ADHD and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

By: Chrisleny Paula

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental syndrome that has drastically spiked since the pandemic in 2020. This condition was originally thought of as a childhood condition that only affected kids, more commonly, boys. It is now known to be a condition that greatly affects adults with its long list of symptoms. Some of these include: inattentiveness, distractions, difficulty with focus, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (restlessness and fidgeting). These are all things that can worsen as you get older and can even reach a point where it causes impairment. The APA described ADHD as “a neurodevelopmental syndrome of impaired unfolding and execution of self-regulation skills”.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the more effective treatments used for the condition. The therapy is used with adults, not children, and has been proven to be very effective in improving many of the internal problems that patients were having as a result of ADHD. These results were gathered through surveys conducted on the patients and their personal feelings as well as scales conducted before and after therapy. CBT focuses on raising awareness to the patient of their own behaviors in a way that helps the patient realize how these behaviors may be abnormal and how they are affecting their daily life. Awareness of a condition is the first step to getting better. CBT can also be used to treat anxiety and depression, which some patients with ADHD may also have.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with loneliness, or their mental health, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/ .

References

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2909688/

https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/adult-adhd