Adult ADHD

If you constantly lose your train of thought, get distracted easily, or act impulsively, you may have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although this condition can affect your daily life, it is highly treatable with proper care.

At Rubicon Mental Health Center, we provide adult ADHD treatment, along with treatment for other mental health disorders, near you in Watchung, New Jersey. We serve individuals from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York with evidence-based care in a comfortable, judgment-free environment. Learn more about ADHD and how our adult ADHD treatment programs work.

Key Takeaways

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common mental health disorder and a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects people of all ages.
• In adults, ADHD often causes symptoms like persistent inattention, impulsiveness, disorganization, poor time management, impatience, and restlessness.
• To diagnose ADHD, patients undergo a comprehensive assessment that involves an initial consultation by a primary care provider and a symptom assessment by a specialist.
• Treatments for ADHD often include a combination of medication, psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and lifestyle strategies.
• Rubicon Mental Health Center provides outpatient adult ADHD treatment for individuals from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

What Is ADHD?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is classified as both a mental health disorder and a neurodevelopmental disorder. It is very common and affects adults, children, and adolescents, but it can present differently depending on age, gender, and other circumstances. In adults, ADHD often causes symptoms like:

• Persistent inattent
• ion, especially for extended periods
• Disorganization, such as failing to meet deadlines
• Impulsiveness, such as taking unnecessary risks or interrupting others
• Impatience, resulting in annoyance during high traffic, slow lines, etc.
• Procrastination and poor time management
• Forgetfulness in work or other daily activities
• Restlessness or hyperactivity
• Emotional volatility, which can result in mood swings or irritability

In adulthood, ADHD symptoms often differ substantially from childhood. Hyperactivity often decreases, while impulsiveness, inattention, and disorganization are very common. These symptoms can affect a person’s work, relationships, and daily life. Fortunately, effective treatment can help people with ADHD manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

What Are the Causes and Risk Factors of ADHD?

Although researchers don’t know the exact cause of ADHD, they agree that it is likely due to an intricate mix of genetic, biological, and environmental factors. These factors can increase a person’s vulnerability to ADHD. They include:

• Genetics: ADHD is genetic and often runs in families. Studies have shown that genetics is the primary risk factor. It’s linked to variations in specific genes that regulate neurotransmitters, so a person with a family history of these gene variations is more likely to develop ADHD.
• Brain structure: People with ADHD often have structural and functional differences in parts of the brain that control attention, impulse control, and executive function.
• Prenatal factors: If a baby is exposed to maternal use of tobacco, alcohol, or recreational drugs during pregnancy, they are more likely to develop ADHD. Babies who are premature or have very low birth weights are also more vulnerable.
• Toxins: People who are exposed to environmental neurotoxins, such as lead, during early childhood have a higher risk of developing ADHD.
• Trauma: Individuals who experience traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) during early developmental stages have an increased vulnerability.

Although these risk factors can increase the likelihood of developing ADHD, they do not mean that everyone with these factors will have the disorder.

How Is ADHD Diagnosed?

Like many mental health conditions, there isn’t a specific medical test or scan to diagnose ADHD. Instead, the diagnostic process includes a comprehensive evaluation that is led by a healthcare worker or mental health professional. It includes:

Initial Consultation

Once you schedule an appointment with your primary care provider (PCP) to inquire about ADHD, they will perform a physical exam and ask basic screening questions to rule out other potential causes of your symptoms, such as thyroid problems, anxiety, or depression. Your PCP may refer you to a specialist for more in-depth ADHD testing.

Symptom Assessment

Using the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5^th Edition (DSM-5), the specialist will compare your symptoms to see how they measure up. It may include standardized questionnaires and rating scales. The specialist will also ask about your childhood history, as several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms must have been present before age 12 for you to receive an official diagnosis.

Specialists also frequently ask for permission to speak with family members or to review old report cards to determine how your symptoms have affected your life and function in different environments. The specialist can then confirm or rule out an ADHD diagnosis using this information.

How Outpatient ADHD Treatment Works at Rubicon Mental Health Center

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder requires a personalized treatment plan, but it will often combine psychotherapy, medication, and lifestyle strategies. At Rubicon Mental Health Center, we specialize in providing evidence-based, outpatient treatment for people with various mental health disorders, including ADHD. We do this through three levels of care designed to meet patients where they are. They include:

• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): This program runs for six hours a day, five days per week. It lasts around 30 to 45 days and is our most intensive program.
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): This program runs for three hours a day, with patients attending sessions three to five days per week. It lasts around 10 to 12 weeks and acts as a middle ground between PHP and OP.
• Outpatient Program (OP): This program is our least intensive option, with sessions for one hour a day, two to three days a week. The program length varies, but it typically continues for several months.

