Albert Einstein famously said, “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” This focus on asking questions is especially critical for individuals in recovery, including those recovering from adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). That is because asking questions is what we need to do to grow and heal at the cellular level. The good news is that there are many options for individuals struggling with adult ADHD; the key is to connect with the right people who have the answers to our questions.
Healing From Untreated Adult ADHD at the Cellular Level
Millions of people struggle with mental illness every day. This is both in the U.S. and around the globe. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “Mental illnesses are common in the United States and around the world. It is estimated that more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (59.3 million in 2022; 23.1% of the U.S. adult population). Mental illnesses include many different conditions that vary in degree of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe.” This includes the mental illness of ADHD (and specifically adult ADHD).
Yet, even though millions of people struggle with mental illness, many of them will never receive the help that they need. Now, there are many reasons for this. One of the primary reasons is that people with mental illness often face stigma. These are stigma such as people with mental illness are “crazy” or that they cannot control their emotions. It is important to keep addressing stigma in order to better support people with mental illness.
According to the peer-reviewed journal Cureus, “Stigma, characterized by negative stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, is a significant impediment in psychiatric care, deterring the timely provision of this care and hindering optimal health outcomes. Pervasive in all aspects of psychiatric care, stigma leads to delayed treatment, increased morbidity, and diminished quality of life for those with poor mental health. Hence, a better understanding of the impact of stigma across different cultural contexts is critically essential, aiming to inform culturally nuanced strategies to minimize its consequences and contribute to a more equitable and effective psychiatric care system.” Stigma also negatively affects those with ADHD.
Better Understanding ADHD
Many people are familiar with the term “ADHD,” but are unfamiliar with what exactly it is. According to the peer-reviewed thesis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, by Doctors Magnus, Anilkumar, and Shaban, “Attention hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric condition that has long been recognized as affecting children’s ability to function. Individuals suffering from this disorder show patterns of developmentally inappropriate levels of inattentiveness, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. Although there used to be two different diagnoses of Attention Deficit Disorder vs. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, the DSM-IV combined these into one disorder with three subtypes: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive, or combined type.”
Now, when thinking of ADHD, most people focus on children. This is understandable, as more children are diagnosed with ADHD than adults (though this may just mean that adults were diagnosed late.) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “An estimated 7 million (11.4%) U.S. children aged 3-17 years have ever been diagnosed with ADHD, according to a national survey of parents using data from 2022.” Also, “In 2022, an additional 1 million U.S. children aged 3-17 years had ever received an ADHD diagnosis compared to 2016.” Clearly, the numbers are going up. This is true for adults as well.
Better Understanding Adult ADHD
ADHD is becoming better and better understood in adults. According to the Annals of Medicine and Surgery, “ADHD is well recognized in the paediatric population, first described as a clinical diagnosis in the 1930s, but the focus has shifted to recognition and treatment of the disorder in adults. ADHD has an estimated adult prevalence of 2-3%. In addition, ADHD has been shown to be significantly correlated with a wide range of psychiatric disorders, including mood disorders, oppositional and antisocial personality disorders, self-harm, and substance abuse, which impose a significant social and family burden increase.”
This better understanding is critical because ADHD during adulthood can have many consequences and, as previously mentioned, can be particularly burdensome on the family. For example, it can lead to financial insecurity as well as issues with familial relationships.
It is also important to understand that many adults who struggle with ADHD also struggled with it during childhood. Unfortunately, their ADHD went undiagnosed. According to the peer-reviewed journal, Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience, “In adults, the ADHD symptoms must have begun in childhood and continued into adulthood. The recently adopted Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria require that adults must have had multidimensional ADHD symptoms before the age of 12. Clinicians need to assess ADHD symptoms that have been present in the past six months as well as symptoms that occurred since childhood.” This is also why being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of ADHD is so important.
The Signs and Symptoms of Adult ADHD
Many people who struggle with ADHD fail to recognize that they have this particular mental illness. This may be due to co-occurring disorders that shadow the ADHD, or they are in denial of their symptoms. Family and close friends can be crucial in helping these people recognize their signs and symptoms, but they need to be able to recognize these signs themselves. The following are just a few signs and symptoms to look out for:
- Struggling to sustain attention
- Making careless mistakes due to a lack of attention to detail
- Easily forgetting things and struggling with memory
- Struggling to manage one’s time
- Becoming easily distracted
- Fidgeting excessively
- Isolating away from loved ones
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
- Excessive talking and trouble regulating the volume of one’s voice
- Trouble sitting still
- Acting impulsively
- Unnecessary risk-taking
- Feeling excessively anxious and/or depressed
- Having suicidal ideations
Another common sign of adult ADHD is when someone starts misusing alcohol and substances to cope with their ADHD symptoms. This is dangerous because it can ultimately lead to comorbidities of addiction and ADHD.
ADHD and Addiction
Untreated ADHD may lead to co-occurring addiction. This can be due to biological changes that occur due to ADHD. According to Cureus, “ADHD remains an underrated and under-treated condition. ADHD, when left untreated, has been shown to cause increased risky behavior, motor vehicle accidents, frequent breakups, and substance abuse. It can be hypothesized that these adverse events may result from long-term neuroanatomical effects of ADHD on the pre-frontal cortex and limbic system as previously described.”
Also, many people with comorbidities of ADHD and addiction are either misdiagnosed or under-diagnosed. This is because the signs and symptoms of both disorders can mask one another. Often, an individual is diagnosed with one or the other, but rarely both. Unfortunately, this inhibits an individual from a full recovery at the cellular level. This is why it is important to connect with medical professionals who are skilled in “dual diagnosis.”
