with other drugs.

Sean McCabe, research associate professor at the University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center said:

“Our biggest concern is the increase we have observed in this behavior over the past decade. College students tend to underestimate the potential harms associated with the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants.”

While students’ knowledge of the health dangers are limited, even less consideration is given to the illegality of use. Obtaining stimulants from friends with prescriptions, as the vast majority of college students do, seems less dangerous and illegal than buying drugs off the street. Yet these drugs are illegal if used other than intended or by someone other than the person to whom they are prescribed. These drugs are Schedule II substances, on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s list right next to cocaine and morphine.

Colleges and universities need to increase awareness about the abuse of these drugs and prompt broader discussion about misuse of medications like Ritalin or Adderall for study purposes. Prevention education for all students may help inform many that these drugs are highly addictive and can have serious side effects. A medical professional or counselor can provide help and support if a student you know is abusing these drugs, along with more information if needed.

About the author: Constance Scharff has a Ph.D. in Transformative Studies, specializing in addiction recovery. She is the Senior Addiction Research Fellow and Director of Addiction Research, and co-author of Ending Addiction for Good with Richard Taite.

Read: 5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

Read: Goals of Behavior Modification Programs for Teens.

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Since 2001 we’ve been helping parents find the right therapeutic boarding schools for their troubled teens. Contact us for a free consultation.

The post Risky Use of Stimulants and Teenagers first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common diagnosis today when it comes to children.

Years ago, kids would be labeled troubled and sometimes even kicked out of school for their behavior that in many cases, they simply were unable to control.

I know this firsthand since my son went through three different schools (and this was in kindergarten) before we had him properly tested and finally diagnosed. I was someone that refused to give into those labels – but when you reach your wit’s end, you need to understand that ADHD is not something that is terminal or even bad, it’s treatable and in reality – once you figure it out, it’s manageable.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that these children are not intelligent, or on the low end of the IQ side.  Quite the contrary. They are typically exceptionally smart.

Parents assume that if we ask if a child is ADD or ADHD we are asking if they are special needs or handicapped, this is not true.

Today many adults are now recognizing that they have symptoms of ADHD that have been untreated. In our generation, we didn’t know a lot about it. Today we do.

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Is your teen struggling with ADD/ADHD and you’ve exhausted your local resources? Is their behavior escalating into risky actions outside of academic underachieving? Contact us for options and resources.

The post ADHD: From Adolescence to Adulthood first appeared on Help Your Teens.