Every patient at Rubicon Mental Health Center starts with a detailed clinical evaluation to confirm their ADHD diagnosis and identify co-occurring conditions. This helps our team of master’s-level mental health professionals develop a tailored treatment plan that addresses each patient’s physical, mental, and emotional needs.

What Therapy Modalities Are Used?

Although ADHD treatment is highly personalized, there are certain therapies and modalities that have been proven effective. They include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT):CBT is a type of talk therapy that is highly structured and goal-oriented. ADHD-specific CBT helps to target executive dysfunction, distractibility, and emotional dysregulation to help patients manage their symptoms. CBT is most effective when used in combination with medication.
• Executive function coaching: This is a collaborative process that helps individuals with ADHD improve their time management, task initiation, and organization skills using practical strategies.
• Family counseling: Since ADHD can also affect the patient’s family members and family life, counseling with the whole family can help foster understanding and reduce household stress.

Lifestyle and coping strategies can also help people with ADHD learn to manage their symptoms. These can include techniques like mindfulness, time-blocking, and task management. At Rubicon Mental Health Center, we use both evidence-based psychotherapies and helpful support services to help patients restore balance and improve their lives.

Medication Management

Medications are often used alongside psychotherapy and lifestyle changes to manage ADHD symptoms. Medications can be either stimulants or non-stimulants. Stimulants increase neurotransmitters to enhance focus and impulse control, while non-stimulants target specific neurotransmitters to stabilize brain activity and increase focus.

At Rubicon Mental Health Center, our psychiatric providers provide medication management services when clinically appropriate. This ongoing process involves prescribing medications, monitoring the patient for side effects and effectiveness, and adjusting dosages as needed. It helps to ensure that the prescribed medications are actively helping and not causing any detrimental effects.

When Is Outpatient ADHD Treatment the Right Fit?

ADHD is often effectively treated on an outpatient basis. However, different individuals require varying levels of support. Outpatient ADHD treatment might be suitable if:

• You have mild-to-moderate symptoms, and your functioning is stable
• You can safely manage daily tasks like work, school, or self-care
• You don’t have acute safety risks, such as active substance abuse or thoughts of self-harm or suicide
• You need skills-based coaching or more structured support than once-weekly therapy

However, people with severe ADHD symptoms that cause major disruptions to their lives or who have co-occurring conditions may need more intensive care offered by a residential program.

ADHD and Co-Occurring Conditions

Most people with ADHD also have at least one other coexisting mental health, developmental, or behavioral condition. When a person experiences two or more mental health conditions, or a mental health condition and a substance use disorder (SUD), simultaneously, it’s called a co-occurring condition. Since other conditions like anxiety, mood disorders, and learning disabilities can mask or aggravate ADHD symptoms, coordinated, integrated care is essential to treat all aspects of each condition.

At Rubicon Mental Health Center, we provide treatment for individuals with dual diagnoses, including ADHD and other co-occurring disorders. If a patient has ADHD and SUD, we will work with our sister center, Rubicon Recovery Center, to provide holistic care that treats both disorders concurrently.

Insurance and Admissions

If you’re wondering about insurance coverage for adult ADHD treatment, you’re not alone. Whether treatment will be covered depends on your insurance provider and specific plan. However, federal mental health parity laws require that insurance plans treat mental health conditions at the same level as physical health conditions. Therefore, mental health treatment is typically at least partially covered by most insurance plans. For more information on insurance coverage, contact our Admissions Department at admissions@rubiconbhc.com to undergo our free insurance verification process.

Explore Adult ADHD Treatment Near You in NJ, PA, & NY

When ADHD symptoms are affecting your everyday life, it’s time to get treatment. Turn to the experienced mental health team at Rubicon Mental Health Center, where we serve individuals from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York with evidence-based outpatient ADHD treatment. We provide highly individualized care, with treatment plans personalized to each person.

At Rubicon Mental Health Center, wellness is just a phone call away, and we’re here for you 24/7. To learn more about our adult ADHD treatment near you in Watchung, NJ, call (908) 678-1870 or contact us online today.