Is there any way to treat ADD without taking a medication?

Question

i have a friend who is very afraid of taking medications, and he hates going to the doctor. he has the signs of ADD and depression- i know this because i, too have ADD and Depression. i already know some non medical ways of dealing with the depression, but what about the ADD?

Answer 1

My oldest daughter is ADD, and we haven't used meds for years now. There are several ways to help deal without them. One herbal remedy is St. John's Wort. There are studies that show that the tranquilizing affect of St John's Wort can be helpful in calming the mind. It aids in establishing normal sleep patterns, and can aid in mild depression.
Otherwise, you can develope rythems to your life that will help overcome the juggling feeling your mind can take on. For instance, my daughter does better with lists. Lists that list EVERY aspect of a chore, or on her to-do list. The kitchen chore chart has every single little part of cleaning up after a meal listed. Put away food. Wipe off counter. Sweep floor. Empty trash, put in new liner. Turn off all lights. Otherwise she will sweep, wipe off the counter, and do the dishes, but will forget to empty the trash. Or she'll remember to empty the trash, but forget to sweep. So for every thing she does, she carries a small tablet in her pocket, and she goes by the book during her day.
It will also help to get and stay on a schedule. Go to bed at the same time 7 nights a week, and get up at the same time 7 days a week. Don't eat refined sugars, or if you do, don't eat it within a 4 hour period when you would need to use 100% of your concentration, because it can really mess with that. Try to stay on a regular routine day in and day out, and walk, jog, swim, run, bowl, or whatever to ease off any tension or mind confusion that comes along if you can.
These are just a few of the things we have implemented in our family to help her with ADD. There are still days whenever we both get frustrated, and she has lost a job over her inability to focus well, but we deal.
Hope all goes well!

Answer 2

It is good to be cautious of meds, but for a lot of these things sometimes it is really necessary.

However, first people should try a few things on their own -- big on the list is exercise, as it helps with both moods and focus.

Vitamin B6 is especially good for signs of depression and some people find that a vitamin B combo vitamin daily helps with moods and stress, which in turn helps with focus as well.

Don't underestimate the power of depression to mess with someone's ability to focus. Treat the depression first.

Answer 3

It's sometimes tough to treat with neither medication nor professional therapy. There are ways to treat it though. It's important to know the subtype of ADHD with which he is suffering. One is the inattentive subtype, where he simply can't pay attention. The other is characterized by hyperactivity. There's also the combined type.

The following can help, but are easier to be implemented from a parent or teacher's perspective than by the individual him/herself... but I'll share them anyway:

-Creating immediate consequences for accomplishing tasks
-Receiving immediate feedback from others
-Using incentives rather than punishments
-Externalize time; make tasks a timed activity with a clock in view
-Make thinking and problem-solving a physical activity when possible; make index cards, use word processors to write assignments, spend free time doing puzzles, building things, etc.
-Keep a disability perspective; he's not unwilling... he's unable

Answer 4

i'm not sure either. i have ADD and depression as well and i'm on anti-depressants and ADD medication.I've lost a lot of weight because of the ADD medication, which is not good at all in my case. what i would do is either go to google and type in natural remedies for ADD or go to a psychologist.

EDIT: when you go to the psychologist ask him how to treat ADD without strong medication.

Answer 5

Music lessons, he can learn to play a instrument, they say also say that learning piano helps to properly develop the part of the brain you use for math. My little brother had ADD, he was taking MEDS but hey were depressing him, since I was majoring in psych I read that music helped, so I sugested to my mom, he learned to paly guitar after a few months we sawa big improvement and after a year he was able to focus on class. He went from a 15 second period of atention to beign able to focus.

Answer 6

I have trouble in defining what ADD really is.
I mean, ever try to listening to Ben Stein?
Everybody has ADD to some extent.

One thing that helped me is the saying "Be here now". That means, when ever you feel yourself drifting away/daydreaming, say that to yourself to train yourself to concentrate on the subject.
Over time, it will work, but it takes practice.

Answer 7

Well, I've heard a lot of older people who tell me that back in their day, there was no such thing as ADD, and if a kid was hyper, or didn't pay attention, they were beat until they did. So I guess you could try to beat it out of him. I wouldn't suggest it. Sorry, I'm no expert.

Answer 8

Unless your friend is ready to except a doctor's opinion and get help, I am afraid you put yourself at a great risk if you where to give him something that he reacted to in a bad way..

If I were you, I would go to www.webMD.com and get some facts about both and print it out and give it to him..

Your a good friend to be worried about him.. All meds are dangerous, even herbal.. Please be careful..

Answer 9

Just being aware of what's going on with full presence will cure ADD.

Answer 10

you can try fish oil there are some studies on it now but don't know how well they really work my doc swears by it with meds to so i really don't know talk to your doc