The good news is that many of the modalities that are used to treat ADHD also help with addiction. These are treatments like psychotherapy, experiential therapy, and holistic methods like yoga and meditation. However, before one can begin to engage in these treatments, they must first start their journey toward recovery.
The First Steps of Recovery
One of the keys to getting the help that one needs for adult ADHD is a willingness to reach out for help. A willingness to accept help when it is offered is also critical. Some people find this willingness from a deep place of despair (sometimes this is referred to as “hitting rock bottom”), but other times this willingness comes after a little help.
Interventions are a great way to get a loved one the help they need. This is when a professional comes in and helps the family express their concerns with the individual who is struggling. It is also when the family sets strict boundaries to help nudge a loved one toward getting help.
The next step of recovery may involve a safe and secure detox, but this would be rare for someone merely struggling with adult ADHD. A detox would be best suited for an individual who is also struggling with alcohol use disorder (AUD) or substance use disorder (SUD). This process of recovery can ensure that a person becomes healthy enough to continue their recovery journey, which could be residential care or an intensive outpatient program (IOP).
A Focus on the Family
There is a reason why mental illnesses like adult ADHD and addiction are considered “family diseases.” This is because they affect far more than just the individual who is struggling. This is often when these issues are referred to as “tornadoes that destroy everyone and everything in their path.”
This is also why it is important to get the entire family help when a loved one seeks treatment for adult ADHD (and co-occurring disorders). Everyone deserves the chance to get well. Also, it is critical that one comes home to a safe space after finishing rehab. Family therapy is an ideal way to begin the healing process at the cellular level.
According to the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, “Family therapy is a structured form of psychotherapy that seeks to reduce distress and conflict by improving the systems of interactions between family members. It is an ideal counseling method for helping family members adjust to an immediate family member struggling with an addiction, medical issue, or mental health diagnosis… Depending on the conflicts at issue and the progress of therapy to date, a therapist may focus on analyzing specific previous instances of conflict, as by reviewing a past incident and suggesting alternative ways family members might have responded to one another during it.…” This therapy should also be part of a broader recovery plan.
The Multi-Angled Approach: What Does It Mean to Heal at the Cellular Level?
Healing at the cellular level is all about healing all aspects of the capital “S” Self. That means healing physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. It is whole mind-body healing, and it is the best way to ensure long-term success.
Healing at the cellular level also requires the individuals to address the underlying issues associated with their negative behaviors. These are often the root/core causes of their mental health and addiction struggles. For example, with AUD, it is not about the drink itself, but rather why one takes the drink in the first place. So, how can one address these root/core causes and heal at the cellular level? The answer is that there is no exact answer. Rather, there are many answers, and they lie in a multi-angled approach.
The multi-angled approach need not be complicated. It simply refers to an individualized and comprehensive approach to recovery. This means that, after a personalized intake occurs, an individualized plan that utilizes many evidence-based, experiential, and holistic therapies is used. This multi-layered approach is the best way to ensure that all issues are addressed, both internal and external. However, for many people with adult ADHD, their plan must also include medication.
Treating ADHD With Medication
A recovery plan for ADHD often has a foundation in pharmacology. According to the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, “Methods of ADHD treatment can be divided into two main groups: pharmacological and non-pharmacological. The first group includes medications such as stimulants, which are considered to be the first-line pharmacological treatment for ADHD, non-stimulants (the second-line medications), and other approved or unapproved drugs…. In addition to pharmacological methods, there are non-pharmacological ones that have been extensively investigated over the years.”
Now, it is important that any plan involving medication be highly supervised by medical professionals. This is because certain medications can have adverse effects. Also, there are times when medication stops being as effective as it once was and requires adjustments. Lastly, for individuals struggling with adult ADHD and co-occurring addiction, it is important that a doctor knows if a relapse occurs because illicit substances and alcohol can have dangerous side effects when mixed with ADHD medication.
A Focus on Psychotherapy
Also, any psychological recovery plan that involves medication should include sessions of psychotherapy. This is helpful because it allows an individual to discuss what they are going through, and a doctor can assess how an individual is adjusting to their medication.
There are many effective psychotherapies that can help with ADHD. For individuals struggling with issues of trauma and ADHD (which is more common than one might think), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can be particularly effective. This therapy can best address underlying issues and then offer opportunities to healthily navigate the negative behaviors associated with them. Art therapy can also be highly beneficial for adults struggling with ADHD.
A Focus on Art Therapy
Many people with adult ADHD struggle to concentrate. This is why engaging in a structured therapy with a direct objective can be so helpful. Art therapy is a great example of this. For example, one may engage in painting with the goal of producing a final product. This offers a great opportunity to engage in a focused activity.
Art therapy also offers many other benefits. It can offer moments of peace and serenity, an opportunity to connect with others, and can offer a sense of accomplishment. Finished art projects can also be analyzed and often tell us a lot about ourselves and what we are going through. This is the “therapy” aspect of art therapy.
Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive, with a focus on the future. This includes all of our recovery plans for adult ADHD that focus on healing at the cellular level.
Albert Einstein also famously said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” It is time for a new way of thinking. It is time to recover and live the life you both desire and deserve. You can do this! We can help.
Many adults struggle with untreated ADHD. The symptoms are often compounded by alcohol and substance use. It can be highly beneficial to be able to recognize the warning signs of untreated ADHD, as well as how to recover from it at the cellular level. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the right road to long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about effective treatment means, methods, and modalities for adult ADHD, please reach out to Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™ today at (808) 775-0200.
