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Houston ADHD Therapy, Treatment & Therapists
What is Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
ADHD is a behavioral disorder characterized by an ongoing pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity that impairs functioning.
From time to time, many children have difficulty staying still, waiting their turn, not listening, or fidgeting. Here and there, adults may struggle with staying organized, meeting deadlines, staying on task, or feeling restless. For those with ADHD, however, symptoms are severe, occur much more frequently, interfere with their daily life and relationships, and often result in personal distress and low self-esteem. Children with ADHD may feel different and be outcasted by peers and adults that become annoyed or frustrated with their behavior. The child’s behavior is not the mark of defiance or a lack of comprehension but stems from very real neurological differences in the brain that make the person with ADHD think and experience the world differently.
Is ADHD a serious condition?
ADHD is considered a chronic and debilitating disorder, negatively impacting many areas of the person’s life, including:
Academic success
Professional achievement
Interpersonal relationships
Daily functioning
What are the consequences of untreated ADHD?
Untreated ADHD may lead to:
Poor social functioning
Sensitivity towards criticism
Increased self-criticism
Poor self-esteem
Untreated ADHD has been linked to:
Unemployment
Financial problems
Frequent car accidents
Abuse of alcohol and drugs
Disciplinary problems at school
Problematic relationships
Poor physical and mental health
What are ADHD symptoms?
Inattention
Problems sustaining focus during activities and conversations
Easily distracted by unrelated thoughts or happenings
Forgetful in following through with activities, like appointments, chores, or errands
Avoidant of tasks that require ongoing mental effort
Problems managing time, organizing activities, completing tasks in order, and meeting deadlines
Difficulty following through with instructions or finishing work
Frequently loses belongings and materials, like homework
Careless mistakes and overlooks important details
Doesn’t seem to listen when spoken to directly
Hyperactivity-Impulsivity
Interrupts others or intrudes on conversations and activities
Answers questions before they are fully asked and finishes other people’s sentences
Difficulty waiting their turn
Low frustration tolerance, short temper, and mood swings
Talks excessively and may dominate conversation
Difficulty playing or engaging in hobbies quietly
Fidgets or squirms
Children: runs or climbs at inappropriate times or leaves their seat when staying seated is expected
Adults: restlessness and impatience
Constantly in motion or on the go
What are the three types of ADHD?
Inattentive Type
Hyperactive/impulsive Type
Combined Type
Those with ADHD may experience the inattentive symptoms only (Inattentive Type), experience the hyperactive-impulsive symptoms only (Hyperactive Type), or experience both the inattentive symptoms and the hyperactive-impulsive symptoms (Combined Type). The Combined Type is the most commonly diagnosed, and the Hyperactive Type is the least commonly diagnosed.
Does ADHD present differently in girls and women than in boys and men?
ADHD is more commonly diagnosed in boys than in girls, which may be due to the differences in how the symptoms present. Boys tend to present with more behavioral problems and externalizing symptoms that may be more noticeable to others, especially as children. Girls tend to present with more inattention and symptoms, like excessive talking, that may be less noticeable or less disruptive. Girls often receive a diagnosis later in life, when compared to boys, and may be underdiagnosed.
How common is ADHD?
ADHD is one of the most common mental conditions in children. It’s estimated that 8.4% of children and 2.5% of adults have ADHD.
What causes ADHD?
Research shows that ADHD runs in families and growing evidence suggests that genetics contribute to its development. Anatomical differences have been found in the brains of children with ADHD showing reduced grey and white brain matter and different brain region activation during some tasks. Environmental factors have been connected to the presence of ADHD in children, like low birth weight, premature birth, extreme stress during pregnancy, and exposure to alcohol, smoking, or lead during pregnancy.
When is ADHD Diagnosed?
While ADHD can be diagnosed at any age, this disorder begins in childhood and is often first identified in school when the condition leads to disruption in the classroom or academic problems. Symptoms may present as early as age 3 and must be present before the person is age 12.
How is ADHD Diagnosed?
A thorough evaluation from a medical or mental health professional is necessary to diagnose ADHD. Symptoms must be chronic, impair the individual’s functioning, and have caused problems in more than one setting (not just at home, for example). Symptoms may have been mistaken for emotional difficulties or disciplinary problems and may have been missed for those individuals presenting with less visible, externalized symptoms. Symptom presentation may change over time with hyperactivity more visible in young children and inattention, restlessness, and impulsivity at the forefront in teens and adults.
Is ADHD treatable?
Although it’s not curable, ADHD is treated by lessening and managing the symptoms, increasing support, understanding, and acceptance of the condition, and improving functioning and outcomes.
How is ADHD treated?
Treatment for ADHD treatment typically uses a combination of therapy and medication.
How does therapy help ADHD?
Therapy for ADHD often includes psychological education about the disorder, developing strategies to manage symptoms, and addressing the negative emotional impact that may have developed as a result of the disorder. Before diagnosis, the individual and family may experience frustration, anger, blame, and shame related to ADHD’s impact on the person’s life. The emotion-focused tasks in therapy may include:
Normalizing the individual’s experience
Challenging beliefs that the person is defective, to blame, or lacks willpower
Building positive self-esteem and self-acceptance
Helping the family understand ADHD and adopt new skills, attitudes, and ways of relating to one another
Therapy often includes behavior management strategies, in which the individual learns to:
Monitor their own behavior with rewards given for desired behavior
Minimize distractions
Adopt organization techniques
Build routine and structure into their lives
Learn social skills for listening and patience
Access their support system
When should I seek help for ADHD?
