Attention and concentration problems treatment without ritalin

ADHD

In recent years, there has been a jump in the number of diagnoses of ADHD in Israel, and according to estimates, about 10% of children and 5% of adults suffer from it.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a complex and chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that can appear in varying degrees of severity and is often expressed in inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, and is sometimes accompanied by comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, and addiction tendencies.

This is a disorder that can significantly impair the daily functioning of children and adults, lead to a feeling of low ability, frustration, poor self-image and as a result to social and emotional problems.

Treatment of attention and concentration problems without Ritalin

One of the common treatments for attention and concentration problems is drug therapy, where there is a wide variety of drugs such as Ritalin, Etnet, Concerta and more that act as stimulants on the central nervous system and increase the levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in order to improve communication between brain cells. Drug treatment of attention and concentration problems entails several problems:

Inefficiency – there are many people and children who do not respond to drug treatment for attention and concentration problems, and in fact it is not effective for them (in about 30% of those suffering from attention and concentration problems, the brain activity works in a different way that does not respond to stimulant drugs and may even increase anxiety and depression or produce tics).
In addition, it is important to remember that Ritalin and the like are designed to treat the symptoms of concentration difficulties but do not improve at all the symptoms of co-morbidity such as anxiety and depression and at the end of the day the functional impairment remains the same.
This situation may produce a false sense of despair and frustration as if the expression is not solvable, and one must learn to put up with it.
Side effects – treatment with Ritalin and the like involves multiple side effects such as a significant loss of appetite, sleep loss, headaches, a feeling of fogginess and lack of vitality during the day, as well as a well-known phenomenon of “rebound” after the effect of the treatment wears off, which manifests itself in irritability and depression.
The lack of response – the multiple side effects associated with ADHD drug treatment cause many people to stop treatment.
Those who feel they have to give up their joy in life and good mood, will often prefer to give up the medication and live with the attention problem.

Due to these reasons, many parents prefer not to give Ritalin to their children, and many are looking for solutions that will allow treatment of ADHD without drugs.

The problem is that even in this field it is important to distinguish between effective treatments and promises of improvement that do not materialize and lead to further disappointment.

Treatment of ADHD without drugs – is it possible?

Definitely yes. Today we can happily announce that there are non-drug treatments for attention and concentration problems that include behavioral changes and advanced technologies that have a significant effect.

Many patients come to us disappointed after taking Ritalin but stopped the treatment because of the side effects, or because they were looking for a permanent solution that can be integrated into their lifestyle without being dependent on drugs.

It is important to understand that treating an attention deficit disorder requires a systemic approach that takes into account many elements of the patient’s quality of life.

A medicine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is considered a local “band-aid” that does not treat emotional and functional problems related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and its ability to improve the quality of life is limited.

We offer a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of attention and concentration problems without Ritalin, through a combination of traditional treatment and advanced modern technology.

Treatment of ADHD using neurofeedback technology

Neurofeedback is an advanced treatment technology in which the brain learns to change certain activities in different brain areas in the long term.

In fact, we receive testimonies from patients that even many years after the end of the neurofeedback treatment, they feel an improvement in their quality of life thanks to a permanent change that they were able to implement, resulting in the preservation of the treatment’s achievements.

As part of the treatment, electrodes are attached to the patient’s head that pick up the electrical activity in the brain and at the same time a film or image is projected on the screen.

The computer processes the signals that are received from the brain and if the brain is working well, it receives positive feedback – the film is projected properly and the patient learns how to control the brain activity, steer it, strengthen desired activity and avoid unwanted activity. The treatment with neurofeedback technology is non-invasive, does not involve drugs, is safe and has been scientifically proven for many years.

Treatment using neurofeedback technology for attention and concentration problems is also possible remotely.

Thanks to advanced technology, the patient can perform the training at home, or even during vacation, when all that is required is a computer and an Internet connection.

During the treatment, there is close remote monitoring by our team of experienced therapists who monitor and assist if necessary.

At the end of each training session, the therapist automatically receives a report detailing all the training data, the patient’s performance and the level of effectiveness of the training, and this allows him to make dynamic adjustments to the treatment protocol, for maximum efficiency.

Treatment of ADHD through behavioral intervention

As part of the systemic vision we advocate, we believe that ADHD treatment without Ritalin should be carried out in a comprehensive and supportive framework that also includes environmental aspects of the patient, especially in the case of children:

Parental workshops for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – it is difficult to overestimate the role of parents in non-pharmacological treatment of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The ability of parents to strengthen the child, guide him and empower him can make all the difference. At our institute, we provide training to the parents of children with attention and concentration difficulties, and give them tools on how to promote the children through positive feedback, how to integrate the care of the child within the balance of the needs of all members of the household, how to get to know the child without judgment and how to accompany him in an effective and positive way during the neurofeedback treatment .
Group therapy for children – one of the most difficult problems accompanying children with ADHD is the feeling of loneliness, the feeling that “no one understands me”.
A support group for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder provides them with a safe place, a sense of belonging that is so important and sometimes they transfer