ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects how people focus, organize, manage time, and control impulses. It is not a matter of effort or willpower. With the right understanding and support, people with ADHD can build on their strengths and find strategies that work for their lives.

At Alliance Wellness Solutions, we evaluate and support children from age 8, as well as teens and adults, including many people who are only now wondering whether ADHD explains challenges they have lived with for years. Care is available in person at our Towson office and by telehealth anywhere in Maryland.

Signs of ADHD

ADHD is often grouped into two sets of symptoms. Some people mainly experience one, while others have a mix of both.

Inattention

• Difficulty staying focused, especially on tasks that feel repetitive or long
• Losing track of belongings, appointments, or deadlines
• Starting tasks but struggling to finish them
• Seeming not to listen, or drifting off in conversations
• Avoiding work that takes sustained mental effort

Hyperactivity and impulsivity

• Restlessness, fidgeting, or difficulty staying seated
• Talking a lot or interrupting others
• Acting quickly without thinking through consequences
• Difficulty waiting, or a strong sense of impatience

To be diagnosed, symptoms usually need to have been present since childhood and to cause real difficulties in more than one area of life, such as home, school, or work.

ADHD looks different for different people

• Children
• Teens
• Adults
• Women and girls
• College students
• Working professionals

Girls and women are often overlooked, because their symptoms tend to be quieter, such as daydreaming, disorganization, or feeling overwhelmed, rather than visibly hyperactive. Many adults are diagnosed only after a child is evaluated, or when life demands outgrow the coping strategies they built on their own. ADHD also frequently appears alongside anxiety or depression, which can make it harder to recognize.

How we help

A thorough evaluation

An ADHD evaluation looks at the whole picture: your history, current challenges, and how symptoms affect daily life, alongside other possible explanations such as anxiety, sleep problems, or mood. Our practice also offers T.O.V.A testing, a computerized assessment of attention and impulsivity that can add objective information to an evaluation. No single test diagnoses ADHD on its own.

Medication management

For many people, medication is an effective part of ADHD treatment. Our psychiatric nurse practitioners can explain the options, including stimulant and non-stimulant medications, and monitor how you respond so that the plan fits you.

Therapy and practical strategies

Therapy can help with the parts of ADHD that medication does not address on its own: building routines, managing time and tasks, handling frustration, and rebuilding confidence after years of feeling behind. For children and teens, involving parents and caregivers helps strategies carry over at home and at school.

What to expect

1. Reach out. Request a consult online or call our office. Our team will answer your questions and help you find a time that works.
2. Your evaluation. We take the time to understand your history, your current challenges, and your goals, and discuss whether testing would be helpful.
3. A plan that fits. Together, we decide on next steps, whether that is medication, therapy, practical strategies, or a combination.
4. Ongoing support. We check in on your progress and adjust your care as your needs change.

Understanding yourself is the first step

Many people with ADHD spend years hearing that they need to try harder. An accurate understanding of what is going on can be a relief in itself, and it opens the door to support that actually helps.

Maybe it’s time to talk to someone.