Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is not a character flaw, it’s a

legitimate neurodevelopmental disorder that causes problems with attention,

motivation, memory, complex thinking, and impulse control. Some of the

smartest, most creative people in the world have ADHD. Nevertheless, ADHD

can have serious negative impact on academic and career achievement,

relationships, self-image, and quality of life.

We can help.

At Owl & Eagle Health and Wellness in Golden and Denver, Colorado, our team of

board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychotherapists offer

comprehensive care for ADHD. We start with a thorough diagnostic evaluation,

providing assessments for ADHD and any other psychiatric comorbidities.

Neurocognitive testing can confirm the diagnosis and provide objective

evidence needed when requesting work or school accommodations. Our

holistic approach to ADHD treatment combines highly effective medications,

psychotherapy, nutritional interventions, stress management, sleep

management, exercise, vitamins, supplements, meditation, yoga, breathwork,

and other integrative treatments. Your treatment plan will effectively treat your

ADHD and any other psychiatric conditions, and help you maximize your

overall health and wellness. For expert assessment and holistic psychiatric

treatment for ADHD in children, teens, or adults, either in person at our offices

convenient to the Denver Metro area, or via telehealth throughout Colorado,

Contact Us with questions or Book Now to request an intake appointment today.

303-736-9697

ADHD Q&A

How common is ADHD?

About 15% of children and 8% of adults have ADHD, and about half of affected people

have severe impairments in function. The majority of people with ADHD also have other

mental health conditions, including mood disorders, anxiety, autism, and sleep

disorders. Unfortunately, only about 60% of people with ADHD are diagnosed and

treated, and only about 30% receive adequate treatment.

Why should I seek treatment for ADHD?

Untreated ADHD can have significant negative consequences.

ADHD causes symptoms that can lead to difficulty in school, at work, at

home, and in relationships. Untreated ADHD increases risk for serious

accidents and injuries, obesity, substance abuse, dropping out of school, teen

pregnancy, unemployment, criminality and incarceration, being the victim of

violent crime and sex offenses, and suicide. Fortunately, ADHD is very

treatable. With effective treatment, most people with ADHD can live happy,

healthy, successful lives.

What causes ADHD?

There are three primary risk factors for ADHD:

1) Genetics. The heritability of ADHD is the highest of any

psychiatric disorder at approximately 80-90%. This means that if someone in

your immediate family (parents, siblings, or children) has depression, you are

much more likely to have it yourself.

2) Prenatal and childhood environmental exposures. Maternal asthma, exposure to

phthalates, and use of tobacco, acetaminophen, and valproate during pregnancy are

associated with a higher risk of ADHD in the child. Childhood exposure to lead,

organophosphates, secondhand smoke, and viral and bacterial infections can also

increase risk for ADHD, and adverse childhood experiences such as poverty, residential

instability, and parental substance abuse, criminality, and psychiatric disorders more

than double the risk for ADHD.

3) Poor nutrition. Growing up on a diet including high amounts of red meat, processed

meats, refined flour, sugar, salt, and hydrogenated fats (basically, the standard

American diet!) increases the risk of ADHD by 92%. Consuming high amounts of

processed foods, artificial food coloring, and soft drinks compounds the risk.

Deficiencies in specific nutrients, including Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1

and B2, calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, copper, selenium, and Omega 3 Fatty Acids are

also risk factors for ADHD. Gut dysbiosis, or imbalance in intestinal bacteria, also

increases risk.

How does ADHD affect the brain?

ADHD causes the brain to develop differently in utero, so the brains of people

with ADHD have measurable differences in brain structure and function from

people who do not have ADHD. Structures affected include: Basal ganglia:

regulates emotion, thinking, and control of movement Nucleus accumbens:

involved in motivation Amygdala: involved in emotional regulation and

reactivity Hippocampus: involved in memory and emotion ADHD also causes

imbalances in neurotransmitters, primarily norepinephrine and dopamine.

These imbalances cause dysfunction in brain networks regulating attention,

motivation, cognitive flexibility, working memory, executive function,

psychomotor control, and emotional regulation.

