What Are the Underlying Causes of ADHD?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a psychiatric label given to millions of children when they are unable to sit still and focus in the classroom. The treatment for ADHD is usually prescription medication. These medications are almost always Class II addictive stimulants called amphetamines or methamphetamines. They have controlled substances because they are so addictive. These stimulants are almost identical to cocaine, use the same receptor site as cocaine and are used interchangeably with cocaine in medical research. The non-stimulant drugs prescribed have their problems too. While not listed as an addictive substance they are still physiologically addictive. A side effect of these is suicide.
The problem with using medication to treat ADHD symptoms is that the drugs do not fix the problem. You would have to continue using the drugs for life or the symptoms will return. My philosophy has always been to Find the Cause and Fix the Problem, Don’t Just Cover Symptoms with Drugs. To do this, it takes a little time, energy and detective work. The following are important in finding the root cause of the symptoms of ADHD:
- Diet-A diet that is high in sweets and artificial sweeteners and low in frequent, small, protein snacks is more likely to cause a lack of focus, anxiety and behavior problems.
- Supplements-Certain nutritional deficiencies play a roll in ADHD symptoms. Vitamin B6, magnesium and fish oil are just a few of the nutrients that have been proven in studies to help with focus and behavior.
- Allergies– Annals of Allergy Medical Journal has stated that kids with allergies perform less successfully in school, across the board and shouldn’t even be required to take exams if their allergies are not under control.
- PANDAS-Chronic Strep can affect the brain. It must be tested for and treated successfully for symptoms to resolve.
- Gut-The gut speaks directly to the brain and has more nervous system connections than the spinal cord. Any bacteria, parasite or yeast overgrowth may look like ADHD but it is not.
- Learning Problems-Learning and processing problems can appear to be ADHD but when the problems are corrected, the symptoms are gone.
These are just a few of the underlying causes of the symptoms called, ADHD. If you have allergies causing the symptoms, it is not ADHD, it is Allergies. If you have PANDAS, it is not ADHD, it is Strep.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), in which the symptoms of ADHD are listed, states that no diagnosis in the DSM should be made unless all other medical problems have been ruled out. That would mean that doctors must do all the testing mentioned above before giving anyone a psychiatric diagnosis. I find that is rarely done. But it should be.
