While the medications and nutrients noted above are usually the primary, if not the only, interventions considered for addressing ADD and ADHD issues; there are other activities that researchers, practitioners and patients has found can be quite helpful as well.
In this final section we will focus on the top three of these with some of the best empirical (scientific) support.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that thoughts and behaviors influence feelings, and by extension that changing the way one thinks can help improve ADHD symptoms. Although some principles and practices used in CBT may be adapted to children, because of the analytical nature of this therapy, most of the work in this field has been done with adults.
CBT begins with participants identifying and monitoring their negative thoughts, emotions, and triggers and finding positive replacement thoughts, generally or initially with the assistance of a therapist. The therapist works with the patient to create a plan to have the patient practice incorporating less stressful replacement thoughts into their daily life to reinforce more optimistic/realistic thinking. Patient introspection, cooperation, and compliance are necessary to achieving success with CBT.
A 2020 meta-analysis of 18 studies found that CBT was effective at reducing inattentive symptoms and enhancing cognitive function in college students with ADHD. Furthermore, evidence suggests that, in individuals taking medication for adult ADHD, CBT improves outcomes for at least 12 months.(*)
Go here to learn more about CBT, and how it can be applied to enable us to better focus, with fewer distractions, to reduce or better address the perceived agitators in our lives.
Physical activity has many benefits for the body and the brain. And among them, exercise may have a positive impact on ADHD symptoms in both adults and children. Thirty adults with ADHD were enrolled in a study comparing frequent aerobic exercise with infrequent activity. The exercise group showed a significant decrease in impulsive symptoms and anxiety. Another study showed that cognitive symptoms in children with ADHD were improved after just 20 minutes of moderate exercise!(*)
Thank God for Recess for ADHD children!! Really!
A meta-analysis conducted on research results from various exercise and ADHD studies through March 2020 found that exercise significantly improved overall executive function (attention, memory, and cognitive control) of children and adolescents with ADHD, and had a moderate-to-large effect on inhibitory (impulse) control and cognitive flexibility.(*)
Yoga may also help reduce ADHD symptoms. A small-scale study in nine children demonstrated a significant improvement in ADHD symptoms as a result of learning and practicing yoga.(*)
Go here to learn more about the many benefits of physical activity, as well as some guidelines and ways to make the most of it.
Neurofeedback, is technique introduced in the late 1960s, that helps people regulate their own mental states by viewing an EEG (electroencephalogram) recording of their brain activity in real time.
Neurofeedback utilizes sensors placed on the scalp (usually in a headband) that detect brainwaves and then graphs them on a computer screen that the test subject can visualize. This allows the subject to recognize ways of thinking that favorably alter their neurological function and can help them gain better control over their brain activity.(*)
Neurofeedback has few adverse effects but usually requires 20–40 sessions and may be fairly expensive for the patient – at least it costs more than an afternoon walk in the park.
Neurofeedback aims to change the threshold that triggers brain activity in the cortex, which appears to be impaired in ADHD. Many clinical studies have been conducted on school-age children and adolescents, but more studies are needed to determine the efficacy in adults. Nevertheless, the majority of clinical studies conducted to date have reported promising, long-lasting results. In fact, a 2019 meta-analysis of 19 studies found that neurofeedback appears to have treatment effects that last for at least six months following treatment.(*)
Multiple clinical trials have found neurofeedback to be as effective as Ritalin® in reducing inattention and hyperactivity symptoms in children and adolescents. In a meta-analysis examining seven other meta-analyses and 17 studies, neurofeedback was found to significantly improve symptoms of inattention. Several other studies examining the efficacy of neurofeedback for ADHD management concluded that it confers robust benefits for impulsivity and modest benefits for hyperactivity.(*)
Once again, it’s good to keep in mind, that probably the best approach to overcoming ADD or ADHD, is a combined approach, using nutrients in conjunction with CBT, exercise, and Neurofeedback.
For Additional Information
Here is another good ADD website with insights into various related resources and treatments with an apparently independent article on the science and potential value of neurofeedback and remaining issues to consider when buying or using one of the devices for ADD.
Here is a link to the MUSE – one of the most popular devices for doing neurofeedback. https://choosemuse.com
This is a site with a newer innovative set of glasses that even a child can use to do neurofeedback. They also provide a brief though somewhat helpful review of several other competitors.
https://www.narbis.com/blog/top-ten-neurofeedback-devices/
Here is another interesting option, for adults.
https://www.mendi.io/products/mendi
*- Click here for a link to learn more about the studies mentioned in the paragraphs above, as well as for further insights regarding ADD & ADHD.
The multi-nutrient formula used in this study included probiotics, amino acids (eg, tyrosine, histidine, glutamine, glycine, methionine, and cysteine), essential fatty acids and phospholipids (eg, EPA, DHA, and phosphatidylcholine), and vitamins and minerals.
