Tackling ADHD Challenges With Online Therapy.
As an online mental health therapist, I understand that ADHD can be challenging to manage, but therapy can be an effective way to learn new skills and manage symptoms. While medication is often the go-to treatment for ADHD, therapy can provide additional support and can be helpful for those who don't want to take medication or want extra support.
There are three main types of ADHD, but the treatment for all types is similar. There are many different types of therapy available for ADHD, and the methods may vary between children and adults.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard for ADHD psychotherapy. CBT for ADHD can help with daily struggles such as procrastination, time management struggles, and poor planning. This type of therapy helps people find new coping strategies and identifies emotions and behaviors that interfere with implementing those strategies. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy may also be helpful by improving attention and emotional regulation.
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is another form of therapy that can help people with ADHD. DBT teaches people skills to manage their ADHD symptoms through mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, impulsivity/hyperactivity, and attention.
ADHD coaching is gaining popularity as a way of managing symptoms and quality of life. Supportive therapy helps clients optimize the coping skills they already have to reduce distress and manage symptoms. Interpersonal therapy addresses issues that may have developed between a client and others due to misunderstandings from their ADHD symptoms.
Group therapy is a helpful way for people with ADHD to learn from others dealing with similar challenges. Narrative therapy can help reduce self-stigma by externalizing the issue and identifying the "sparkling moments" when things are different.
For children with ADHD, therapy is often delivered by parents and teachers. Parent-delivered behavioral therapies involve teaching parents how to discipline their child consistently and appropriately for their condition, how to implement structure, and how to introduce positive reinforcement. In teacher-delivered behavioral therapies, teachers learn strategies to teach children with ADHD to address their challenges, manage time and organization, and overcome emotional and behavioral challenges.
Therapy for ADHD can be a valuable addition to a treatment plan and can help individuals manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.