| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is | | | | "spectrum disorder", which means that it affects every |
| perhaps one of the most controversial disorders of the | | | | person in different ways. No two people with ADHD |
| 20th century. What makes it particularly controversial is | | | | will experience the exact same combination of |
| the politics and money surrounding the disorder and it's | | | | symptoms. This is why some children with ADHD run |
| treatment. It doesn't help either that even though there | | | | around and never stay still, while other children with |
| are millions of children and adults across the world | | | | ADHD daydream too much and have problem |
| diagnosed with ADHD, no doctor or expert can | | | | concentrating. Besides that, ADHD also comes with a |
| pinpoint to a clear origin, cause, or cure for ADHD. The | | | | host of other health and mental problems beyond the |
| definition of ADHD even changes as new scientific | | | | 18 diagnostic criteria, such as insomnia, oppositional |
| discoveries are made. So what exactly is ADHD? | | | | behavior, and anxiety problems. Although the holistic |
| Although doctors and experts on the disorder have | | | | approach does acknowledge that an imbalance in |
| their own opinions on how ADHD or attention deficit | | | | neurotransmitters does in fact play a factor in causing |
| hyperactive disorder emerges and how it should be | | | | ADHD, it is by no mean the only explanation for the |
| treated, there are two main schools of thought on how | | | | disorder. Rather, a chemical imbalance makes an |
| to properly manage this condition. | | | | individual predisposed to ADHD. Once that individual |
| Traditional Western medicine's perspective is the one | | | | encounters certain environmental factors, the condition |
| most commonly used. A traditional medical doctor will | | | | gets triggered and the person experiences the three |
| probably tell you that ADHD is a developmental | | | | core symptoms. |
| disorder caused by an imbalance in the | | | | The holistic school of thought also believes that |
| neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are | | | | medication is an inadequate treatment for ADHD. |
| essentially brain chemicals that relay messages and | | | | Medications only treat the symptoms and ignore the |
| signals among brain cells. When an individual does not | | | | environmental factors that trigger the disorder in the |
| have the right number of neurotransmitters, he or she | | | | first place. Instead of merely dispensing medication, the |
| will experience uncontrollable hyperactivity, impulsivity, | | | | holistic perspective focuses its attention on |
| and inattention - the three core symptoms of ADHD. | | | | understanding the individual's medical history, |
| For a child or adult to be diagnosed with ADHD, he or | | | | symptoms, and environment, before creating a |
| she must meet at least 12 out of 18 criteria. Once the | | | | treatment plan based on natural alternatives to ADHD. |
| individual receives a diagnosis, he or she will be given | | | | Your understanding of ADHD depends entirely on |
| ADHD medications to get rid of the symptoms. | | | | what school of thought you agree with. But if you view |
| The second school of thought goes beyond traditional | | | | ADHD as a body-mind imbalance caused by |
| Western medicine's narrow approach to ADHD. | | | | environmental triggers instead of a disease that can |
| Instead of viewing the disorder as merely an | | | | be cured with a pill, it is easier to come up with a |
| imbalance in brain chemicals, the holistic approach sees | | | | natural treatment that brings lots of benefits without |
| the condition as the result of imbalances in the | | | | the damaging side effects of ADHD medication. |
| individual's body and mind. In this view, ADHD is a | | | | |