Psychotherapy
ADD is largely a behavioral disorder. People with ADD do things in an inefficient or impulsive manner. This behavior is not determined by bad habits they learned or by psychological conflicts, nor is it motivated by self-destructive or hostile emotions. It is largely the result of abnormalities of certain neurological circuits in the brain. The likelihood of changing ADD symptoms by talking about interpersonal problems or motivational difficulties is small. In some ways it is like trying to change any physiological problem, for example color blindness. by talking about it.
The kinds of psychotherapy that are most likely to be helpful are those that are behaviorally oriented such as
- coaching
- specialized varieties of behavioral therapy carried out by someone knowledgeable and experienced in treating ADD
- couples or family therapy
- interpersonal psychotherapy
- social skill training
- targeting and reducing common sources of family discord such as noise, conflict, disorganization, and stress, aiming to set up the home environment that promotes positive coping skills and minimizes disruption.
Psychotherapy may not help the ADD symptoms but it may help people with ADD in a number of ways:
- some people can learn to communicate tactfully with others about their ADD in a way that permits others to more helpful and less critical of them
- some people can learn to deal better with the interpersonal consequences of the problems caused by their ADD
- psychotherapy can be helpful when a person’s anxiety or depression either causes distractibility and memory problems or makes them worse. If the anxiety or depression is not successfully treated, the symptoms may not get better even if the person takes the proper ADD medication. Psychotherapy can often help the depression or anxiety in these circumstances and make it possible for ADD medication to be effective.
- some people can learn to compensate for ADD behaviors by learning new habits and making adjustments in the ways they plan and organize their lives
- learning specific social skills can be helpful and can allow the adult with ADHD to interact more comfortably.
For those who are already in psychotherapy or seeing a clinician for assistance, it may be helpful to learn some techniques that can make the therapy sessions of people with ADD more productive. The techniques described can also be used to improve interpersonal relationships.
