Over the past couple of decades there has been a huge increase in the diagnosis and prescriptions given out for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. According to a news report done by USA Today over the past five years use of ADHD medications have risen 40% totaling 39.5 million individual prescriptions ("New findings," 2009). When statistics like this are seen it is only normal for someone to ask questions. People are becoming curious about the legitimacy of the disorder, and whether or not the treatments being given to individuals are appropriate. The argument seems to be strong on both sides of the fence, but the extensive research done on ADHD leaves it hard for one to believe that it is a made up disorder. Attention …show more content…
For many no matter what facts are available ADHD is simply not real. It is easy to understand where people with this point of view are coming from. Starting off with the fact the ADHD doesn't seem to be present in other countries around the world. Children's psychologist Angela Southall claims that 90% of the worlds Ritalin is being prescribed in the United States (Southhall). So yes ADHD is more prevalent in the United States than anywhere else in the world. This leads many to believe that ADHD is something made up by the United States pharmaceutical industry as some sort of hoax. This is certainly an argument that can be credited even by the opposing point of view. It does seem that pharmaceutical companies are marketing their ADHD medications strategically in the United States to get as many people onboard as possible. On the opposing side of this argument it has little to do with stating whether ADHD is real or not. The ideas of the disorder did in fact come up far before pharmaceuticals were involved in the treatment. Another common opposition to ADHD is the medications used to treat it. People wonder why hyperactive children are being treated with stimulants. The side effects of stimulant medications seem to not be so positive and don't seem to be acceptable for a child with ADHD. Side effects such as motor tics, insomnia, and loss of appetite are all commonly seen among stimulant medications. Stimulant
The legitimacy of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has been a controversial topic since it’s recognition as a part of the DSM-III, although there is copious research proving how many children are affected by this disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, ADHD may affect around 3-5 percent of children. Psychiatrist Sami Timimi and psychologist Nick Radcliffe believe that ADHD does not exist and that the rapid increase of children taking stimulant medication to control it since 1996 is astonishing. Timimi and Radcliffe assert that it is a disorder made up by Western culture in order to explain away normal behavior in adolescents. They claim that normal adolescent behavior is viewed as unacceptable in today’s self-indulgent society. There have been millions of dollars and countless hours spent funding research about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, how it affects children, and what is the cause of ADHD.
ADHD Research Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disability in which children consistently show one or more of the following characteristics over a period of time. (1) Inattention, (2) hyperactivity, and (3) impulsivity (Kirst-Ashman, Zastrow 2004). Children who are inattentive have difficulty focusing on any one thing and may get bored with a task after only a few minutes. Children who are hyperactive show high levels of physical activity, almost always seeming to be in motion. Children who are impulsive have difficulty curbing their reactions and don’t do a good job of thinking before they act.
This overabundance of coverage has led to a kind of public hysteria, parents and doctors now see ADHD around every corner. It has almost become a social norm for a child in school to have ADHD. One could argue that ADHD isn't necessarily a disorder but an unfortunate byproduct of a fast paced reward driven Society. Luckily there is hope. Recent studies have been done and new tests have been designed to help curb the tide of malingering in terms of ADHD. “The IVA CPT adequately distinguished adults with ADHD from non-ADHD” (Colleen A Quinn 2003) Many people will fake the symptoms of ADHD in order to get access to the prescriptions given to those who suffer from the disorder I say few that these medications will help give them in the edge in their work or home life. Students will sometimes take these drugs and hopes that will help them focus on the paper that there trying to write or give them that needed edge to focus on the test they are taking the next day. Either is are pursuing these drugs for recreational use they are hoping for a high off of the schedule
One controversial area of pediatric (children's) medicine is in the treatment of condition called Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Symptoms of ADHD often include: hyperactivity, impulsive behavior and the inability to concentrate. In some instances, the symptoms extend beyond that into areas such as anti-social activities and even aggression.
