What therapeutic approaches are available without medication?

Education and behavioural therapy of the affected persons To understand the disease, guidance on how to deal with the symptoms correctly and to increase attention Psychotherapy To strengthen self-esteem and self-competence in order to compensate for weaknesses independently, and to treat accompanying psychological problems Nutrition and lifestyle Physical activity Clear structures and regularity to facilitate everyday life, physical health to increase mental performance, exercise to compensate for hyperactivity Develop talents Use of creativity and other skills to promote concentration and enable successful participation in school and working life Homeopathy Soothing and performance-enhancing substances such as e.g. Bach Flowers to support other therapeutic approaches Many other new approaches, e.g. ergotherapy, neurofeedback, meditation

Education and behavioural therapy of the affected persons To understand the disease, guidance for the correct handling of the symptoms and to increase attention
Psychotherapy To strengthen self-esteem and self-competence, to compensate for weaknesses independently, and to treat accompanying psychological problems
Nutrition and lifestyle, physical activity Clear structures and regularity to facilitate everyday life, physical health to increase mental performance, exercise to compensate for hyperactivity
Encourage talent Use of creativity and other skills to encourage concentration and enable successful participation in school and working life
Homeopathy Calming and performance-enhancing substances such as Bach Flowers to support other therapeutic approaches
Many other new approaches, such as occupational therapy, neurofeedback, meditation…

Psychotherapeutic forms of therapy for ADHD should help the child to understand itself better through various approaches and to be able to better influence its own actions. The child’s behaviour is often influenced indirectly and unnoticed.

On our subpage you will find important information about the following psychotherapeutic forms of therapy: In addition, various relaxation techniques, such as: are used, which are explained in more detail by clicking on the respective link. Therapeutic pedagogical forms of therapy aim at positively influencing education, which can only take place with difficulty for various reasons. Curative education is thus a sub-area of education and with its various methods and approaches attempts to deal with the individual problem areas in a problem-oriented and therefore individual way and to improve them step by step.

You can find more details here: ADHS and remedial education as well as under psychotherapy for ADHS

Behavioural Therapy
Self management training
Depth psychological treatment
Systhemic therapies
Family therapy
Yoga
Autogenic training
Progressive muscle relaxation according to Jacobson

Some therapeutic approaches see a connection between allergies, diet and the training ADHD – typical symptoms. We explain these approaches in more detail on our subpage: ADHD nutrition. Often these are alternative forms of treatment whose effectiveness has either not yet been sufficiently tested or is considered questionable.

In neurofeedback, EEG electrodes are used to display the patient’s own brain waves on a screen, showing, among other things, the patient’s current attention and concentration. For better understanding, the patient does not see the signals as EEG waves, but rather, for example, as shapes and figures that can be changed and moved by concentration. Such a training can therefore be structured as a game and can be a light-hearted form of attention training, especially for children.

In occupational therapy, the general ability to move is not increased as in physiotherapy, but very concrete action sequences are trained. For ADHD patients, these are activities from everyday life and creative tasks that are intended to increase the general ability to act and to make it easier to cope with the demands of everyday life. By carrying out targeted actions, organised and planned action should thus be learned.

In some cases, homeopathic substances can achieve therapeutic successes similar to those of the usual medicines without causing the undesirable side effects. However, the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies is complex and not always proven. Moreover, they are also active substances which can have just as serious side effects as conventional medical substances.

In the case of an intolerance to e.g. Ritalin, however, they are a good alternative if used responsibly. Especially in the case of pronounced hyperactivity in the context of attention deficit syndrome, sporting activity can effectively reduce the symptoms and increase well-being. In addition, sport not only increases mental performance, but also increases self-esteem, which in many patients is reduced by the accompanying problems of ADHD.

Many physicians therefore recommend regular exercise units. However, some patients run the risk of overexerting themselves and sport becomes an addiction. Physical activity is therefore not suitable as the only therapy.

If animals are included in the therapy, they have a relaxing effect on the patient and increase their motivation. Working with, for example, a dog or a horse as part of concentration training should be fun and make it easier to master the tasks. Keeping a small animal can also help children in particular to take on responsibility and training the pet increases their own ability to pay attention without any compulsion.

However, not every animal is suitable and has its own requirements, so the purchase should not be made lightly. Support in the home environment is an essential part of the actual therapy of ADHD. Here all therapeutic measures come together.

Here they must be integrated into the daily education and thus into the everyday life, because only in this way newly learned behaviours can be influenced in a sustainable way. It is conceivable that this can degenerate into an enormous burden for the parents and the entire family. ADHS and family and educational support – What is it?