The therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs for treatment-resistant conditions including mood disorders has sparked renewed interest among researchers, psychiatrists, and patients. New research and ongoing clinical trials are shedding light on the safety and efficacy of these substances, used in controlled therapeutic settings, for conditions that have been challenging to treat using conventional methods. A growing body of research indicates that several classical psychedelics and “psychedelic-like” compounds (e.g. psilocybin, ketamine, MDMA, and LSD) have shown promise for the treatment of substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, and treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Some psychedelic treatments, such as MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, are currently undergoing phase 3 clinical trials, indicating a significant level of scientific and medical interest in their potential therapeutic applications.

In this webinar, you will learn about:

• The history of psychedelic therapy and its research
• The science behind how psychedelic compounds may be targeting clinical conditions, like major depressive disorder
• The possible benefits and side effects of using psychedelics to conditions after other conventional therapies have failed
• What questions to ask when considering psychedelic usage in a clinical setting for yourself or loved ones

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Treatment for Mood Disorders: More Resources

• Download: Solving the Bipolar and ADHD Puzzle
• Self-Test: Depression in Adults
• Read: Mental Health’s Psychedelic Revolution
• Get: 9 Conditions Often Diagnosed with ADHD

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Meet the Expert Speaker

Adrian Jacques H. Ambrose, M.D., MPH, MBA, FAPA, is the Senior Medical Director at ColumbiaDoctors Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. For over a decade, Dr. Ambrose has also served as a senior consultant in designing national and global programming in strategy, management, and operations implementation for mid-to-large-sized entities, including Fortune 500 companies. In addition, he specializes in cultivating psychological safety, team building, and culture acceleration for senior managers and executives.

Clinically, Dr. Ambrose specializes in treatment-refractory mood disorders for both the adult, child, and adolescent populations in interventional and novel therapeutics, such as neuronavigated TMS, ketamine, and psychedelics.

Dr. Ambrose completed his medical training at Dartmouth and MGH/McLean Hospital, and value-based healthcare training at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy. He also completed the Minority Health Policy Fellowship at Harvard Medical School.

Listener Testimonials

“Excellent information and points about balancing the potential therapeutic uses with the clinical evidence at the moment.”

“Thank you for providing so much info for practitioners! It is very helpful.”

“Great speaker! I would definitely take another of his courses!”

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On that fateful day, my psychedelic guide gave me magic mushrooms and said, “Look at the forest one last time; you will never see it the same way again.”

To say he was right would be an understatement.

I arrived with a simple intention: to get to know myself better. What emerged were aspects of myself that I never knew existed. The psychedelic experience revealed the roots of my depression and provided insight about how to regulate my emotions — a godsend for me as I struggled with intense mood swings and disorders. Whereas therapy had failed, this journey transformed me entirely.

To be clear, it was not a magical solution that solved all my problems overnight. But my psychedelic journey gave me a vision of the destination to drive toward. It filled me with an intrinsic motivation to change the patterns that were keeping me stuck.

[Read: The Truth About Lion’s Mane, Psychedelics & Caffeine]

Fast-forward 12 years, following numerous psychedelic experiences combined with therapy: I have achieved a state of emotional stability. Severe mood swings and depression are a distant memory.

I was diagnosed with ADHD last year, and I consider this revelation the last missing piece of my puzzle. Today, I find it easy to love myself for who I am. I have developed new ways to live and embrace my ADHD brain without using medication.

Helping Others Follow the White Rabbit

In 2016, I decided that I wanted to help others by becoming a psychedelic-assisted therapy facilitator. At the time, psychedelic facilitator training programs didn’t exist, so I pursued extensive training in various modalities. I trained in inner child work and trauma integration therapy. I attended workshops and seminars conducted by experts in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Since then, I have co-founded a psychedelic-assisted therapy company and guided hundreds of people through psilocybin journeys in the Netherlands, where this work is legal. The changes I have witnessed in people, especially those with ADHD and neurodiversity, have been nothing short of astounding.

[From WebMD: A Long, Strange Trip — Psychedelics Meet Mainstream Medicine]

Most of the people undergoing this form of therapy experience significant changes in their lives, overcome addictions and depression, transform their self-doubt, and reduce their rejection sensitivity.

It is important to say that this therapy is not for everyone, nor is it a one-size-fits-all solution. Individuals who are prone to psychosis, diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, or who have a family history of these conditions should abstain from this therapy.

That said, it helped me to redefine my life, and I hope it can benefit others like me.

Psychedelic Assisted Therapy: Next Steps

• Free Download: Free Guide to the Top 5 Vitamins and Supplements for ADHD
• Read: LSD, MDMA, Magic Mushrooms Clinical Trial Guidelines Released by FDA
• Read: Real Stories of Using Ketamine for Depression, Anxiety, PTSD
• Read: “Therapy Helped Me…”

Alice Smeets is a neurodivergent psilocybin-assisted therapy facilitator and co-founder of A Whole New High, which offers guided, private psilocybin therapy sessions and group retreats in the Netherlands.

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
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Amphetamine and methylphenidate have been used to treat ADHD for at least 80 years, and their safety and efficacy have been studied relentlessly. But according to a recent ADDitude survey, less than half (42%) of parents opt to medicate their children in the months after a diagnosis, largely due to the risk of side effects like appetite suppression or sleep disruption — both possible impediments to growth.

In the end, 85%  of all people with ADHD end up taking medication and they rate its efficacy higher than any other treatment included in the survey, ADDitude’s largest to date. More than 11,000 adults with ADHD and caregivers of children with the condition participated in the survey from July to December 2023.

“We hesitated for a long time and tried diet changes first in an attempt to avoid medication,” said one respondent. “Although diet is very important, medication has given our child the opportunity to enjoy life by having more emotional control, better friendships, and the ability to complete work and think things through. Greater self-confidence flows from all of this.”

Most Popular ADHD Medications

To be clear, ADHD medication is not a quick fix. On average, children try 2.75 different medications and adults try 2.56 prescriptions before finding one that works for them. Even still, survey respondents said that 17% of children and 14% of adults cease treatment with medication for one reason or another — cessation rates lower than reported in other studies.

Biggest Impediments to ADHD Treatment

Access to treatment professionals with experience in ADHD is the biggest impediment to effective treatment, according to both caregivers and adults. Other barriers include side effects, long wait times, poor access to diagnosing clinicians, and comorbid conditions that complicate evaluation and treatment (82% of children and 92% of adults with ADHD report comorbid diagnoses).

ADHD’s Most Common Comorbid Conditions

The average age of ADHD diagnosis in children is 8 for boys and 9 for girls, according to survey respondents. On average, adults not diagnosed as children learn of their ADHD around age 39. Most of these late diagnoses are among women, who report years of struggle preceding their diagnosis.

“I wish I had been diagnosed and treated sooner,” wrote one survey respondent. “The struggle is so profound and deep. And the longer you go through it without help or knowing what you’re really struggling with, the harder it feels to get others to hear and see you. You feel alone.”

Persistence, flexibility, and self-advocacy are vitally important when working to find the right medication. Though the trial-and-error phase was described as frustrating by most survey respondents, research tells us the benefits of ADHD medication use — reduced risks of automobile accidents, substance abuse, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and self harm in teens — are worthwhile and meaningful.

“I wish I had known that ADHD medication helps prevent addictions to dangerous substances,” wrote one survey respondent, “and car accidents for people with ADHD.”

ADHD Medication Formulation, Duration & Satisfaction

Barely half of patients taking a long-acting medication are satisfied with its duration of coverage, which is 9.5 hours for children and 10 hours for adults, on average. This is a flunking grade, but it’s far superior to the satisfaction ratings for short-acting formulations. So why do up to 23 percent of children and 30 percent of adults take short-acting stimulants? Perhaps because clinicians are more likely to prescribe them, and some adults like the medications’ relative flexibility.

“Sometimes, in a social setting, I quite like taking only 5 mg of short-release (rather than my prescribed 10 mg),” wrote one survey respondent. “Other times, when working on something that I find really dull, I often take 15 mg (3 x 5 mg tablets).”

In the end, adults are more likely than children to take short-acting formulations, to be dissatisfied with their medications, and to be considering a switch.

ADHD Medication Side Effects

Caregivers are likely to try fish oil, eliminate food dyes, and sign up for karate before considering a prescription for their child. Once they decide to try medication, caregivers prioritize finding the one with the fewest side effects.

At the same time, 53% of children who end up taking medication try methylphenidate, 36% take amphetamine, and just 11% take a non-stimulant. So given its popularity, methylphenidate must deliver the fewest side effects, right?

No. According to caregiver reports, slightly more children reported side effects from methylphenidate than amphetamine, and those side effects were nearly identical, with appetite suppression being the most common by far; it impacted 61% of children taking any stimulant.

Adults use amphetamine for what they cite as their top priority in choosing a medication — symptom control. Yet they gave it an efficacy rating that was only slightly better than methylphenidate, which is associated with fewer side effects.

So should more adults consider trying Concerta, Ritalin, or a newcomer like Azstarys? One-quarter to one-third of adults said they are now considering some kind of medication switch.

ADHD Treatments Scorecard

Most Highly Recommended ADHD Treatments

ADHD Treatments with Highest Efficacy Ratings

Rated According to Effectiveness on ADHD Symptoms, Specifically

What Readers Say vs. What They Do

The most highly recommended ADHD treatment (exercise) has been used by less than half of ADDitude survey respondents. The second most recommended treatment among adults (ADHD coaching) has been adopted by only 17 percent of people. And the vitamins, minerals, and supplements used by 49 percent of people don’t even earn a passing grade. All of this hints at problems with availability, cost, and medical advice in the world of ADHD treatment.

Diet and Nutrition for ADHD Symptoms

What dietary changes move the needle?

At least half of caregivers and adults agree that the following dietary changes improve ADHD symptoms:

• Decreasing or eliminating artificial colors/preservatives/sweeteners
• Decreasing or eliminating sugar
• Increasing protein

Research supports these observations and reader efficacy ratings are high. So why are fewer than 30% of caregivers and adults making dietary changes to address ADHD? For one, 61% of children using stimulant medication to treat their ADHD experience appetite suppression as a side effect, according to their caregivers. Dietitians generally advise that children should focus on eating first and eating heathy second.

“We struggle to get enough calories into our child due to decreased appetite,” wrote one parent. “We are happy to have her eat, regardless of what or when, to keep energy levels up.”

