aggressive behavior - ADD / ADHD Message Board

crazym · 10-31-2005, 06:15 PM

My 13 year old daughter probably has ADHD-Concerta has helped her restlessness and her somatic complaints, but she gets physically aggressive to the point of breaking things, hitting me, etc. (this was happening before the Concerta). She is perfectly behaved at school-it only happens at home. Has anyone had this experience with their kids?

nickkaylee · 10-31-2005, 11:29 PM

Yes. My 11 year old can be very aggressive at times. We haven't figured out what to do about him yet. He's going next week to see a neurologist to try to find out exactly what he has because I'm positive there's more to it than the ADHD he has currently been diagnosed with.

index.html · 11-01-2005, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazym

My 13 year old daughter probably has ADHD-Concerta has helped her restlessness and her somatic complaints, but she gets physically aggressive to the point of breaking things, hitting me, etc. (this was happening before the Concerta). She is perfectly behaved at school-it only happens at home. Has anyone had this experience with their kids?

In your case, it seems pretty obvious that the Concerta is causing her aggression. The stimulants can definitely cause this. However, if it's only happening late in the day, then I'd think that it might be caused by the Concerta wearing off. An small afternoon dose of a shorter-acting stimulant would probably help get her through the evening, if that is the case.

If she can function without the Concerta, then it might be best to just stop it altogether.

Good luck!

mauvais · 11-01-2005, 09:49 PM

Excessive stimulants can indeed cause aggression as well as paranoia and anxiety. Think about people who take illegal stimulants such as cocaine, for example! However she did say that her child had been aggressive before she began Concerta.

Aggressive disorders (such as oppositional defiant disorder) often go hand-in-hand with ADHD. Children who have difficulty focusing and expressing themselves due to ADHD can become frustrated and lash out with violence & aggression if it is their only means. Perhaps behavioral therapy & proper medication (Concerta or not...thats up to the child's psychiatrist to decide) can lead to an ease of this aggression. Best of luck!

Jennita · 11-03-2005, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mauvais

Excessive stimulants can indeed cause aggression as well as paranoia and anxiety. Think about people who take illegal stimulants such as cocaine, for example! However she did say that her child had been aggressive before she began Concerta.

Aggressive disorders (such as oppositional defiant disorder) often go hand-in-hand with ADHD. Children who have difficulty focusing and expressing themselves due to ADHD can become frustrated and lash out with violence & aggression if it is their only means. Perhaps behavioral therapy & proper medication (Concerta or not...thats up to the child's psychiatrist to decide) can lead to an ease of this aggression. Best of luck!

She did say her daughter was like that before, but the way I see it that's a situation of pouring more gas on a fire....giving a stimulant to someone already disposed to agression is like giving No Doze to an insomniac! This is just IMHO. I do agree with you that she might need some serious behavioral therapy.