Is A Naturalistic Approach To Treating ADHD Realistic?

A vintage Disney cartoon illustrated how the human brain works by showing a plant foreman in someone’s brain proficiently routing all his messages and coordinating all his assembly line processes. A good way to illustrate Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD would be to see that same plant foreman unable to keep all the messages coordinated properly because in the brain of a person with ADHD, the “executive functioning,” or foreman, just can’t keep everything straight. Medication has been the traditional ADHD treatment, though recently, many physicians and psychiatrists are turning to holistic remedies to help minimize, hopefully eventually eliminate the need for drugs in both children and adults. ADHD is the label we give to a neurobiological disorder. A final and definitive answer as to its actual cause or causes is yet to be agreed upon, but it is often inherited; is more widespread in boys than girls and affected individuals exhibit some or many of these behaviors: • Poor attention span • Extreme distractibility • Hyper-activity • Procrastination • Poor organizational skills • Forgetfulness • Inability to complete tasks • Poor social skills (thought to be due to a lack of awareness of how others are reacting) It is estimated that 7% – 9% of our school kids have this disorder, and 4.7% of adults. Teenagers who are no treated are more likely to indulge in substance abuse as a form of self-medication. Adult ADHD victims have higher rates of drug use as well, and very likely were not diagnosed or treated earlier. By their adult years, the habit of self-medicating with drugs is more developed. Despite the fact that boys are twice as likely to have ADHD, girls are more likely to become substance abusers. Somewhat surprisingly, their drug usually chosen is carbohydrates, which briefly raises their Serotonin levels. This results in a soothing effect and is more socially acceptable than street drugs. However, excessive carb consumption can result in excessive weight. It is not unusual for those diagnosed with ADHD to have poor self-esteem and suffer with clinical depression. As well, low blood sugar and allergies […]