ADHD Therapy Downers Grove (IL)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that affects both children and adults.

Common symptoms can include difficulties with concentrating, paying attention, being organized and remembering details. Other indicators can be:

If you or someone you care about has ADHD, you know the challenges it can create both for the self and with others. Eunoia Counseling provides caring, supportive therapy for Downers Grove residents with ADHD.

ADHD Therapy Downers Grove (IL): The Continuum to Diagnosis

ADHD was widely misunderstood for many years. The following dates were noteworthy during the course to what became known and classified as ADHD:

1902: British pediatrician Sir George Frederic Still first mentions ADHD, describing it as “an abnormal defect of moral control in children.” He found that some affected children who were otherwise intelligent could not control their behavior as a typical child would.

1952: The American Psychiatric Association issues the first “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).” The manual identifies all currently recognized mental disorders, as well as each condition’s causes, risk factors and treatments. This first edition does not acknowledge ADHD.

1955: The FDA approves methylphenidate (Ritalin) for the treatment of ADHD as understanding of the disorder continues evolving.

1968: The second DSM (DSM-II) is published. It includes a reference to “hyperkinetic reaction of childhood” for the first time.

1980: In DSM-III, the disorder’s name adjusts to “attention deficit disorder (ADD) with or without hyperactivity.”

1987: The revised DSM-III removes the hyperactivity distinction and establishes the name “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”

1990s: ADHD cases climb significantly as more parents can recognize symptoms and more doctors are able to efficiently diagnose the condition. More medications for treating ADHD become available as well.

2020: A review of studies further indicates a strong genetic link among people with ADHD. (If a first-degree relative has ADHD, a child can be up to five times more likely to be diagnosed with it as well.)

ADHD Therapy Downers Grove (IL): No Longer Misunderstood

Before the medical and therapeutic communities understood and could identify ADHD, those who had it may have often been considered troubled or problematic people.

Now that much more knowledge about ADHD is available, we can recognize it for what it is: a medical condition, not a matter of the person’s will.

Scientists also continue to research causal factors such as premature birth, low birth weight and maternal smoking or substance abuse during pregnancy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, research does not support ideas that ADHD can be caused by elements such as eating sugar, watching TV, playing video games or being affected by environmental factors such as family dysfunction. While these aspects might aggravate ADHD, evidence does not conclude they cause it.

While diagnosis can be discovered during the teen years and adulthood, most cases are identified among children under 12. Boys are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, although females are not excluded and may possibly be underdiagnosed because of a greater focus on boys.

ADHD Therapy Downers Grove (IL): A Challenge with a Solution

If it is undiagnosed and not treated, ADHD can lead to problems with home life, social perceptions, interpersonal relationships and performance at school and work. For a person with ADHD in Downers Grove, the condition further can cause low self-esteem.

A child with ADHD can require much more energy, time and attention from parents. Some research suggests that families with an ADHD child can have higher rates of divorce and depression.

While it has no cure, ADHD can be managed well with proper treatment, beginning with a proper diagnosis.

ADHD Therapy Downers Grove (IL): Individuals & Families

Once an affected individual has been seen and diagnosed by a mental-health professional, ADHD therapy can provide a strong supporting component to the medical aspect.

Eunoia Counseling specializes in ADHD therapy for people of all ages and backgrounds in Downers Grove. Working with our personal therapists, individuals with ADHD can come to better know their condition, its effects on others and themselves, and ways to gain increasing control of its symptoms.

Our ADHD therapy for Downers Grove provides the space and time for the client to better understand who they are, what makes them unique and how ADHD may be impacting their routines and relationships. Together, we define how they can harness their inner ability to manage their ADHD in restoring peace and equilibrium.

During ADHD therapy, the individual focuses on important knowledge and skills they can carry with them throughout their lives, such as:

ADHD Therapy Downers Grove (IL): Personal, Adaptive Approaches

Eunoia Counseling ADHD therapy sessions are shaped to each individual’s particular factors. For example, therapy for adults with ADHD will often include different methods from those for children with ADHD.

Depending on the individual and the particular symptoms, approaches to ADHD therapy might include:

marital counseling and family therapy for helping loved ones cope with and adjust to living with someone with ADHD so they can offer support in meaningful ways

cognitive behavioral therapy for developing skills for controlling behavior and changing negative thought patterns into positive ones

dialectical behavioral therapy (a form of cognitive behavioral therapy) for helping to differentiate what the individual might be thinking from what is really happening

mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for applying techniques that can help regulate attention and emotional states by influencing the brain and neural activity

Initial ADHD therapy sessions will focus on establishing comfort and trust with the therapist as the individual shares conversations about life events, relationships and areas of difficulty. We also will concentrate on condition assessment and the best approach to therapy by reviewing the information provided on the intake form.

We will establish the optimal scheduling and frequency of sessions for the individual as well. In addition, we can answer any questions about our different types of therapy approaches, as well as about our background experience and areas of expertise.

ADHD Therapy Downers Grove (IL): Contact Us Today

Our therapists have decades of experience helping many different people understand and overcome the obstacles to balance and peace in their lives. If you or someone close to you would like to learn more about our therapy for ADHD or schedule an appointment, contact us at (630) 340-8747 or info@eunoiacounselingnaperville.com.

References

ADHD by the Numbers: Facts, Statistics, and You
20 Facts About ADHD No One Ever Tells You
The History of ADHD: A Timeline

What Do You Know About Downers Grove (IL)?

Downers Grove was founded in 1832 by Pierce Downer, who traveled to Illinois from New York.

The village’s first schoolhouse was built in 1844. Downers Grove has nearly 70 confirmed Sears catalog kit homes.