Psychotherapy More Prevalent Than ADHD Coaching

Though the recommendation rates are nearly identical, far more people engage in psychotherapy than work with an ADHD coach. Therapy generally helps clients work through comorbid conditions like anxiety and depression, and negative beliefs or self-defeating behaviors. Coaching helps to strengthen skills to mitigate ADHD deficits and reach goals, but its benefits are short-lived, readers say.

“ADHD coaching helped me to narrow down my biggest challenges and work on practical solutions for the day-to-day things I struggle with,” said one survey respondent.

Parent Training or Behavioral Therapy for ADHD

This first-line treatment is used by less than 6 out of 10 study participants.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parent training in behavior management as a first-line ADHD treatment for children diagnosed before age 7, and a complementary treatment thereafter. Despite this recommendation, and a high rate of reported satisfaction, just more than half of parents say they’ve ever used it. Possible reasons for this: Clinicians aren’t recommending parent training nearly enough; behavioral therapists versed in ADHD are difficult to find; and/or therapy is expensive and time-consuming. Likely, all of these reasons are true.

“Changing the way we parented was a game changer,” wrote one survey respondent. “It brought the stress in the house down significantly and meant we could focus on the lagging skills and promoting the behaviors we wanted to see versus punishing behaviors we didn’t want to see.”

Exercise for ADHD: Invaluable and Infrequent

Does exercise eradicate ADHD symptoms? Hardly. Readers rated its efficacy on ADHD just 2.4 out of 5, but they also called it invaluable — especially vigorous cardiovascular morning exercise. It aids sleep, mood, and hyperactivity, our readers say. So why isn’t exercise a universal component of treatment plans? As we know, the ADHD brain is easily bored and resists routine.

“When I get into a good stride with routine exercise, it almost always goes hand-in-hand with better eating habits, better focus, energy levels, mental clarity, and stronger relationships and productivity,” said one adult with ADHD. “Exercise is undoubtedly a crucial piece of the (treatment) puzzle.”

Most Impairing Symptoms of ADHD

ADHD Treatment Options: Next Steps

• Download: Share This Report with Your Doctor
• Read: ADHD Medication Reviews
• Get: The ADHD Treatment Guide for Adults

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ADDitude Reader Survey Reveals ADHD Treatment Trends & Barriers to Care

In mid-2023, the ADDitude editorial team designed an 85-question ADHD treatment survey and invited responses from 978,871 opt-in newsletter subscribers, 11,013 of whom answered the survey. Data were collected between July 30 and December 4, 2023, and analyzed by ADDitude editors.

Top 10 Research Insights

1. The greatest impediment to effective ADHD healthcare is access to treatment professionals with training and experience in ADHD.

2. At least 80% of children and 70% of adults taking stimulant medication experience persistent side effects, which are partly to blame for medication cessation.

3. Only 42% of parents opt to medicate their children within 6 months of diagnosis; however, waiting too long to medicate was the Number One regret expressed by caregivers.

4. 85% of people with ADHD end up taking medication and they rate its efficacy higher than any other treatment included in the survey.

5. Medication trial and error is seen as necessary but frustrating. On average, children try 2.75 different medications and adults try 2.56 prescriptions.

6. The first-line ADHD treatment recommended by the APA, parent training, is only reaching 57% of children. It is recommended by 93% of those who use it.

7. Complex ADHD is the norm, with 92% of adults and 82% of children reporting at least one additional diagnosis.

8. The top concern when choosing a medication is side effects for caregivers and symptom control for adults. On these measures, the differences between methylphenidate and amphetamine are miniscule.

9. Women diagnosed later in life cite years of misdiagnosis, frustrating medical interactions, and ineffective treatment.

10. Patients are not learning of the executive dysfunctions inherent in ADHD or the risks associated with NOT taking ADHD medication.

William E. Pelham, Jr., Ph.D., a child psychologist, ADDitude contributor, and proponent of behavioral therapy for children with ADHD, died on October 21, 2023. He was 75.

Founding director of the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University (FIU) and distinguished professor of psychology, Pelham advocated that children with ADHD begin treatment with behavioral therapy and parental intervention techniques, adding low doses of stimulant medication if necessary.

“Bill is credited with decelerating the role of medication-first treatment regimens in favor of more evidence-based treatment programs…. [he] transformed the lives of countless children, adolescents, and their families all across the world, including thousands in South Florida,” wrote Elizabeth Bèjar, FIU Provost, Executive Vice President, and COO in an email to the university.

Pelham began his nearly 50-year career as a professor at Washington State University, training hundreds of scientists and clinicians working with children with ADHD. He also taught at Florida State University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the State University of New York at Buffalo.

“Dr. Pelham was one of the original giants in the field of ADHD research,” said James J. McGough, M.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles, in The New York Times.

In 1980, Pelham developed and directed a summer treatment program for children ages 6 to 12 with ADHD and related behavioral, emotional, and learning challenges. His camp was recognized as a model program for ADHD treatment in children and adolescents by the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (SCCAP), the American Psychological Association (APA), Children with Attention Deficit Disorder (CHADD), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

He authored or co-authored more than 400 professional publications on dosing and sequencing in behavioral, pharmacological, and combined interventions for ADHD treatment. He was a fellow of the APA and the American Psychological Society and past president of the SCCAP and the International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (ISRCAP). He also received countless awards, including the CHADD Hall of Fame Award (2002), the SCCAP Career Achievement Award (2009), and the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for the Science of Clinical Psychology.

Pelham is survived by his wife, Maureen, and his two children, William and Caroline.

While no one can predict the scientific discoveries that lie ahead, three research areas are especially promising for improving our understanding of ADHD: neuroimaging, genetic research, and non-pharmacologic interventions, like transcranial magnetic stimulation and attention training.

3 Key ADHD Research Areas

1. Neuroimaging

   Advances in brain-imaging techniques may lead to a better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying ADHD. There are caveats, however. It appears that single neuroimaging receptor or cellular studies have provided clues about differences in brain structure and functioning in individuals with ADHD, but the brain comprises billions of interacting cells, circuits, and networks that do or do not work together during specific tasks.

[Free Download: Learn the Facts About Neurofeedback]

These complex networks and connections vary by individual and by the specific tasks that are part of many neuroimaging studies. Researchers are asking:

• How do different individuals recruit different brain networks and connections to perform a specific task?
• How are additional connections used if the specific tasks are (or are not) related to emotional regulation, excitement, familiarity, fear, or task difficulty?

Slowly, the field is moving away from static representations of cellular or receptor activities in specific brain regions and looking instead at how the whole brain (rather than the simple sum of its single parts) functions. Neuroimaging tools (i.e., Brain SPECT, PET and CAT scans, and fMRI) cannot yet make an accurate diagnosis of ADHD, but we’ll look for important breakthroughs in this area.

2. Epigenetic Research

   Further exploration of genetic factors could shed light on the heritability of ADHD and pave the way for targeted therapies based on an individual’s genetic profile. While the study of genetic factors has provided important clues, we now know that there is no single gene or small set of genes that reliably predict whether someone will have ADHD. Moreover, the specific genes that put one individual at risk for ADHD may differ from those found in another person with ADHD.

This is where epigenetic research comes into play. Researchers are asking:

• Which genes might predispose a child to develop ADHD due to exposure to prenatal and perinatal tobacco smoke or a stressful environment?
• Are there ways to offset these influences by changing an individual’s environment, and at what period during development?

[New Class! The Adult’s Guide to ADHD Diagnosis]

As we discover more specific gene and brain developmental pathways, we should expect to find that different and precise interventions work for different ADHD subtypes, depending on the individual’s particular gene-environment mix and how factors unfold over time.

3. Non-pharmacologic Interventions

   Cognitive-behavioral therapies, neurofeedback, and computerized attention training programs have expanded our treatment options beyond medication.

Technologies using video game formats to provide specific brain exercises may lead to potential attentional benefits, presumably by strengthening specific brain circuits. Examples of brain training programs include EndeavorRX, Joon, Mightier, and Calmsie.

Neurostimulation devices offer new techniques for managing ADHD symptoms more effectively. Examples include the Monarch eTNS system, which uses an external wearable device that stimulates the Vagus nerve, as well as devices that deliver transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the brain through an externally applied device. While TMS has been approved for depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, it has been studied but not yet approved for ADHD.

These new interventions are exciting; however, we do not have sufficient research data comparing the efficacy of any of these treatments with more established and efficacious pharmacologic interventions and cognitive behavior therapies.

ADHD Research Updates: Next Steps

• Get: The Clinicians’ Guide to Treating Complex ADHD
• Read: Could High-Tech Brain Scans Help Diagnose ADHD?
• Watch: How Brain Imaging Helps Us Understand and Treat Attention Deficit

Peter S. Jensen, M.D., is the founder of The REACH Institute, which trains clinicians to effectively diagnose and treat mental health conditions in children.

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Just as overeating can overwhelm our digestive systems and cause us to develop symptoms of indigestion, traumatic experiences can get “stuck” in our nervous system, leading to ongoing distress and negative emotions and beliefs. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy helps individuals heal from the experiences that haunt them rather than simply learn to cope with them.

EMDR can be especially beneficial for adults with ADHD or comorbid conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), because it targets underlying traumatic experiences (i.e., childhood abuse, shame, neglect, bullying, etc.) that may contribute to symptoms. The evidence-based therapy works by engaging several neurophysiological processes, which is a fancy way of saying that EMDR relies on the nervous system’s natural healing abilities to reprocess a distressing memory or experience, ultimately reducing or eliminating debilitating symptoms.¹

The key component of EMDR is bilateral stimulation (BLS) — the therapy doesn’t work without it. BLS stimulates both sides of the brain through eye movements, tapping, or listening to alternating tones. It stimulates similar processes experienced during the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep phase, an essential part of memory consolidation. BLS “taxes” or “breaks” a targeted memory, making it hard for a client to focus on it causing the memory to lose its negative emotional charge. A client can still recall a negative memory just without the negative feelings.

How Does EMDR Work?

A misconception about EMDR is that it’s a magic bullet and will work seamlessly for everyone. That’s not true. The therapy takes time and preparation to work effectively. The client and therapist focus on building coping skills and a safe therapeutic relationship before identifying memories to target and treat using EMDR techniques.

In total, EMDR therapy consists of eight phases, including: ²,³

EMDR Phase 1: Client History

The therapist takes a detailed client history to identify their readiness and suitability for treatment.

EMDR Phase 2: Preparation

The therapist sets reasonable expectations and trains the client on various self-control techniques to maintain stability between and during the sessions.

[Get Our Free Guide to Natural Treatment Options]

EMDR Phase 3: Assessment

The client and therapist jointly identify the target memory on which they will work.

EMDR Phase 4: Desensitization

The client uses BLS to change the targeted memory’s trauma-related sensory experiences and associations.

EMDR Phase 5: Installation

The client identifies the new positive statements and associations they hold about the experience, now that it’s resolved.

EMDR Phase 6: Body Scan

The client scans their body for any somatic response related to the targeted memory. If present, the therapist targets this body sensation for further processing.

EMDR Phase 7: Closure

The therapist explains what to expect between sessions and asks the client to record any disturbances experienced between sessions. The therapist also takes time to help relieve any distress from the session so the client feels regulated upon leaving the session.

EMDR Phase 8: Reassessment

The therapist evaluates the EMDR treatment’s effectiveness.

A typical EMDR session lasts one hour; however, some therapists offer intensive sessions for 90 minutes or several hours. It may take several sessions to process a targeted memory. Clients who have experienced complex trauma may need several months of EMDR therapy; clients who already have coping skills and aren’t afraid to feel emotions and body sensations may rapidly move through EMDR treatment in a few weeks. It depends on the client’s goals, the strength of their nervous system, and how many memories need to be processed.

After a successful EMDR session, my clients typically experience reduced distress and vividness associated with the negative memory and report that a previously difficult experience “no longer bothers them.” They also report reduced symptoms associated with the memory and more peace and joy in their lives.

[Free Self-Test: General Anxiety Disorder in Adults]

EMDR for Children

EMDR therapy is not only appropriate for adults. It is a child-friendly and developmentally appropriate therapy for children and adolescents. Therapists can tailor EMDR treatment to meet the needs of each child by using fun and engaging techniques, such as storytelling, drawing, and play therapy, to help children feel safe and comfortable while processing their traumas.

More importantly, EMDR therapy can help children with ADHD and comorbid conditions develop coping skills and strategies to manage their symptoms more effectively. For example, it can teach them relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety, improve their ability to focus and complete tasks, and help them develop healthy communication and relationship skills.

It is important to note that EMDR can be an overwhelming and vulnerable therapy; treatment should only occur with a trained EMDR professional — and only after both the professional and client are ready for it.

By helping individuals process and release negative emotions associated with traumatic experiences, EMDR therapy can alleviate anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms and even reduce some symptoms associated with ADHD. While EMDR will not alleviate an ADHD diagnosis, it can help those who struggle with ADHD symptoms live a happier, more productive life. EMDR helps clients to develop a more positive self-image, self-confidence, and live a better quality of life.

To find a licensed EMDR professional, visit emdria.org.

EMDR Therapy: Next Steps

• Free Download: Alternative Natural Therapy Options 
• Read: The Relationship Between PTSD and ADHD: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
• Read: Childhood Trauma Happens More Than We Think. Here’s How to Treat It.

Rebecca Kase, MSW, LCSW, RYT, a member of emdria.org, and an emdria-approved trainer and consultant.

The opinions expressed in ADDitude Guest Blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. These opinions do not represent the opinions of ADDitude. Blogs are not reviewed by an ADDitude physician or any member of the ADDitude editorial staff for accuracy, balance, objectivity, or any other reason except for compliance with our Terms and Conditions. Some of these opinions may contain information about treatments or uses of drug products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. ADDitude does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.

Do not consider ADDitude Blogs as medical advice. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of something you have read on ADDitude. You should always speak with your doctor before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your care plan or treatment. ADDitude understands that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified health care provider. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or dial 911 immediately.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ADDITUDE
Since 1998, ADDitude has worked to provide ADHD education and guidance through webinars, newsletters, community engagement, and its groundbreaking magazine. To support ADDitude’s mission, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Sources

¹Psychological and Physical Symptoms Stemming from Adverse Life Experiences. (2014). Perm J. https://doi.org/10.7812/tpp/13-098

²Shapiro F. EMDR Therapy Training Manual. Watsonville, CA: EMDR Institute; 2012.

³Menon, S.B., Jayan, C. (2010) Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: A Conceptual Framework. Indian J Psychol Med. https://doi.org/10.4103/0253-7176.7851

EndeavorRx is a digital therapeutic authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of children ages 8 to 12 with primarily inattentive or combined-type ADHD. In the U.S., EndeavorRx is indicated to improve attention as measured by computer-based testing and it is available by prescription from a licensed health care provider.

EndeavorRx is not intended to be used as a stand-alone therapeutic and is not a substitution for a child’s ADHD medication.

Developed by Akili Interactive, EndeavorRx is the first game-based digital therapeutic device to receive marketing and prescription authorization by the FDA for any type of condition. It has also received Conformité Européenne (CE) Mark certification in Europe.

How Does EndeavorRx Work?

Through its immersive video game experience, EndeavorRx presents specific sensory stimuli and simultaneous motor challenges designed to target neural systems in the brain related to attentional control. Children interact with EndeavorRx on mobile devices, and they typically play for 25 minutes per day, 5 days a week.

The EndeavorRx games, which challenge players to multitask and ignore distractions, are designed to target areas of the brain tied to attention control.

How Long Does EndeavorRx Take to Work?

A randomized, controlled clinical study conducted by parent company Akili Interactive showed improvement, as measured by the Test of Variable Attention (TOVA), on at least one measure of objective attention within four weeks of beginning treatment with EndeavorRx.¹ Akili reports that a more recent trial demonstrated that 68% of parents reported improvements in ADHD-related impairments after two months of treatment.¹

What are the Side Effects of EndeavorRx?

In EndeavorRx trials, fewer than 10% of participants experienced treatment-related adverse events including frustration, headaches, dizziness, emotional reactions, nausea, and aggression. All such events were transient and did not carry lasting effects.¹

What Precautions are Associated with EndeavorRx?

EndeavorRx may not be appropriate for patients with photo-sensitive epilepsy, color blindness, or physical limitations that restrict use of a mobile device; parents should consult with their child’s healthcare provider.

Learn more about EndeavorRx at https://www.endeavorrx.com/

What is EndeavorOTC?

EndeavorOTC is a video game app clinically designed to treat symptoms of inattentive ADHD in adults. It was developed by Akili using the same proprietary technology behind EndeavorRx. According to Akili, adults who participated in a clinical trial studying the app showed improved focus and attention, and reported a better quality of life, including completing tasks on time, multitasking, and keeping track of personal items. EndeavorOTC is available without a prescription for adults 18 and older through the iOS Apple store. Learn more about EndeavorOTC at https://www.endeavorotc.com/.

Sources

¹ Kollins, S. H., DeLoss, D. J., Cañadas, E., Lutz, J., Findling, R. L., Keefe, R. S. E., Epstein, J. N., Cutler, A. J., & Faraone, S. V. (2020). A novel digital intervention for actively reducing severity of paediatric ADHD (STARS-ADHD): a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet. Digital health, 2(4), e168–e178. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(20)30017-0

² Kollins, S. H., Childress, A., Heusser, A. C., & Lutz, J. (2021). Effectiveness of a digital therapeutic as adjunct to treatment with medication in pediatric ADHD. NPJ digital medicine, 4(1), 58. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-021-00429-0

The exact causes of ADHD are not yet known. ADHD is believed to be highly heritable —researchers have made strides in recent years identifying genes involved in the disorder — but it is also understood that ADHD may be influenced by non-inherited risk factors, such as trauma and stress. With scientific advances in the next decade or more, and perhaps with the aid of AI, we could see the diagnosis of many more subtypes of ADHD and new kinds of treatments involving novel therapies.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• About the current research involving genetic influences and environmental factors associated with ADHD
• How scientific discoveries could lead to the recognition of more than a dozen subtypes, and the implication of such findings
• How scientific advances may one day lead to the prevention of ADHD in utero or in the first two years of life
• About the future of promising therapies to retrain the brain to compensate for executive function weaknesses stemming from ADHD

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More on ADHD Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment

• Download: How Common Is ADHD in Adults?
• Read: The Buzz Around Neuroimaging
• Read: The History of ADHD and Its Treatment

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Meet the Expert Speaker

Peter S. Jensen, M.D., founded the REACH Institute in 2006 to improve access to mental health care for children by training healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of common disorders. Previously, Dr. Jensen was an Associate Director of Child and Adolescent Research at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). He left NIMH and served as the founding director of the Center for the Advancement of Children’s Mental Health at Columbia University. While there, he developed the core methods REACH uses today to close the gap between science and practice. The strategy was to bring together leading scientists, mental health experts and agencies, primary care providers, parents, and schools to identify the best scientific findings available to help children. Then Dr. Jensen led REACH to implement, disseminate, and evaluate these methods.

The result was The REACH Institute’s first and most popular course, Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care. This course has trained more than 6,000 primary care providers to help children and teens with mental health issues.

Listener Testimonials

“This webinar was high-level and yet understandable! Such great information!”

“Almost every piece of information provided today will improve my practice and allow me to explain information more completely to my patients. Dr. Jensen is a gifted teacher. Thank you so much for this webinar.”

“I’ve been craving this information for so long I forgot how much I wanted it! ADDitude strikes again! Thanks!”

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is…

Play Attention: Research conducted at Tufts University School of Medicine demonstrates that Play Attention improves attention, behavior, executive function, and overall school performance. Harnessing cutting-edge NASA-inspired technology, Play Attention offers a sophisticated platform for improving executive function and self-regulation. Through our digital trainer, you can control personalized cognitive exercises using just your mind! Additionally, your program comes complete with a dedicated Personal Executive Function Coach who will tailor your plan as you progress. Both home and professional programs are available. Contact us at 828-676-2240 or click here to schedule your Live Demo and witness Play Attention in action!

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

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BEHAVIORAL THERAPY: Can behavioral therapy improve my child’s ADHD symptoms?

A: Behavioral therapy isn’t psychotherapy or play therapy. It focuses on actions, not emotions. It can teach your child how to turn disruptive energy into positive thoughts… | Keep reading on WebMD »

PARENT TRAINING: Can parent training improve my child’s ADHD symptoms?

A: Also called behavioral parent training (BPT), parent training can improve the way your child acts, help them gain self-control, and boost their self-esteem. For young children… | Keep reading on WebMD »

EF SKILLS: How can I use behavioral parent training to improve my child’s executive functions?

A: BPT provides insight into difficulties with executive functions, such as working memory deficits or poor response inhibition. It offers specific strategies for responding in a way that helps your child… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

OT: Can occupational therapy improve my child’s ADHD symptoms?

A: An occupational therapist, or “OT,” helps kids with ADHD improve certain skills, such as organization, physical coordination… | Keep reading on WebMD »

THERAPY: Can family therapy improve my child’s ADHD symptoms?

