Parents, teachers and sufferers of ADHD may have little or no understanding of the cause of poor behavior associated with the disorder. A critical step in addressing ADHD is educating the sufferer and the key supporters. As parents and teachers better understand the disorder, they become better equipped to respond to symptoms and be supportive rather than have conflict.
Most medications used to treat ADHD are stimulants, which have a calming effect on ADHD sufferers. The most recognized ADHD drug is Ritalin, though there are many other stimulants. The calming effect helps the ADHD sufferer process neural stimuli by removing them from a hyperactive, agitated, anxious or hypervigilant state.
For the ADHD sufferer, psychotherapy is largely about helping the child learn to self-monitor behavior. Impulse control is a major challenge with ADHD. Heightened awareness, structure and education are helpful in a variety of cognitive tasks. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of structured behavioral training and modification commonly used in the treatment of ADHD sufferers.
ADHD sufferers may have difficulty in any part of their environment because their behavior may not be seen as normal. Addressing every portion of ADHD sufferers' environments can be helpful, from friends and friends' parents to athletic coaches and other activities. The more the people in ADHD sufferers' environments understand how the disorder affects them, the easier it will be for them to function, especially when they are pursuing the three other primary modes of treatment or intervention.