ADD/ADHD Counseling

Attention-deficit disorder affects around eight million adults. ADD is characterized by having difficulty paying attention, remembering, completing tasks, controlling impulses, and dealing with delayed gratification. Adults with ADD have trouble planning for the future and accounting for the long-term consequences of their actions. This may lead to problems with maintaining a job or relationship, and can also make learning difficult.

Many people dealing with ADD / ADHD also have depression or anxiety. Though these disorders seem unrelated, every aspect of your life is important in maintaining your mental health. A person may be aware of their attention problems from ADD, and this may make them depressed. On the other hand, a depressed person may also suffer from decreased concentration. Tackling one mental health issue can give you the tools you need to tackle them all.

Though diagnostic tools are steadily improving, ADD can still remain undiagnosed, and 60 percent of attention-deficient adults have carried this issue from childhood. There are many factors that can contribute to attention deficit issues, including genetics. If a parent has ADD, their child has about a 50 percent chance of inheriting that trait. Environmental factors are also crucial. Children who have suffered frontal lobe damage or been exposed to lead or pesticides can develop attention issues. Studies have shown that premature pregnancies, or pregnancies where the mother drank or smoked, are more likely to lead to ADD.

There are several options to get ADD and ADHD under control. Clients may benefit from counseling where they can discuss their issues in a private, safe environment. Therapy can also teach the client effective strategies for dealing with attention-deficit symptoms such as focusing techniques and lifestyle changes. The therapist can also prescribe stimulants that help improve concentration and impulse control. Finally, the therapist can evaluate any other mental health problems the client might be experiencing and recommend strategies to move forward.

If you or someone you know is displaying ADD symptoms such as declining grades at school, flagging work performance, trouble recalling information, or misplacing items, it is important to seek help. For ADD counseling in the San Clemente area, give the office of Rick McCarthy MFT a call.