A: Family therapy can help your household — and all the people in it — run more smoothly. Treatment can be parent-directed or include your child in sessions… | Keep reading on WebMD »

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: What natural ADHD treatments are most highly rated by other parents?

A: Diet, exercise, and sleep are the Big Three — the lifestyle changes with the most significant, most scientifically proven effect on ADHD. When these lifestyle factors are optimized… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

FIRST-PERSON: “How Occupational Therapy Changed My Son’s Life…”

“…and taught me how to better parent a child with special needs. Part of this is recognizing that my parental instincts are not always going to be right. From time to time, I’m going to face tough choices and will need to rely on my skills from therapy to guide me in the right direction.” | Keep reading on ADDitude »

RELATED RESOURCES

FREE DOWNLOAD: Parent Training Programs

In this free resource, we outline how these programs work, what skills parents will learn, and how long it will take to see better behavior. | Download now on ADDitude »

EXPERT WEBINAR: The Best Kind of Discipline

Expert webinar with Carla Counts Allan, Ph.D. | Listen now on ADDitude »

8-Part Guide to ADHD Treatment in Children, from WebMD x ADDitude:

DECISION 1: How should I approach my child’s ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 2: Is ADHD medication right for my child?
DECISION 3: How can I address side effects associated with my child’s ADHD medication?
DECISION 4: How can I integrate nutrition & supplements into my child’s ADHD treatment?
DECISION 5: How can I integrate exercise & mindfulness into my child’s ADHD treatment?
> DECISION 6: What therapies should I integrate into my child’s ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 7: How should I adjust and optimize my child’s ADHD treatment plan over time?
DECISION 8: How can my child’s treatment plan safely address comorbid conditions?

A: Many mental-health professionals are adequately trained to address behaviors that accompany ADHD. Finding the right therapist to work with your child is an important task; the therapist you choose will work closely with your child, and with you.

How will you know if a therapist is the right choice for your child?

Do your research.

The therapist you choose should be experienced in working with children who have ADHD. Make sure they have the requisite experience by reading their bio online. You might also consider reviewing the therapist’s licenses, certifications, post-graduate training, years of experience, roles in professional associations, availability, mission statement, and fee structure. Most states have a searchable website that allows consumers to see whether a therapist’s license is current and in good standing.

[Read: How Does Behavior Therapy Work?]

Look for red flags.

It is not possible to guarantee success in treatment, so if you are promised this, be cautious. Not only are “successful outcomes” subjectively defined, but each circumstance is unique. Find a mental health professional who is optimistic for your child but who does not make guarantees.

Ask questions.

Inquire about the therapist’s experience with ADHD and how he or she will help your child and you. Clear and constant communication between parent and therapist is essential for treatment to be effective, so ask about the therapist’s availability outside of session, and how they prefer to communicate with parents.

Expect to get homework.

Experienced therapists know that they can do only so much when seeing clients. Part of therapy will include having you and your child practice strategies, such as token reward systems based on collaboratively planned charts to motivate certain behaviors, outside the office. Behavior therapy tends to be the treatment of choice for ADHD because it is evidence-based, however it’s important to consistently implement at-home treatment practices that you learn from the therapist. After all, if nothing changes at home, change will likely not come at all.

[Download: Choosing the Right Professional to Treat ADHD]

Make a change, if needed.

The right therapist should have a demeanor that puts you and your child at ease. If you find, after a few sessions, that the relationship between the therapist and your child is not a good fit, talk about it. Therapists usually have great referral networks to utilize in these situations.

Behavior Therapy for Kids with ADHD: Next Steps

• Learn: Behavioral Therapy for ADHD — A Pragmatic Parent’s Guide
• Read: Choosing a Professional to Diagnose and Treat Your ADHD
• Download: Your Free Guide to Better Behavior Through Therapy
• Find a therapist: ADHD Centers & Clinics

Brent Moore, Ph.D., is the director and associate professor of clinical mental health counseling at Indiana Wesleyan University. He also specializes in treating ADHD at his practice in Liberty, Missouri.

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CBT: Can cognitive behavioral therapy improve my ADHD symptoms?

A: CBT is a type of talk therapy that comes from the idea that many problems start with false or negative thoughts… | Keep reading on WebMD »

DBT: Can dialectical behavioral therapy improve my ADHD symptoms?

A: DBT is heavily based on CBT with one exception: It emphasizes validation, or accepting uncomfortable emotions before trying to change them… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

COACHING: How could I benefit from working with an ADHD coach?

A: Coaches should normalize behaviors and ADHD symptoms, name them, bring them out into the open. Remember, a professional may be a client’s only point of reference for understanding ADHD… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

FINDING A COACH: What questions should I ask a prospective ADHD coach?

A: Do you work with clients who have challenges similar to mine? How long are the sessions? Do you… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

ACT: Can Acceptance and Commitment Therapy improve my ADHD symptoms?

A: ACT goes beyond thoughts and feelings. At its core, ACT aims at using a person’s values as a guide for life, bringing people closer to their passions… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

PSYCHOTHERAPY: Can certain types of psychotherapy benefit my ADHD symptoms?

A: What are some signs a therapist might be a good fit for you? If you find someone who doesn’t rush, makes you comfortable, takes your concerns seriously,… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

FIRST-PERSON: “I Was Drowning in Negativity. CBT Was My Lifeline.”

