ADHD and Risky Behavior in Patients' concerns are increasing day by day. So, the question arises regarding, "Is ADHD dangerous in adults?" If you think that your dear one who has been suffering from ADHD have been going to much ahead of what its symptom of hyperactivity looks like, you need to read this entire article without fail and make sure that it is not too late to assure their safety. Let us go on the treasure hunt to find the link between ADHD and risky behavior in patients.
What causes risky behavior in patients with ADHD?
Many kinds of research state that the reason behind the increase in risky behavior is due to fewer levels of neurotransmitters such as Dopamine. As risky behavior leads to an increase in dopamine levels, they are very likely to do it to maintain the optimum level of neurotransmitters. Other studies on ADHD suggest that there might be genetic reasons due to which they are inclined to do risky behaviors. Risky behavior doesn't need to be only due to the symptoms of ADHD. The other reasons for their engagement in ADHD and risky behaviors in patients include family environment, acquaintances, and other mental disorders or physical disorders that take place to them along with ADHD.
Teen patients with ADHD also have bad judgment when it comes to risk-taking. They are more allured by ADHD and risk-taking behavior as their nature is impulsive and they are often bored by their routine lifestyle. They tend to look at risk-taking as thrilling. Due to such behavior, they are more likely to meet with injuries since they don't think twice about their safety and well being.
Does your loved one have low self-esteem? But that won't make you feel inferior and refrain from doing risky behaviors. He/she might try to boost their self-esteem by doing something that their peers won't do.
What are the risky behaviors that patients with ADHD engage in?
1. Driving very fast
2. Going late to the meetings
3. Substance abuse
4. Procrastination
5. Unprotected sex
6. The low motivation for completion of tasks in personal as well as professional life.
7. Frequent fights and arguments
8. Interpersonal difficulties
9. Risky spending behavior
10. Surfing, skateboarding, rock climbing
11. Stealing
12. Provoking fights
13. Trusting strangers on the internet
14. Drinking or drug abuse and driving
15. Texting and driving
How do I help my loved one with ADHD who engages in risky behavior?
Isn’t this what keeps you bothered all the time? But here we are at your rescue.
1. No blame games!
You need not blame them for what they have done. It is very important to understand that it is no one's mistake. It is simply a consequence of their disorder. They are simply the victims of it. All you can do is support them rather than waste your and their time and energy in blaming them. You need to prevent blaming them as much as possible since it might harm their mental health and their symptoms of ADHD.
2. Assistance in planning
It is very much possible that they are impulsive and take up risky behaviors due to their difficulty in tracking time and organization. Again, their frontal lobes are affected due to ADHD and thus they are not to be blamed. Hence, you need to support and aid them to schedule their life. You can also try various strategies that keep them motivated to follow the same schedule every day. Taking the help of their therapist to do so will be a great idea!
It will be very insightful if you bring the consequences of a particularly risky activity to their notice. Only nagging a teenage patient and preventing them from taking risk-taking behavior is not going to help them. It is not a good idea to assume that they know about how the real world functions. You have to ensure effective conversations with them which will make them responsible adults in the future. You can also bring to notice how ADHD and sexually inappropriate behavior is linked.
3. How do I help him/her increase his/her dopamine levels?
Don't you know that doing any kind of physical activity leads to an increase in dopamine levels? You can choose which activity you both would like to do such as any sport or exercise. If their dopamine levels are normal then there are fewer chances of them being inclined towards risky and impulsive behaviors.
But it is necessary to gauge that the particular sport is not very risky for them or has the potential to cause them serious injuries. You should be around when they are doing some sport. You need to convince them to wear the safety gear of a particular sport. It is required that you go along with them if they are going for rock climbing or any other adventure sport.
4. No compromise on medications!
Researchers are here to assist you through their findings which suggest that there were lesser chances of patients with ADHD to meet with accidents who take their medications on time, unlike others who don't. Therefore, it is significant that you keep motivating them to take their medications regularly.
You need to make them understand how essential it is to choose the most appropriate medication by consulting with their psychiatrist. It is also vital to inform their psychiatrist in case they don't respond to some medication. It is possible that they just quit taking the medication due to unbearable side effects. However, the recommendation of the psychiatrist is very essential in such cases.
5. Help from their friends and lover
It is very much possible that they are more attached to their friends or lover than you. Hence, they might listen to their warnings. Their peers might be able to take good care of them and effectively prevent them from doing impulsive behavior. This way, good relationships, and peer pressure can keep them safe and sound.
In this way, major research suggests the link between ADHD and risky behavior management in patients. All you need to do is to implement these ways of preventing their risk-taking behavior and see how their life improves!
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