Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a common mental illness that affects brain growth, functioning, and development. The onset of ADHD symptoms occurs in childhood stages but can persist to teenage or adulthood. However, with early intervention and treatment, you can perfectly manage ADHD symptoms in teenagers. Not only children but teenagers also have to face multiple complexities in different areas of their lives. Teenagers suffering from ADHD exhibit the following common symptoms:
- Inattentive behavior
- Hyperactivity
- Impulsivity
- Anger outburst
- Fidgeting behavior
- Social isolation
- Lack of organization
ADHD teenagers have to struggle more as compared to normal individuals in their academic and professional lives. Teenagers with ADHD face difficulty in paying attention in their classroom. Moreover, they also face difficulty in learning and remembering things. They are unable to complete their home assignments on time. Due to their hyperactive and impulsive behavior, they interrupt the conversations in the classroom. Instead of contributing significantly, they exhibit undesired negative behavior. They have extremely kind of jumpy behavior and do not sit in one place. They keep talking excessively and do not listen to the instructions of their teachers.
Furthermore, they also face multiple complexities in their personal life. Due to their aggressive nature, they are unable to maintain their relationships with their family and friends. They also show rude behavior with them. Overall, they do not focus on their capabilities and fail to receive good grades in their academic life.
How to develop support plans for teenagers with ADHD?
Any teenager suffering from ADHD needs to live a stress-free life by managing the symptoms of ADHD. Parents and teachers can self-evaluate the ADHD and can decide when their teenage child needs effective ADHD treatment. However, only professionals can better identify the ADHD symptoms and their extent to develop some top strategies for managing ADHD symptoms in teenagers. Before developing a support plan for ADHD in teenagers, experts first analyze the psychological needs of affected teenagers. Then the appropriate plan focuses on treating and preventing all the complexities that teenagers face in their school, home, and social lives.
How to diagnose ADHD in teenagers?
The main role of mental health professionals is to better identify the symptoms and manage ADHD symptoms in teenagers. Their first step is the psychological evaluation in which they analyze the mental state of teenagers dealing with ADHD. They ask different questions regarding ADHD symptoms, previous medical history as well as family background. Instead of just relying on the self-evaluation for ADHD, individuals should communicate with their experts to get better analysis and treatment. Because most of the symptoms of ADHD overlap with the symptoms of other mental health conditions. Other than physical evaluation, experts also perform cognitive testing and some other testing procedures.
How can parents help a teenager with ADHD?
If your child is dealing with ADHD symptoms then as a parent you should take some significant steps to help your child to recover from ADHD. Always remember that your child is not suffering from ADHD by his own choice. If they show rude behavior then you do not need to get worried as fortunately the ADHD symptoms can be managed effectively. This neurodevelopmental disorder affects different teenagers in varied ways. Some teenagers exhibit more hyperactive behavior while some are more inattentive. What you need to do is to develop a strategy to recover your child from ADHD.
Talk with your children
Sit with your children to share their inner thoughts and emotions. Instead of criticizing them, show some encouraging and motivating behavior. If your child is more hyperactive then guide him to slow down his behavior and spend their excessive energy in some productive activities. Do not scold them and treat them with love, affection, and care. Ask your child to participate in some learning activities so they develop their focusing skills and prevent inattentive behavior.
Teach them about ADHD
As a parent, you should also guide your children on what is ADHD and how it affects mental health. Guide them on how they can prevent ADHD by using different strategies. Moreover, also give them instructions to pay more focus and attention in their classroom to excel in their academic field. You can also ask their teachers to develop some learning campaigns through which children can participate and learn more.
Build their social skills
Teenagers with ADHD prefer to stay alone and do not interact with others. Their extra talkative and interruptive behavior seems unpleasant to others. They are considered bossy as they always interrupt and try to implement their own opinions. So teach your children different social skills that they can use to effectively contribute to any social community and mark their presence.
Give them rewards
Guide your child regarding the differences between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. If they show any good behavior then encourage them and appreciate them with some rewards. However, if they show any bad behavior then do not use any harsh words in front of them. Instead of criticizing them, guide them to prevent the bad habits and adopt the good habits to prevent the complexities associated with the ADHD symptoms.
How can teachers assist the children in managing ADHD?
Along with parents, teachers should also take responsibility for children and help them overcome the symptoms of ADHD. With the help of the following strategies, teenagers can excel in their academic field.
Front sitting position: ADHD teenagers face difficulty in focus or concentration and get distracted easily. Therefore, teachers should place their seats in front to avoid all kinds of distractions. In this way, teachers can also closely analyze their behavior and make an immediate strategy whenever they find any unusual or strange behavior. If they do not find them successful in assisting them then they also report their behavior to their parents or caregivers.
Supportive class environment: Teachers should develop a friendly, supportive, and encouraging environment for teenagers. So they can share their all issues with them. Most of the teenagers with inattention feel hesitation in sharing their thoughts, emotions, and mental health concerns in front of their teachers and class fellows. However, teachers should develop a strong bond with the students so they can discuss all the factors with supreme confidence and mental potential.
No usage of digital devices: Most teenagers remain busy using their smart digital devices while sitting in the classroom. They do not focus on their class activities and ultimately feel difficulty in learning. Therefore, teachers guide them to avoid the use of smartphones or digital devices and pay only attention to the instructions of their teachers.
Short breaks: Teachers should also consider the both physical and mental health of teenagers. They do not put additional pressure on children to complete their tasks. Whenever they feel that the students are feeling tired then they should give them a short activity break. During that break, students can take a short nap to reactivate their brains or participate in any activity. In this way, they will feel more focused in their activities.
Tips for strengthening friendship bonds for ADHD teenagers
Teenagers suffering from ADHD not only face difficulty in developing but also strengthen their bonds with their friends and close ones. If their behavior is not treated on time then they keep behaving this until their adulthood stages. Affected teenagers think that they are superior compared to others and they can rule the world with their capabilities. This negative attitude keeps their friends and other loved ones away from them. At this point, their parents and caretakers should take steps to help their child get rid of ADHD symptoms.
Parents should guide their children on which kinds of relationships are healthy for them and which they have to avoid to make themselves happy. They should also give them guidance in choosing the activity that is right for their mental growth as well as healing from ADHD.
Give your child a direction that how they can spend their life and how they can set their life goals. You should also encourage your children to meet and develop bonds with new people. Prepare their mind that their social interactions will reap the best results. What they need to do is to simply meet every other person with kind and calm behavior. In this way, other individuals will be attracted to them with the help of their positive behavior and can manage ADHD symptoms in teenagers.
Do teenagers should use medications to manage ADHD symptoms?
The use of medications is not to treat ADHD symptoms as they are only effective in managing the symptoms. If you think that child needs to improve his focus and attention then you can take help from the experts and get the best psychiatric recommendations. Moreover, only mental health professionals prescribe some medications that are considered effective for managing the symptoms of ADHD in teenagers. Psychiatric medications are recommended by experts to deal with the symptoms of ADHD in teenagers.
Stimulants: Stimulants are medications that are recommended for improving focus and concentration. Moreover, these medications are also useful in treating the hyperactive behavior of ADHD teenagers. The main role of stimulants is to elevate the dopamine levels in the brain. However, experts should recommend the appropriate dosage and kind of medication that suits best ADHD symptoms.
Non-stimulants: The use of non-stimulants only occurs in some cases. If the stimulants are not providing the desired results or causing some side effects, then experts recommend the use of non-stimulants instead of stimulants.
Is there any other strategy to manage the ADHD symptoms in teenagers?
Yes. Other than psychiatric medications, some specialized psychotherapies are used to treat or prevent the symptoms of ADHD in teenagers. The following psychotherapies are commonly used for ADHD symptom management:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy that is used to deal with the symptoms of ADHD. The main objective of each cognitive behavioral therapist is to diminish the effects of ADHD symptoms specifically including hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. ADHD experts are familiar with all strategies that are useful to lessen these common symptoms of ADHD. Teenagers with ADHD are unable to pay attention to important details and therefore also behave negatively. Experts reframe their thoughts and then teach them different coping skills to manage the symptoms of ADHD.
Dialectical behavioral therapy
Teenagers suffering from ADHD face difficulty in regulating their relationships due to their impulsive, inattentive, and hyperactive behaviors. Moreover, they also face multiple issues due to their emotional intensity. In addition, this therapy is also significant in resolving interpersonal issues that most teenagers face due to the symptoms of ADHD. Moreover, this therapy is also useful in effectively targeting mindfulness.
How can I help myself in dealing with ADHD symptoms?
Other than professional support, you are the only one who can help yourself. You just need to prioritize your things and then decide on which pathway you have to take to manage ADHD symptoms in teenagers.
Consider the’’ Me time’’: It’s not always essential to watch any movie or hear any sound to spend your time. Instead of this, take some time and heal yourself. Try to do some physical workouts, yoga, or meditation to feel better from inside and out.
Participate in discussions: Although it’s better to sit alone, the best thing is to have some healthy or fruitful discussion with your seniors or other adults. Share your experiences and also learn from their experiences on how you can better cope with the symptoms of ADHD in teenagers.
How our professional support can help you to manage your ADHD symptoms?
Brainpower Wellness Institute is one of the incredible mental health platforms that provide the most desirable solutions to manage ADHD symptoms in teenagers. Our mental health professionals are always at the forefront to make your mind free from the harmful effects of ADHD. With our expertise, you can overcome the common symptoms of ADHD and control your mind. Moreover, there is also a telehealth service that is feasible for those who face difficulty in commute. So whatever is your mental suffering, we are here for your mental health assistance.
