Why ADHD Concerns Could Be Holding Back Your Child Instead Of Actually Helping Him

One of the most pressing ADHD concerns is that fact that the meds have their limitations. I know kids who are on Adderall now for more than three years and others who are also on anti-depressants. Yet after three years, their problems of bad behavior, anti social behavior with peers and tantrums in general just keep on occurring. It is clear that the meds are only a partial answer and that the real underlying issues are just not being addressed.

The parents in these cases just think that they need more medicine and they will have no hesitation in asking their doctor for them when they next visit his office. But it is startling to find that the Brooklyn Hospital Center noted that the ADHD meds were contributing to bad behavior in some cases instead of solving the problem. They noted that the children on the meds were battling with the side effects and they were in turn causing all sorts of other problems such as:-

*aggressive behavior
* hostility towards figures in authority
* bad behavior
* weight gain
* stunted growth

The other problem is that parents and carers are not looking at the wider issues. They rarely think that certain allergens, environmental issues and even nutritional deficiencies could well be the trigger that is causing or exacerbating all these problems. They never think about diet or that certain allergic reactions to gluten, casein or whatever could well be the problem.

When we think that one of the ADHD concerns is the crucial imbalance of certain brain chemicals which cause the classic attention problems, restlessness and impulsive and anti social behavior, we should widen our perspective. We should reflect that this imbalance may well be the cause of lots of other childhood illnesses but also a growing problem with how the child interacts socially and academically.

The American Academy of Family Physicians has advised parents and teachers worried about ADHD concerns to ensure the following practices and support systems are in place:-

• ADHD friendly home. This means that there is great emphasis on routine and structure and that the home is well organized
• nutritional deficiencies and diet are carefully monitored. It is no accident that many ADHD kids are low in Omega 3 fish oils, zinc, magnesium and other essential minerals.
• the possibility that an ADHD child may be allergic to certain additives should be actively considered and every effort made to find out what is causing the allergy. The most common problem for ADHD kids seem to be allergic reactions to gluten and casein.
• behavior therapy or more effective parenting skills need to be in place so that there is a clear boundary between what is unacceptable and what is appropriate.

As we have seen, there are many ADHD concerns and the most worrying one is the long term effects of the ADHD meds. There are many alternatives and if you want to consult my website you can find some valid solutions.

Robert Locke is a Health enthusiast who specializes in children's health. He has written extensively on ADHD. Discover what Alternative ADHD Therapy is available. Find out about ADHD natural cures.

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Valuable Tips For Helping People Suffering From Delusions

Delusions are health disorders characterized by fake beliefs, which are far away from the reality. Also known as paranoid disorder, delusion can occur with a number of dominant themes such as jealous, erotomanic, somatic, or grandiose themes. Few patients experience different kinds of delusions, whereas others undergo unspecified delusions without any dominant theme.

Chronic delusional disorders often interfere with our social life but do not have much effect on our occupational or intellectual functioning. For instance, believing that someone is possessed by spirits may be accepted by some people who believe n Pentecostalism or Voodooism, but others would view this as a delusion. Another example of a delusion is believing that you are captain of Australian Cricket Team when actually you are not.

People who suffer from delusions hold them with full conviction and it becomes extremely difficult for carers to alter their delusion by presenting facts or using reasoning or logic with them.

Major Causes of Delusional Disorders

One of the most important causes behind delusion disorder is presence of certain early childhood experiences related to authoritarian family structure. This means that a person with a sensitive personality is more likely to suffer from delusions in comparison to others.

Besides this, some medical conditions such as aging, deafness, chronic alcoholism, or head injury can also increase the risk of a person developing delusional disorder. Sometimes, the irrational belief of people caused due to delusions can post a huge threat to others around him, as well as himself. The greater the rage of the patient, more will be the risk of suicide or violent behavior.

Caring for People with Delusion Disorder

If someone in your family or someone around you is suffering from delusion disorder, there are certain things that can be done to help him / her.

• Arrange to get the patient's medications reviewed and organize to get his / her mental health assessment done.

• The cultural background of a person plays an extremely important role in shaping the way in which symptoms of mental disorder are expressed. Thus, it is very important to take the background of a person into account while formulating the care plan for a delusion patient.

• When carrying out initial assessment, encourage the patient to describe his / her delusion and ask any relevant question related to the delusion to obtain the required details.

• Try to validate all parts of the described delusion which are real. For instance, according to the situation, one might say, 'Yes, I saw the doctor at the nurse's station, but I didn't hear him speak about you.

• Do not try to force the person to believe that what he / she is thinking is incorrect. Instead, respect his / her viewpoint, irrespective of whether you agree with it or not. Also, provide your own understanding of the situation and discuss patiently with him / her.

• Even if a patient directs accuses at you, do not take it personally.

• Try to recognize the triggers leading to delusions such as anxiety, stress, or some other emotion.

• Promote the techniques of solving the problem by helping the patient figure out ways through which he / she can cope up with issues that are causing the delusions.

• Encourage the patient to participate as much as possible in related based activities.

Over time and as the person suffering from delusions realizes this they will often learn techniques to cope with them and mentally push them away. From a Carer's point of view it would be helpful if information groups can be found in the area and either/or or preferably both (not necessarily together) go to these groups to get an understanding of what delusions are, how people cope with them and get some medical advice.

Kaye Dennan is the author of an ebook 'Carer Coping Strategies'. Kaye has been a carer for 10 years and has been a Carers' Support group facilitator for 3 years. To read more about mental health carer's coping strategies or for more insight into mental health carer problems visit http://schizophrenia-carers.com/

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Helping Patients Get Over The Stigma Of Mental Illness

Stigma refers to the condition in which someone judges you depending on any particular personal trait. The sad part is that most of the people who suffer from mental illness face such a stigma quite commonly. Stigma of mental illness can be both direct and obvious, for instance, when someone comments negatively on your mental condition or treatment; or subtle, such as a person assuming that you might be violent or unstable due to an underlying health condition. Some patients may even judge themselves.

The most common detrimental effects of stigma include:

• Not being understood by friends, family, colleagues or other people around you.
• Discrimination at school or work or in the society.
• Problems in finding housing opportunities.
• Harassment, bullying, or physical violence.
• Health insurance which doesn't offer coverage for mental illnesses.
• Having a belief that you will never succeed in any challenge and that you are incapable of improving your condition.

Ways to Help a Patient Cope Up with Stigma

Read on to find out the ways in which you can help a patient of mental illness cope up with the stigma related to the condition.

1. Get the right treatment for them: Most of the mental patients are reluctant to admit that they suffer from any kind of medical condition for which they need treatment. Help them to overcome their fear of being 'labeled' as a mental patient, which often prevent them from getting help. Treatment of the condition can be extremely helpful as it can help in identifying the root of the problem and in reducing symptoms which often hinder one's personal life or work.

2. Don't allow the stigma to develop shame and self-doubt in the mental patient. It is not necessary that stigma will always come from someone else. Some people believe that their connection is being caused due to their own personal weakness. Taking the help of a psychologist, encouraging interaction with other and educating them about their mental condition will help them to overcome self-judgment and gain self-esteem.

3. Encourage them to joint a local support group. Few groups like National Alliance for Mental Illness offer programs to help decrease stigma by educating mental patients, their family members as well as general public about the same.

4. In case your child is a patient of mental illness which has a negative impact of his / her learning abilities, try to find help through him / her school by taking the help of teachers and administrators and try to develop the best possible approach to deal with the problem.

People's judgment of mental patients usually stems due to a lack of understanding on the subject. Helping the patient to accept their condition, finding out the best ways to treat the problem, getting support from others, as well as educating others about the same can go a long way in reducing the stigma faced by patients of mental illness.

Kaye Dennan is the author of an ebook 'Carer Coping Strategies.' Kaye has been a carer for 10 years and has been a Carers' Support group facilitator for 3 years. To read more about mental health carer's coping strategies or for more insight into mental health carer problems visit http://schizophrenia-carers.com/

View the original article here ezine.com