Is Adderall the Answer for ADD and ADHD Patients?
Frustration over their inability to exercise self-control and failures to meet their own and others expectations leave many children and adults feeling anxious and hopeless. Those who have been dealing with these symptoms generally experience great relief when the diagnosis of ADD and ADHD provides an explanation along with the prospect that help is available through medication.
Although medication has been shown to improve ability to control focus, which results in increased self-control, it does not address all the factors encountered with ADD and ADHD. Recently released research conducted by Dr. Martha Farah, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Pennsylvania, raised the intriguing question of the benefits of ADHD medications and improved school performance. Dr. Farah and her “colleagues found no cognitive benefit from Adderall taken by students.”
Contrary to these findings, others’ research has documented improved school and social performance. In her article in the Wall Street Journal, Shirley S. Wang poses the following inquiry: “A central question puzzles those researching ADHD: If its drugs demonstrably improve attention, focus and self-control, why wouldn’t grades improve as well?
After reviewing several studies, Wang offers this conclusion: “Together, these findings suggest that medication alone isn’t enough to improve academic performance. The medicine may help with focus, but it doesn’t help with deciding what to focus on, experts say. Rather, it needs to be coupled with skills training, such as learning how to organize or prioritize.”
Being able to organize and prioritize is identified as one of the Executive Functions, which is appearing in the research associated with ADD and ADHD.
If you had googled “Executive Functions” ten years ago, you would have found little. Interest in this topic grew as more and more “attention” was paid to the increasing number of people who lacked “attention”, specifically those with ADHD. Although someone with ADD or ADHD may be on a managed medicine program, he may continue to struggle to reach his potential. Often these people are described as lazy, disorganized, and emotionally erratic, but obviously, this is not enough to guide professionals in figuring out how to help or treat them.
The work of Dr. Russell Barkley, Peg Dawson, Dr. George McCloskey and others who conducted the research that identified Executive Function deficits revealed the knowledge and strategies to bridge the gap between intention and achievement. Although the various researchers do not use the same terms to define “executive functions”, they are in agreement that, simply put, Executive Functions are the group of neurological processes necessary to regulate our behavior and enable us to get things done effectively and efficiently…..to achieve our goals.
The collective efforts of researchers in the field of ADHD and neuroscience are shedding light on the question, “Is Adderall the Answer?” The findings indicate that medication can effectively increase control of focus and attention but it is not the only factor in succeeding academically and socially. For children or adults with ADD and ADHD, an assessment of Executive Functions and a program to address deficits will greatly improve the odds of accomplishing personal goals.
*Adderall is used as a representative of the medications prescribed for ADD and ADHD.
“ADHD Drugs Don’t Boost Kids’ Grades Studies of Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Find Little Change”
Shirley S. Wang, Wall Street Journal, July 9, 2013
For well over 20 years, Life Tree Counseling has been a, “soft place to land” for so many people. We’d like to help you, too. You can call us right now at 972-234-6634, and we promise to return your call within 60 minutes. Or, visit our website to schedule a time that’s convenient for you, with one of our counselors.
Tags:
