Attention Deficit Disorder ? ADD as most people know it and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, - ADHD, sound more complicated and more serious than they really are. To begin with, it is important to figure out what they are all about. The first thing to know about ADD is that it is not a horrible and incurable disease. It is a brain disorder caused by the lack of a hormone called melatonin. Its symptoms can be common to other 50 diseases, so it is extremely important not to get carried away and start taking medicine and drugs to try to heal this ?disease? because this will not be effective in the long run. The medicine recommended by doctors is effective only for a short period of time. There are, however, other ways of healing yourself of it.

The first approach in curing a disease or a disorder is to find out what you are dealing with. The information regarding all aspects and symptoms related to the illness can be of huge help. In the case of ADD, the most obvious symptom is lack of attention. It is less noticeable than its variation - ADHD because people with this last disorder are hyperactive and always on the move. They just can't sit still. However, there are some general symptoms for both disorders. These are chronic sadness, apathy, the impossibility of concentrating on daily activities. These are the most obvious ones. Both disorders have been thought (until now) to appear only in the case of children and especially boys. There is only one problem - there are also adults who have not been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD in their childhood and who show their symptoms as grownups.

There is a difference regarding the symptoms and therefore cure for children with ADHD or ADD and for adults. For children, it is important to have a calm home environment. The parents need to take some steps according to a recommended strategy and try their best to help their child without medication. First, the home has to be perfectly structured and balanced. There must be daily routines and more organization in general. There must be immediate consequences regarding the good or bad behaviour of the child with ADD or ADHD, as they will create a pattern which will make the subject realise what is good and what is bad or how to act. It is also very important to create a positive environment and to think towards the positive side, but parents shouldn't get carried away by this. It is crucial not to let the child grow negative behaviours. Children with ADHD or ADD will develop a predictable conduct that will help their parents anticipate it and take action towards changing it for the better. By following a pattern that begins with setting the rules straight, explaining the rewards and penalties depending on the situation and giving positive attention to good behaviour will help children realise what is good and what is bad. It is extremely important to explain that a mistake is not something that makes the child bad or stupid and to focus on positive aspects. This way, the disorder can be destroyed starting from the roots up. Medication can only take care of some of the symptoms, but it will not get to the core of the issue. This is why parents need to be very careful when they decide to give drugs to their children with ADD or ADHD - because they can grow into adults and still save some of the ?bad? behaviour.

In the case of adults with ADHD or ADD, they can be thought of as lazy or unmotivated. It can affect their lives to the level of graduating from college or finding a suitable job. Of course, some people with ADD or ADHD can have a successful and productive normal life. This depends on the severity of the symptoms. The cure for adults is a bit more difficult than for children (as their personality is already shaped) and it must include some medication and a lot of counselling.

Some of the most important aspects that should be taken into consideration regarding the cure in the case of ADHD or ADD are the ones related to the diet of the individuals affected by it. As the main reason for developing this disorder is the lack of certain elements that allow the proper functioning of the brain cells, people who choose not to go straight to medicine for help must realise what they are missing from their daily diet that helps the brain function right. First of all, the lack of amino acids and zinc are the first things that need to be given attention to, as these elements are the ones responsible for the proper functioning of the brain. Also, another aspect is the lack of fatty acids from the diet. To prevent this lack of crucial elements, a curing diet has to have foods that contain them in a big quantity. For the fatty acids it is recommended to include olive oil, tuna, salmon and shrimp. Meat, soy, eggs and dairy are the ones that contain many proteins out of which the body extracts amino acids. Vitamins, such as vitamin B, zinc and phosphatidyl serine are also very important.

There are some foods that can be the cause for the appearance of ADHD or ADD. These are highly allergenic foods and they can contribute highly to the development of the disorder. So for preventing these disorders, it is important to avoid foods such as chocolate, wheat, corn, sugar and milk and see if things get better after some time.

All in all, it is important to realize that ADHD and ADD are disorders that can be cured without medication. The drugs are most likely to make things better for a short period of time, but they will not take care of the entire issue. It is important to have a correct diagnosis and treatment and try to solve the problem as efficiently as possible by following the steps described above.