Attention Deficit hyperactive disorder is a prevalent and ever rising affliction in modern societies. “According to the American Psychiatric Association (2009), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders in school-aged children(Saemi 179)”.While the initial response to handling the syndrome is to medicate it and continually medicate to stem the Simpsons. This is not a temporary instance to cure the disease just a never ending cycle. It is my belief that not only is the medication over prescribed, but the alternative methods are to quickly overlooked. To clarify, I do not argue that the medication is uncalled for and should be removed. Only that everyone who has the condition should be
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) seems to be the affliction of this generation of children. It seems more prevalent every year. However, diagnosis criteria for ADHD is so subjective, what qualifies, who qualifies? There is no specific clinical cause for ADHD but it obviously exists. So many questions remain to be answered about ADHD. Are more children really being diagnosed with ADHD annually and is it really on the rise as it appears? Are too many children being wrongly diagnosed with ADHD as an easy way out because of other behavioral problems? And when ADHD is properly diagnosed are we overmedicating our children to make it easier for parents and teachers to cope? How often are other afflictions
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, is the lifespan neurodevelopment disorder, that symptomizes of inattentiveness, impulsiveness, forgetfulness, distractibility and hyperactivity and is highly heritable and this heritable disorder has been transition, or a process that events throughout the lifespan should not affected it, into adulthood (Swift, Sayal, & Hollis, (2014); Ertekin, et. al.,). Often, adults with ADHD also experience a negative effect on socio-personal adaptation (Miranda et al., 2014). Young adults with ADHD fall I not the category between Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, also known as CAMHS, and Adult Mental Health Service, or AMHS: it is possible that ADHD in adults is not recognizable
A study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health came to the conclusion that medication alone showed the most promising long-term effects for treatment of this disorder since it quickly took care of symptoms that behavioral therapy could not fix in the same amount of time if at all (“A.D.H.D. Experts Re-evaluate Study’s Zeal for Drugs.”). Even though there are those who abuse ADHD medication, taking away the medication would prove disastrous to those with the disorder because of how well the prescriptions do treat symptoms associated with ADHD. The disorder is real and many children do have ADHD and the need to treat it as a real disorder is further proven by what happens in the adult lives of some of these children with ADHD. According to Dr. William Barbaresi, the complications for children diagnosed with ADHD does not stop in childhood as previously thought but a new long-term study found that not only did 29% of those diagnosed with ADHD as children still had the disorder but that 57% of those with ADHD as children had other psychiatric disorders (Jaslow). So it is not only a disorder for children but adults as well along with being a good indicator that the person could have other psychiatric disorders later in life making it very important to diagnose and treat as a real disorder to discourage further complications. Many opinions from doctors and parents have been heard on this
I do not believe that a diagnosis of ADHD is a legitimate defense for criminal activity. However, I think it is important for law enforcement and judges to understand ADHD and consider the disorder when deciding on a punishment. In this paper I explain why I believe ADHD is not a legitimate defense, examine real-life criminal cases, and explain when I think ADHD is a valid reason for a lighter criminal sentence.
Without a doubt, the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD has become a massive debate across the United States. With the rising number of children being diagnosed and treated, unprecedented amounts of public attention have gone towards the illness. Without truly visible symptoms, the general public struggles to see the severity of the illness. The public worry, however, mostly deals with medical therapy. Drugs used to treat ADHD, such as Adderall, have become prevalent on college campuses across the nation for both those diagnosed and those not diagnosed with ADHD. However the main concern with the diagnosing and treatment is the inconsistency. Some states have percentages as low as 5.6% for number of children who have been diagnosed, while others are as high as 18.7%. The medical and behavioral therapy rates also differ by more than 10% between some states (“ADHD Throughout the Years”). Some sort of consistency is necessary in diagnosing and treating a relatively vague illness, and this sort of variance is frightening. Without any stability in these areas, the impression of ADHD becomes more and more unclear. As someone who has been diagnosed with ADHD, yet does not feel affected by the illness; I believe clarifying the mystery that is ADHD is enormously important and both the public perception and academic research play a role in this.
Public awareness of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) went from being under diagnosed to being over diagnosed. These days, teachers, counselors, and parents will diagnose a child with having ADHD disorder if he/she has disruptive behavior. Yet, the public does not know if ADHD is it an actual psychiatric disorder, a behavioral problem, or a school-based learning and interaction problem. Although it seems that ADHD is a socially constructed disorder rather than a valid neurobiological disorder, Pharmaceutical companies’ advertisements bombard the media convincing parents that medications are the best cure for their child to behave properly. Doctors, research organizations, and medical schools must continually
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is the most extensive studied peditric mental disorder. With the controversey and public debat surrounding the diagnosis and medical treatment use many parents of children dignosis have raised many questions and concerns with the over use of over prescribing stimulant medication.
Children with ADHD are prescribed antipsychotic drugs to help with their attention spans and overly hyper. Drug treatments can help kids deal with ADHD and keep them safe from injuries. Researchers have found fewer and less severe injuries in children with ADHD that are on the medicine. In fact, the number of emergency room visits by children with ADHD is nearly cut in half when using medications. ADHD can cause frustrations in the home and in school.
ADHD is a psychological disorder characterized difficulty sitting still, fidgetiness and trouble paying attention. ADHD is usually diagnosed in children while they are still in elementary school. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 11% of all kids in the US between the ages of 4 and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD. In recent years, the prevalence of children being diagnosed with ADHD was spiked tremendously. For example, the rates of diagnosis increased by almost 6% per year just from the years 2003-2007. Due to increases in diagnosis, many psychologists have began to question whether or not the increase in ADHD is a true epidemic, or whether it is simply being over diagnosed.
The goals and objectives of this webpage are to receive correct and accurate information as provided so people can research ADHD without any bias. The webpage also gives information to understand ADHD, statistics, as well as causes and risk factors for the disorder. The information you read on the webpage is very detailed. For instance over 6 million American school-aged children (which is 11 percent), have been diagnosed with ADHD (CDC, 2015). Another example provided is that ADHD has its core three primary symptom areas: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity (Everyday Health, 2015). None of the information you read in the article is biased even when the writer talks about the treatments for ADHD. The author states that ADHD can be well managed with therapy and perhaps some medications (Everyday Health,