Adult ADD / ADHD Treatment in Philadelphia, on The Main Line and Virtually via Telehealth Psychiatry.* **
* Our providers have strict rules regarding the prescription of controlled medications with virtual visits. We additionally follow all state and federal regulations. If you are not having face-to-face psychiatric appointments at our Philadelphia or Mainline locations, be sure to discuss our policies in detail with our administrators when scheduling an appointment.
** Additional Disclaimer
- We take the prescription of controlled medications very seriously.
- There should never be an expectation that a provider will write a patient for a controlled medication, even if the patient has previously taken a specific medication, or previously been given a diagnosis (like ADHD, Anxiety or Insomnia) by another provider.
- If a patient has neuropsychological testing, medical records from another provider, or pharmacy records showing that they previously had a specific diagnosis or previously took a specific medication, we recommend that they bring that information to their first visit for their provider to review.
- Even when our providers deem that a controlled medication may be appropriate, they often will wait until a patient’s second visit, to write it, so that they have time to call the patient’s previous pharmacies, review federal prescription databases, review records, and get additional information (like scales) completed by a patient (and often by family or significant others as well).
- If a patient feels that they “need” a controlled medication urgently prescribed, we are not the right practice for them to schedule with.
What is Adult ADD /ADHD ?
Adult ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can manifest as a persistent difficulty with attention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity that interferes with function or causes distress. Adult ADHD is typically treated by providers specializing in mental health (psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners).
Why would I have problems with ADD or ADHD as an adult?
Although ADD and ADHD are often diagnosed when individuals are children, symptoms can persist through adulthood and continue to cause difficulty with work or in other settings warranting treatment. It is a common misconception that all individuals with ADHD “grow out” of their symptoms in adulthood.
Can someone develop ADD or ADHD as an adult?
Symptoms of ADD or ADHD must be present during childhood in order to make a diagnosis. However, if an individual has mild illness or is of high intelligence, they may be able to compensate for their symptoms until their school, work or life demands pass a certain threshold (such as starting college, graduate school, having a child, or a new job). Thus, individuals do not develop the illness as an adult, but rather their symptoms become problematic as an adult.
Why should I see a Psychiatrist or Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner if I think that I have Adult ADD or Adult ADHD?
Difficulty with focus can be the result of non-psychiatric medications, medical illness, the onset of a mood or anxiety disorder, alcohol or illicit substance use, stress, diet or difficult life circumstances. Often individuals assume that they have adult ADD or adult ADHD (when in-reality, the root of their symptoms lies elsewhere). On the contrary, individuals often fail to recognize that they have a treatable medical illness (adult ADHD) if they were not diagnosed as a child. Proper diagnosis and psychiatric treatment requires a full medical and psychiatric workup (often including laboratory studies).
What types of treatments are available for Adult ADD or Adult ADHD in Philadelphia, on the Mainline and Virtually via Telehealth Psychiatry?
Best treatment for adult ADHD should be tailored to the individual and can consist of therapy, psychiatric medication management and/or behavioral modification. It is vital that the physician or mental health provider take into consideration life stressors that could be affecting concentration, behaviors that could be improved to increase productivity, any history of substance abuse or dependence (as some medications should be avoided or used with caution) and the possibility of a new onset mood or anxiety disorder when making a diagnosis and starting treatment.
How can I find treatment for Adult ADD or Adult ADHD in Philadelphia, on the Main Line or Virtually?
There are several options for finding a doctor, psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner who treats Adult ADD or Adult ADHD in the Philadelphia suburban area or virtually to your home. Finding a specialist who treats difficulties such as inattention is not unlike finding a doctor who specializes in other areas of medicine. Talk to your doctor about psychiatrists in the suburban Philadelphia area who treat adult ADHD, call the local departments of psychiatry at local teaching hospitals and ask who they recommend, call your insurance carrier and ask for the names of psychiatric nurse practitioners and doctors who treat adult ADD and search the internet for providers who treat adult ADD in your area. Remember to specify in search engines what you are looking for (and where). For example, searching for “doctors who treat ADD” may give you a list of doctors throughout the U.S. who treat both children and adults for ADHD. Thus, use search phrases like “find an Adult ADHD doctor in Philadelphia,” “ADD doctor on the Main Line for adults,” “adult ADHD treatment near me,” and “Treatment for adult ADHD in South Jersey.” This will help to optimize your results to providers near you. If family or friends have seen local psychiatrists who specialize in adult ADHD, it may be reasonable to ask them if they would recommend (or not recommend) a specific mental health provider.
Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates evaluates and treats individuals at our in-office locations in center city Philadelphia and on the main line in Paoli, PA. We also offer Virtual Psychiatric visits via HIPAA compliant zoom. Of note, there are strict guidelines set forth by state and federal governing bodies, regarding the prescription of medications via Telehealth. We additionally have strict guidelines which may include initial visits being face-to-face and/or in-office visits every 90 days for patients seeing us virtually for mental health treatment. Please discuss in-depth with our schedulers when calling regarding an appointment. Additionally, making an appointment, or being diagnosed with ADHD does NOT necessitate the prescription of a controlled medication for its treatment. There are various non-controlled medications which we may require patients to trial, before considering a controlled medication. Finally, if a patient has a history of substance abuse or dependence, we may refuse to consider the prescription of certain treatment options for ADHD. We may additional require family involvement and collateral information, before the prescribing of any medication. See our policies for additional information.
See the “Resources” tab for additional information including numbers for local academic centers, mental health associations (for both patients and family members) and other available resources in the Philadelphia community.
Recommended text
Kelly, K., Ramundo, P. You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!. New York, NY: Scribner Publishing, 2006.
