What natural, non-drug supplements can be of use to help combat ADD and ADHD?

I am hoping to find natural, less harmful solutions to ADD, and ADHD. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

behavioral therapy

Hi Michael W -

There are plenty of alternative (non-medicinal) treatments for helping someone manage ADHD. The list is long, and quite frankly the answers or suggestions I would offer all depend upon the specific behaviors, symptoms, struggles, and challenges the individual is currently facing.

That's the MOST important piece to it all.

Behavioral therapy has been suggested as one approach, and that is a very powerful approach. However, "therapy" typically focuses on problems and fixing problems. That's good - but it's not likely going to give you the results you want (particularly if your challenges are severe). Just being honest.

I'm saying this as a former therapist turned coach, because the key to successfully managing ADD / ADHD is more about finding your strengths and learning how to use them to your advantage.

Here are some other possibilities:

1. Diet - Some additives do make symptoms worse. But diet does NOT cause ADHD and it will not cure ADHD. Less sugar, more protein.

2. Exercise - People with ADHD tend to benefit tremendously from getting all that extra energy out.

3. Relaxation - There are great benefits for everyone today to be focusing more on relaxation (yoga, etc...)

4. Sleep - Getting the right amount of sleep is everything! This is again important for everyone, but even more important for someone with ADHD. The body needs to recharge and replenish.

5. Neurofeedback - I have a colleague who does this, and apparently it does wonders to help people manage their symptoms.

6. Strategies - Build yourself an arsenal of strategies to better manage life - shortcuts to get through difficult times.

7. Working Memory Training - people with ADHD tend to be thinking all the time - about a lot of different things. We need to stretch our mind and problem solving skills to NOT only improve our ability to problem solve - but also to mentally juggle many things at once (as well as NOT forgetting all the time).

I've probably overlooked quite a few, but I hope that's a start.

Rory

Rory F. Stern, PsyD
ADHD Coach & "Former" Therapist
http://www.ADHDSuccessAudio.com

ADHD & ADD cant be treated by therapy. back than ADHD & ADD didn't exist cause no one new about it, we only know so little about this new discovered mantel disorder.
im 15 years old, maybe im young, but i know what im talking about. i've been diagnosed with ADHD since i was 3 years (very early age for some one at this time) usualy kids get diagnosed after their first day of school. it's a very rare mantal disorder but perents shouldnt reject it or egnor it, that would only put things a lot worse. doctors have been experimenting on me about my ADHD, there is some new medicines in the market at this time, which dont have those scary side effects (which i use to take but now doctors swiched me to a new released medicine called VYVANSE). my mom used to be a middle school teacher for kids with mantel problems, disabilities, and dissorders before i was born. once she found out that i had charectoeristics of ADHD, she took me to a specialist, i've been treated since then and feel and act like a normal kid (of course if there is a day that i dont take it i will start jumping off the walls and stuff). remember you do not develop ADD or ADHD you are born with it, and there is no cure for it, but it can be treated with new reseached medications. theropist will not help at all, trust me. if you have ADHD or ADD and you go to a theropist, your still going to have the disorder no matter what, meaning your still going to have lost of concentration, anger management, hyperactivity, forgetful, and all the other things that the disorder delivers.
it's not a medical excuss so doctors can get money, and if you even try perenting a child with a disorder like that, it's going to get nowhere.

Proper parenting.

This page has a list of good products. Read up on them.

I have read that strict diets free from preservatives and artificial additives work well in people with ADHD.