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Natural Support for ADD-like Symptoms

The standard and until now most effective treatment for Attention Deficit Disorder is the use of amphetamines and stimulants. These include Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine, and the relatively unknown medication Provigil. This is due to the stimulating effect of these drugs on the central nervous system, prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus which raises dopamine levels in the brain and increases alertness.

People with ADD seem to have a paradoxical response to these medications. Instead of becoming over stimulated and eventually addicted, which would occur with most people, an ADD sufferer will simply become focused, alert, and relaxed with an extremely low chance of addiction. This allows an ADD person to be less impulsive and stay on task. This occurs roughly 85% of the time with few side effects when the medication is being managed correctly, and the patient complies with the directions for the medication's use.

Even if a patient has a good response to the medication overall, there are still some common problems and side effects with this class of drugs. Since the central nervous system is stimulated it often reacts by an activation of the flight, fright, or freeze response. This is a primitive automatic response to the perception of danger. Adrenalin pours into the body, the eyes dilate in order to see threat in the periphery, muscles become taut, and the ability to sleep becomes problematic while appetite decreases.

For the 15% of patients who have severe side effects they might experience excessive sweating, bad breath, intense irritability, and might even experience more confusion and less focus. This often occurs in over-focused ADD where the cingulate system can become inflamed by a stimulant. The cingulate system is the middle section of the brain which allows people to be flexible and change with events. When this part of the brain is working overtime anxiety, obsessions, compulsions, oppositional behavior, and extreme irritability can result.

The basal ganglia can also be over-stimulated by these medications, resulting in extreme anxiety. The limbic system might also become over-activated by the stimulants, increasing depression and moodiness. It is also possible for patients to react in the opposite manner and become overly sedated.

Ritalin and Adderall have many other problems connected with their use. Because they are a controlled substance and therefore classified as narcotics, they can only be prescribed for a 30 day supply, and patients are required to pick them up from their physician’s office each month. These drugs can not be called into the pharmacy. This is a huge inconvenience.

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