“Negative thinking — and the peculiarly ADHD trait of making mountains out of molehills — was sending me into spirals of anxiety and rejection sensitive dysphoria. Then I discovered cognitive behavior therapy.” | Keep reading on ADDitude »

RELATED RESOURCES

FREE DOWNLOAD: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for ADHD

Learn how CBT works for people with ADHD, what a session may look like, and where you can start searching for a competent therapist. | Download now on ADDitude »

EXPERT WEBINAR: How CBT Unlocks Positivity and Productivity

Expert Webinar with J. Russell Ramsay, Ph.D. | Listen now on ADDitude »

8-Part Guide to ADHD Treatment in Adults, from WebMD x ADDitude:

DECISION 1: How should I approach my ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 2: Should I treat my ADHD symptoms with medication?
DECISION 3: How can I address the side effects associated with ADHD medication use?
DECISION 4: How should I integrate nutrition into my ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 5: How should I integrate exercise & mindfulness into my ADHD treatment plan?
> DECISION 6: What therapies should I integrate into my ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 7: How and when should I adjust my ADHD treatment plan for optimal benefit?
DECISION 8: How should I adjust my ADHD treatment plan if I have comorbid conditions?

The Clinicians’ Guide to Treating Complex ADHD is a clinical compendium from Medscape, MDEdge, and ADDitude designed to guide health care providers through the difficult, important decisions they face when treating pediatric and adult patients for ADHD and its comorbid conditions. This guided email course will cover the following topics:

• DECISION 1: What should I consider when developing a comprehensive treatment plan for ADHD?
• DECISION 2: What medications and other approaches should I turn to as first-line treatments for ADHD?
• DECISION 3: How can I decide which ADHD medication to prescribe first?
• DECISION 4: What challenges and side effects should I anticipate from ADHD medications, and how should I address them?
• DECISION 5: How can I improve treatment outcomes for patients with ADHD and comorbid diagnoses?
• DECISION 6: What dietary, behavioral, or other complementary interventions should I recommend to patients with ADHD?
• DECISION 7: How should I follow up with patients with ADHD, and what should we discuss during these checkups?

NOTE: This resource is for personal use only.

BEYOND MEDICATION: Which nonpharmacologic treatments are proven to benefit pediatric patients with ADHD?

A: Effective behavioral treatments for ADHD do not change ADHD symptoms, but they do help children learn how to manage them… | Keep reading on MDedge »

LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS: How can patients optimize nutrition, sleep, exercise, and other lifestyle factors to improve ADHD symptoms?

A: Regardless of whether a child’s treatment includes medication, maximizing exercise, sleep, and nutrition can effectively transform them into natural remedies for ADHD, and arguably establish the foundation… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

EXERCISE: How much and what type of physical activity will benefit a patient with ADHD, according to research?

A: With regular physical activity, we can raise the baseline levels of dopamine and norepinephrine by spurring the growth of new receptors in certain brain areas… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

SUPPLEMENTS: What supplements and/or vitamins can aid with ADHD symptom control?

A: Usually given in the form of fish oil, omega-3s are probably the best-researched supplement for ADHD. Numerous studies… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

PARENT TRAINING: How can Collaborative & Proactive Solutions parent training benefit an ADHD treatment plan, according to research?

A: CPS has been shown in randomized trials with both parent groups and in home counseling to be as effective as Parent Training in reducing oppositional behavior and reducing… | Keep reading on MDedge »

NEUROFEEDBACK: Is neurofeedback an effective ADHD treatment, according to research?

A: A body of research suggests that neurofeedback is a promising therapy for ADHD, but it should be considered a complement to medication and/or behavior therapy rather than… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES: Which accommodations and environmental changes have the greatest positive effect on children with ADHD?

A: Encourage parents and teachers to use clear and concise instructions with supplementary visual tools. When providing instructions in classrooms, teachers should look directly at the student… | Keep reading on MDedge »

RELATED RESOURCES

The Exercise Rx for ADHD: How Movement Improves Attention, Working Memory, and Executive Functions

Expert Webinar with John Ratey, M.D. | Listen now on ADDitude »

The Whole-Person Treatment Approach to ADHD

Expert Webinar with Lidia Zylowska, M.D. | Listen now on ADDitude »

How CBT and ADHD Coaching Help Adults Manage Their Symptoms Naturally

Expert Webinar with J. Russell Ramsay, Ph.D., and David Giwerc | Listen now on ADDitude »

New Supplement Strategies: Using Trace Minerals and Plant Extracts to Treat ADHD in Children and Adults

Expert Webinar with James M. Greenblatt, M.D. | Listen now on ADDitude »

7-Week Guide to Treating ADHD, from Medscape x MDedge x ADDitude:

DECISION 1: What should I consider to develop a comprehensive ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 2: What medications and other approaches should I turn to as first-line treatments for ADHD?
DECISION 3: How can I decide which ADHD medication to prescribe first?
DECISION 4: What challenges and side effects should I anticipate from ADHD medications, and how should I address them?
DECISION 5: How can I improve treatment outcomes for patients with ADHD and comorbid diagnoses?
>DECISION 6:What dietary, behavioral, or other complementary interventions should I recommend to patients with ADHD?
DECISION 7: How should I follow up with patients with ADHD, and what should we discuss during these checkups?