If you or your loved one experiences inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms that disrupt life, make it difficult to function at home, work, or school, or result in unstable, problematic relationships, you should consider seeking help from a healthcare provider.
How do I find treatment for ADHD?
At The Resilience Center of Houston, we will match you with a therapist skilled in treating ADHD to get you the tools and support you need. ADHD does not have to get in the way of you finding success and living a healthy and happy life. Find help today and request an appointment with a licensed therapist near you. Virtual and in-person appointments are available for our Houston ADHD therapy, treatment and therapists in the greater Houston area.
What are the different types of anxiety disorders?
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive and persistent worry that interferes with daily life. Relentless worry results in physical symptoms, like restlessness, feeling on edge, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, exhaustion, and sleep problems. Topics of worry typically center on everyday matters, like appointments, home repairs, work responsibilities, and family health.
What is Panic Disorder?
Panic Disorder is characterized by recurrent Panic Attacks. Panic attacks present with severe and overwhelming psychological and physical distress, involving some of the below symptoms.
What are the physical symptoms of Panic Disorder?
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Rapid heartbeat
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Shortness of breath
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Muscle tension
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Sweating
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Shaking
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Restlessness
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Dizziness
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Tightness in the chest
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Numbness or tingling
What are the psychological symptoms of Panic Disorder?
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Feeling like you’re having a heart attack
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Feeling like you’re going to die
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Feeling impending doom
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Feeling like you’re going crazy
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Feeling like you’re losing touch with reality
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Fearing you’ll lose control of yourself
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Constant worry about when you’ll have your next panic attack
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Fear you’ll embarrass yourself
What are Phobias?
A specific phobia involves intense and persistent fear of a particular object, situation or activity that is generally not dangerous. The experienced distress is acute and leads sufferers to go to extreme lengths to avoid what they fear.
What are common phobias?
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Fear of driving
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Fear of flying
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Fear of vomiting
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Fear of needles
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Fear of confined spaces
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Fear of being alone
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Fear of leaving the house
What is Agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia is characterized by the fear of being trapped or stuck in circumstances in which escape may be difficult or embarrassing, or help might not be easily available. The fear is acutely distressing and interferes with normal daily activities. The person typically avoids the situation, needs a companion, or experiences extreme anxiety.
What are common situations agoraphobics fear?
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Trembling
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Crowds
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Enclosed Spaces
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Open Spaces
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Public transportation
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Leaving the home
What is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder ?
PTSD can develop after a severe physical or emotional trauma such as a sexual assault, natural disaster, or serious accident. Those with PTSD feel intensely upsetting thoughts and emotions connected to their traumatic experience that persist long after the situation happened.
What are PTSD symptoms?
The symptoms of PTSD can be categorized into four areas.
Intrusion – repeated, unwanted thoughts, nightmares, and flashbacks of the event
Avoidance – steering clear of people, places, activities, and objects that are associated with the event.
Changes in cognition and mood – loss of interest, distorted thinking, difficulties concentrating, loss of certain memories, negative emotions, hypervigilance, social withdrawal, and anhedonia.
Changes in behavior – social withdrawal, anger outbursts, recklessness, sensitive startle response, problems sleeping.
What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
Social Anxiety Disorder involves excessive discomfort in social situations and a fear of experiencing embarrassment, judgment, humiliation, condescension, or rejection in social situations that can negatively impact work, school, and other daily activities. People with this disorder will try to avoid social situations or endure them with great anxiety.
What are commonly feared situations for those with social anxiety?
Commonly feared situations include attending parties, interacting at work, eating in public, or engaging in unscripted interactions.
What are common Social Anxiety symptoms?
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Trembling
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Blushing
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Sweating
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Rapid heartbeat
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Mind goes blank
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Stomachache
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Speaks very softly
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Avoids eye contact
What is Separation Anxiety Disorder?
Separation Anxiety Disorder is is characterized by excessive fear of being away from those we are close to, who are also called attachment persons.
What are signs of Separation Anxiety Disorder?
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Anticipation of potential separation causes mounting fear
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Persistent worry about the negative consequences resulting from separation
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Obsessive focus on the multitude of situations that could lead to separation
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Interferes with attending important activities, like work or school
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Fears of sleeping outside the home and away from attachment persons
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Nightmares about separation
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Headaches, nausea, or vomiting
What is Selective Mutism?
Selective Mutism is a rare and debilitating childhood condition that involves a failure to speak in certain situations in which there is a natural expectation to speak. A child may talk at home, for example, and be nonverbal at school. The absence of spoken communication can significantly interfere with the child’s academic achievement and can stunt their social development and the formation of relationships with others. It is theorized that Selective Mutism may be an early and specific manifestation of Social Anxiety Disorder.
What are behaviors associated with Selective Mutism?
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Clinginess
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Temper Tantrums
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Excessive Shyness
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Social Isolation