Focus on ADHD

During college, our capacity for scholarship, managing time and money and emotional growth is put to the test. When overwhelmed by these challenges, students often ask me if they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. I hope to shed light on this important subject. \nPreviously called minimal brain dysfunction, ADHD is a developmental disorder characterized by poor attention and organization, excessive physical movement and impulsive, poor judgment causing serious consequences in most spheres of a person's life by age 7. As many as 8 percent of children are affected. The students tend to have frequent discipline problems and grades that are far below the average. Less than half of them will have residual attention problems in adulthood.\nHowever, when the problems do persist in adulthood, lives are often complicated by increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, sexually transmitted diseases and divorce because of their unreliable and impulsive behavior. Unemployment is more likely, and not surprisingly, adults with ADHD are overrepresented in jail and prison populations. \nFortunately, adult ADHD is treatable. Medication is the cornerstone of treatment, and stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall achieve significant improvement in about 60 percent of patients and are generally well-tolerated. While healthy patients taking approved doses are usually safe, there have been associated increases in heart rate and blood pressure, which can potentially result in an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and sudden death. Nonstimulants like Strattera and Wellbutrin have also been shown to be effective and can simultaneously treat depression. \nEfforts to acquire better organizational and study skills, coupled with counseling to improve interpersonal strengths and learn coping techniques for dealing with everyday problems, are important adjuncts to medicine. \nWhile drug companies work to create demand for ADHD products, only one in three adults who believe they have ADHD actually do. The majority have attention problems caused by other significant disorders like depression, anxiety and substance abuse. Others lack practical skills for learning. \nUnfortunately, several pitfalls exist on the road to proper diagnosis and treatment. Because of the nature of ADHD, many patients follow treatment recommendations inconsistently or abandon treatment completely. Conversely, there is a risk of abuse and dependence with stimulant agents, with consequences ranging from insomnia to vomiting to violent psychosis. To complicate the issue, prescription stimulants can enhance the mental focus of almost anyone, just like other chemicals from caffeine to cocaine. Many students are yielding to this temptation and risk not only adverse physical and mental consequences, but criminal prosecution as well. \nPossession of stimulants without a prescription is illegal, and selling them is a federal class B felony. Furthermore, people without ADHD who use stimulants condition themselves to function only under the influence of the drug instead of building skills that can last a lifetime. \nADHD and other conditions that impair attention are treatable, and the staff at the IU Health Center's Counseling and Psychological Services has the skills to help. Our mission is your success.