What are the symptoms of ADHD?

ADHD causes two main groups of symptoms: Inattention: Due to

dysregulation in the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine, people

with ADHD have trouble with motivation, paying attention, focusing for

prolonged periods, and switching attention back and forth between tasks. This

causes difficulty starting projects, staying on task without getting distracted,

and completing final details of projects. People with ADHD often “zone out”

during conversations, lectures at school, and meetings at work, and will miss

details or not remember topics that were discussed. They tend to make

careless errors, even when they have a good understanding of a topic or task.

They also frequently misplace things like phones, wallets, and keys, and

forget about appointments and obligations. Because urgency causes release

of norepinephrine, people with ADHD often find that they are able to focus

and complete tasks better as they get closer to a deadline. People with ADHD

can also perform better on tasks and topics they find interesting, because

interest causes release of dopamine. People with ADHD can even hyperfocus

on interesting and urgent tasks. Hyperactivity and Impulsivity: Dysregulation

in dopamine and norepinephrine are also involved in how the brain tells the

body to move, how the brain decides when it is necessary and appropriate to

move, and interpreting whether behaviors and actions will be beneficial or

harmful. People with ADHD often feel compelled to move constantly, which

leads to difficulty slowing down and relaxing, and discomfort and fidgeting

when forced to sit or stand still. They also have a hard time suppressing

urges, which causes them to blurt things out at inappropriate times, interrupt,

finish people’s sentences, say or do things impulsively, and have difficulty

regulating their emotional reactions. Some people with ADHD have mostly

inattentive symptoms, and some have mostly hyperactive and impulsive

symptoms, but the majority of people have a combination of both types of

symptoms.

What does an ADHD assesment include?

At Owl & Eagle Health and Wellness, our team of board certified psychiatric nurse

practitioners provide expert assessments for ADHD. An ADHD evaluation at

Owl &Eagle Health and Wellness will include a thorough history. Your

provider will ask questions about your current symptoms and symptoms you

have experienced in the past, and how your symptoms have affected your

function at home, school, at work, and in your relationships. They will ask you

about your past psychiatric and medical history, including past psychiatric

diagnoses and treatments you have tried. They will ask you about your

educational and work history, your relationships with family, coworkers, and

friends, and whether you have had problems with substance abuse or legal

trouble. They will also ask about your family medical and psychiatric history.

They will perform a mental status exam, which includes assessments of your

communication, movements, behavior, mood, thoughts, memory, attention,

and focus. They will perform standardized testing for ADHD, and testing for

other diagnoses if needed. They may also order more extensive

neurocognitive testing if needed to clarify the diagnosis. For children and

teens with ADHD, they will ask parents and teachers to provide information

and complete assessments indicating their perspectives on symptoms.

How is ADHD treated?

At Owl & Eagle Health and Wellness, our team of board

certified psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychotherapists treat ADHD

using a holistic and integrative approach. Mild cases of ADHD often improve

with coaching to improve organizational and study skills, psychotherapy to

help with emotional regulation, dietary changes, vitamins, supplements,

exercise, sleep hygiene, stress management, meditation, and yoga. Moderate

to severe ADHD usually requires adding medication to these strategies.

Medications for ADHD include stimulants and non-stimulant options, and both

can be highly effective. These medications usually have very manageable

side effects, and most resolve in the first weeks of treatment. Genetic testing

can help identify which medications are more or less likely to be effective and

well tolerated for you. The vast majority of patients we treat for ADHD are

able to effectively control their symptoms, leading to great improvement in

work or school performance, management of responsibilities, relationships

with friends and family, and self-esteem and well-being.

If you would like to learn more about psychiatric evaluation and holistic psychiatric

treatment for Autism for children, teens, and adults at Owl & Eagle Health and Wellness,

Contact Us with questions or Book Now to request an intake appointment today.

Appointments are available either in-person in our offices in Denver or Golden,

or via telehealth anywhere in Colorado. We look forward to meeting you!