Interview with María Antonia Rodríguez Sánchez, specialist in ADHD, Anxiety and Mindfulness

Today in psychoactive we have the pleasure of being able to interview María Antonia Rodríguez Sánchez. General Health Psychologist Specialized in ADHD Treatment, Anxiety, Mindfulness and Emotions Management.

Hi Toñi How about? First thank you very much for your attention.

We start.  First of all, where can we find your consultation and what modalities?

My query is located at: Gala Placidia Square, 10/12.5º2. Funny. Barcelona.

And you can also find me in Polyclinic Augusta, in Badalona, ​​where I attend by mutual and private.

I perform online and face -to -face therapy.

https: // www.Doctoralia.es/maantonia-rodriguez-Sanchez/Psychologist-Psychologo-Infantil/Barcelona

https: // www.MAINTANIZRIGUEZPSICO.com

You are specialized in different areas in the field of mental health such as TDHA treatment. What is TDHA and how can we detect both family and school level?

ADHD is a neurodevelopment disorder of a neurobiological nature that originates in childhood and that affects throughout life.

It is characterized by the presence of 3 symptoms:

• Attention deficit
• Impulsiveness
• Hyperactivity

But not all children with this disorder manifest the same symptoms and with the same intensity.

There are 3 subtypes:

1. Combined presentation of these symptoms.
2. Presentation where the attention deficit predominates.
3. Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation.

Early detection, as well as its appropriate diagnosis and intervention will be fundamental for the evolution of the same.

Fundamentally, the diagnosis is based on an evaluation at medical, psychological and pedagogical level.

A battery of tests is passed that will indicate the emotional state of the child, and also their learning difficulties, and we will observe whether they obey a attention deficit or other causes.

The diagnosis is complicated because there is comorbidity with other symptoms that can mask the disorder, and make differential diagnosis difficult; To do this, we also need the information of the parents and the school, through questionnaires and clinical interviews that will help us establish the diagnosis.

What percentage of children are estimated to suffer from ADHD in Spain?

ADHD is one of the most diagnosed neurodevelopment disorders in children and adolescents with an prevalence in Spain between 4.9% and 8.8%; Although for each subtype these percentages vary, the percentage of those presented by the attention deficit subtype vary.

The sooner it is diagnosed, which can be done at 5-6 years, the better prognosis will have, since an adequate therapy of advice to the parents and school can be established, where methodological adjustments will be implemented that will help not to occur a failure school.

As we talk about children since we would like to ask you what effects can the current long -term pandemic have in them? That is, what psychological consequences.

We are already talking about "the following pandemic", when psychologists and psychiatrists refer to anxiety, post -traumatic stress and depression as a consequence of the

COVID19.

It has been very traumatic for many children, see that overnight, all their lives changed, stopped going out, going to school and being with their classmates, stopped seeing relatives, and listening every day that people died.

Many teenagers that I see in my consultation, already talk about them that they have stolen a year of their lives, they feel that they have not been able to have the experiences that would have lived by age.

In many families, economic resources have been affected; And we have always said the psychologists, that the children's environment is very important, and that if the parents are wrong, they will also be.

What can you tell us about suicide, anxiety and depression in adolescents?

Having increased anxiety and depression disorders in childhood and adolescence, also negative ideas about life, fears, frustrations have increased, and this has also been reflected in suicidal ideation, especially in adolescents;

Already in the press, news has been reflected that pandemic has caused a worrying increase in suicide in young people;

That is why I would underline a very important aspect, we should never ignore a threat of our children to take their lives, verbalizations related to death, or negative expressions about the future;

What kind of patients usually go to your consultation?

Patients who attend my consultation have mood disorders, anxiety, adaptive disorders, work stress, TOC, phobias, ADHD, learning problems; lack of self -esteem and insecurity; I currently receive a wide variety of patients in my consultation.

Now if we think let's talk about anxiety. What is anxiety? And how can we detect it?

Anxiety disorder is a reaction of extreme concern or great nervousness for certain routine situations;

Its symptomatological manifestations are very varied and can be classified into different groups, physical: palpitations, chest oppression, lack of air ...; Psychological (overwhelming, feeling of threat or danger, desire to flee, insecurity, vacuum feeling); of behavior (hypervigilance, blockages, clumsiness or difficulty in acting; intellectual or cognitive (difficulties of tendency, concentration, memory); and social (irritability, self -absorption, difficulties in following a conversation, ...).

These symptoms would already help us detect the presence of anxiety, then in the psychologist's consultation through some questionnaires and clinical interview can determine the type of anxiety, and the degree of it;

What treatment do you consider most effective in combating anxiety?

Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy is from my point of view and that of many studies that demonstrate it, the best intervention, since it helps patients identify and learn to control the factors that contribute to their anxiety;

Meditation techniques are also an excellent therapeutic tool for anxiety management.

We have seen anxiety, but now let's talk about depression. With the same questions if you think.

Anxiety and depression are from my point of view "brothers" are very close.

Except for a major depression picture, where pharmacological treatment is necessary, in the first instance, in addition to the psychological.

The therapeutic approach is also in my consultation, of a behavioral cognitive type, since it helps the patient to realize what are the thoughts that lead him to feel in a certain way, identify and manage emotions, learn to make a self -observation of the cognitive sphere, and take distance and perspective of it, helps them not identify with these thoughts and manage them in a healthier way.

If we talk about anxiety, let's talk about something so interesting in what you are also a specialist, such as mindfulness. What is mindfulness and can help us?

Mindfulness is defined how full attention; It is a preventive practice through mental exercises whose objective is to set attention at the present time to feel things as they are happening, without pretending to exercise any control over them.

It serves to improve the ability to concentrate and care in any task; It is also very positive to handle stress situations; Improves anxiety states as it helps reduce cortisol levels (the hormone responsible for stress) of our body.

His continued practice favors night sleep so it is very positive as a treatment against insomnia; And in general it improves our emotional intelligence, since it allows us to face our thoughts and emotions and interpret situations with perspective, without judging and without being dragged by them.

Well arrived at this point and having seen these issues, what relationship are emotions with psychology?  How can we manage them?

Emotions are psychological processes that, in the face of a threat, act with the purpose of restructuring it, playing an adaptive role; Emotion prepares us to adapt and respond to the environment;

But if we do not know how to manage properly we can lose our balance and harmony, because they take away vital energy.

When our emotions remain in balance we are more productive, more creative and happier, we prevent what we feel will take care of what we are.

With emotions calm we are able to draw objectives and achieve them.

But to achieve this, we must understand that all emotions have a reason for being, therefore it is a mistake to talk about negative emotions; You have to learn to interpret the message that each of them communicates; They are a guide to know what something happens.

• Let yourself feel them to manage them better; Acceptalas. And observe them; The mere fact of paying them to them and allows you to start channeling them.
• When attention focuses on what we are feeling, it is automatically modulated.
• Questioning our thoughts and beliefs also helps regulate how we feel.

And to finish Toñi, you could tell us some aspect that might interest readers about your book: "Tips and practical guidelines to control your anxiety and manage your emotions" and where we can find it?

With pleasure David, it is a small and manageable booklet, where you can find a very practical guide, with advice to handle anxiety and control emotions; It is very easy to read, and you can take it with you at any time;

You can find it on Amazon.It is, in soft lid and in ebook.

Well, thank you very much toñi. We have learned a lot thanks to your valuable answers, it has been a pleasure to interview you. A hug.