ADHD Terminology: Multimodal Treatment

Have you heard that ADHD responds best to a multimodal approach to treatment and wondered “what in the heck does that mean?” Don’t worry. We’re going to break it down for you.

Multi + modal = many methods.

The term multimodal was coined by Behaviour Therapist, Arnold Lazarus, who believed it was important to look at the complex nature of human beings when developing a therapeutic approach. In the case of ADHD and Executive Function this boils down to 6 major areas:

1. Education about ADHD – the first step after being diagnosed with ADHD is to learn everything you can about it. You’ll want to learn about symptoms, types of interventions, the pros and cons of medication, and on-line resources, which can help you learn to cope with your ADHD.
2. Learn about how ADHD is impacting you (and the people around you). Support groups (like ones run by CHADD) can be very helpful ways for newly diagnosed people to share experiences and learn from their experience.
3. Specialized therapy – you may want to look into cognitive behavioral therapy which has been shown to help improve how you cope with ADHD. Or you may want to look into social skills groups which are helpful, especially for younger children, who are having relational problems because of their ADHD symptoms.
4. Vocational counseling – figuring out what job is right for you is crucial when you have ADHD. There are some types of jobs that will be much more difficult than others for you to be successful at than others.
5. Medication is the most controversial aspect of ADHD treatment and one that no one enters into lightly. You may want to consider getting two medical opinions before you begin a medication plan for your ADHD. You should also be aware that each person responds differently to medication, so you may need to try several different courses of action before you find what works best for you.
6. Coaching – ADHD coaching is a proven method of learning to work with your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Here at Edge we offer a nationwide network of coaches (in the US and Canada). Reading things in books can be great, but a coach can help you apply methods to your unique situation.

If you’d like to learn about setting up a multimodal treatment plan for your ADHD, call 1-888-718-8886.