The Rites of Passage Ranch Long Term Care Program is a setting in which attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD can be properly diagnosed and treated in an encouraging and supportive manner.
ADHD in adults
As a child crosses the line into puberty, symptoms of different disorders can take on different attributes. There is a good chance that a child may have had ADHD, but went undiagnosed. While it may not have led to major problems as a toddler and child, as a teenager, ADHD can be the co-conspirator of many other problems, including substance abuse. Teenagers are lumped in with adult diagnoses, and ADHD in teenagers is considered Adult ADHD.
Symptoms
Symptoms of adult ADHD may include inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Impulsivity in teenagers can often lend itself to bad behaviors, such as drinking, using drugs, promiscuity, stealing, and the like.
Treatment
Part of what we do here at Rites of Passage NW is get to the root of substance abuse problems so that teens can recover. If a teenager is suffering from adult ADHD, it is likely a contributing factor in their alcoholism. Other symptoms may include being disorganized, inability to follow through on tasks, and trouble coping. A teen with ADHD may even tend to have outbursts of anger.
Treatment for this disorder often includes medication, but it is not always a necessity. Behavior therapy, such as CBT and DBT, can often get to the root of ADHD, and help teens recover.
