Psychology And Medication : Are Children Being Misdiagnosed And Over Medicated

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 Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder that causes children to have problems with paying attention, trouble with following instructions, have impulsive behaviors and become easily distracted. Medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin, are used to treat the symptoms of this disorder by helping the patient to focus and pay attention while also curbing their impulsive behavior and hyperactivity. Side effects of these medications are, but not limited to, anxiety, addiction and in some cases psychosis. Proponents of giving ADHD medication to children argue that ADHD is a real disorder in children and the medication does improve the symptoms of the disorder by a large margin as well as being cost effective.

(Robinson. L, Smith. M, Segal. J, 2016) suggests that doing your research about medications and ADHD may help with making a decison. The article also says that ADHD medication may help concentration, following through with tasks, and controlling impulses. Medication may help treat some of the symptoms of ADHD but, that doesn't mean that the person with ADHD will still not suffer from emotional problems, forgetfullness, distractions, troubles with organization, and relationship problems. (Robinson. L, Smith. M, Segal. J, 2016,) says that's why it's important for other lifestyle changes such as exercise, healthy eating habits, and regular sleep. While medications help with many of the symptoms of ADHD/ADD they will not cure it. While the medication is being taken the symptoms may seem under control, but as soon as the meds go away, the symptoms will come back. Some medications work better for some then others. Each person responds differently to medications, such as their symptoms may differ from another person. When medications are administered, the individual should be monitored, in order for the medication to be most

I think that adhd is being overdiagnosed. Some of the cases that are not adhd can be hard to see because the diagnosis can be hard and some can almost be the same the same. In some cases there has been heart attacks,stroke, and even sudden death. It is being overdiagnosed big time . We need to stop it now so more people don’t die.

Living with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) can be complex and no two individuals are exactly alike. Symptoms and problems are often unique and may vary in type, number and intensity from person to person. (Akron General) Some indicators suggestive of ADD are: Being easily distracted, forgetting things, procrastination, difficulties making decisions, verbal impulsiveness, expressing thoughts in speech or in writing, having periods of depression or low self esteem, frequently late or rushed, reading comprehension or retention, emotionally sensitive, easily upset, low frustration tolerance, easily bored, impulsive spending, personal or family history of substance abuse, depression or anxiety, strong need to have things their way and a intense need for excitement.

Many drugs have been developed to treat ADD and ADHD. One of these drugs is Methylphenidate otherwise known as Ritalin. It is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for treatment of ADD and ADHD. Use of Ritalin is up 700 percent since 1990 (ABC News). Other drugs also used in treatment of ADD and ADHD include Zoloft, Praxil, and Cylert. Ritalin is a drug that is used to restore neurotransmitters in those that lack or have malfunctioning nerve impulses in the

“In adults, attention deficit disorder often looks quite different than it does in children—and its symptoms are unique for each individual” (Adult ADD / ADHD). If the patients take the responsibility to do the treatment for ADHD their symptoms can be their disorder less outwardly disruptive as an adult with ADHD. Even though it the ssymptoms of this disorder may have gotten better in a way they can still be a bit as troublesome. “If you are just discovering you have adult ADD/ADHD, chances are you’ve suffered over the years for the unrecognized problem. People may have labeled you “lazy” or “stupid” because of your forgetfulness or difficulty completing tasks, and you may have begun to think of yourself in these negative terms as well” (Adult ADD / ADHD). Many people who have ADHD, find living with it very frustrating, it’s as if they are living life under control. ADHD’s symptoms takes a piece of your life it leads to no self-hope and embarrassment, when people who live their life of embarrassment and worrying about their hyper activeness disorder have to show lots of work required for deadlines. “As the demands of school, social life and responsibilities in general increase in adolescence and the number of comorbid diagnoses increase (conduct disorder, anxiety, depression, and learning problems) healthcare professionals are

In fact, counseling is one recommended treatment of ADD/ADHD, and is recommended for children under the age of six as the first line of treatment by the American Academy of Pediatrics (Attention).Counseling helps children and adults learn useful tools and techniques to help them focus and pay attention. A therapist might help a child by teaching them how to decrease negative behavior, recognize when their symptoms are worse, and improve their social skills. Therapist do this by teaching the child to read facial expressions, how to share, and what responses work best against teasing (Johnson). Therapy also can give parents the skills and strategies to help their children manage their ADD/ADHD (Attention).

Children with ADHD/ADD may also be impulsive, have difficulty with self-control, and be hyperactive, but these are also symptoms of hundreds of other disorders. Children can behave as though they have ADHD/ADD, but not really have ADHD/ADD. People are too quick to say that lack of attention is a disorder. Having lack of attention could simply be caused by stress. Stress causes their minds to wander. Stress is commonly in every individual, so lack of attention does not necessarily mean that a child is ADHD/ADD. Generally, people are too quick to assume that their child or a child is ADHD/ADD based off of his/her bad behavior. Teachers and parents for example, too often parents are being intimidated and persuaded by schools/ teachers to have their child undergo a psychological evaluation because the child is highly energetic and lacks concentration (“ADD/ ADHD Misdiagnosis and Mistreatment”). Parents—not teachers—are the ones primarily pushing to have children assessed for attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (Samuels). Unfortunately, parents are often made to feel guilty if they to have their child evaluated (“ADD/ADHD Misdiagnosis and Mistreatment”). Doctors also are very quick to assume and will diagnose a child with ADHD/ADD. Before putting a medical diagnosis on children and prescribing medications to children, doctors should make sure and check that they have looked at all the possibilities before referring for medical evaluation.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could be a sensitive subject to discuss with a patient or a parent. The parents could easily be in denial and attempt to hide the problem. Diagnosing a child with ADHD is never easy, just like as difficult it is to talk about medication for ADHD. A parent would probably rather try different approaches to treat a child’s attention problem. In some cases, only medication could help a child with ADHD to live their life to their fullest. Medication could ensure the child excels in their education, in extracurricular activities and keeping a good relationship with their family and friends. Although medication could help, medications could also have possible negative side-effects. It is important to

When I was about 10, I was diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) which is a very common disorder in children. ADD is when an individual can’t stay focused for prolonged periods of time or caught of task easily. My case was relatively treated easily with a medication called Concerta. My case was very different, I never wanted to be on medication, however, everybody else believed I needed it.

Like diagnoses, treatment for ADD varies from author to author as well. Phelan believes unless there are contraindications for using stimulants, they should be tried for all ADD patients. The medication he has used is Ritalin, Dexedrine, Cylert, Tofranil, Norpramin, Clonidine, Tegretol, Lithium, and Mellaril. Ritalin, Dexedrine, and Cylert are all stimulants used to calm down patients in hopes to be more focused and more organized. Tofranil and Norpramin are antidepressants Phelan uses in most cases where stimulants are not successful, when the parent does not want to use stimulants, or when stimulant’s benefits do not last long and need to be prolonged with

For a child to be diagnosed for ADHD, the child or adult has to have the symptoms for 6 or more months before the doctor can diagnose the child or adult.Certain medicines can help people with ADHD by improving their focus and attention and reducing their impulsiveness and hyperactivity. Some of the medications are Adderall, Adderall XR, Concerta, DAytrana, Desoxyn, Dexedrine, Dextrostat, Focalin, Focalin XR, Metadate ER, Metadate CD, Methylin, Ritalin, Ritalin SR, Ritalin LA, Strattera, amd Vyvanse.

According to a clinical report from Systematic Reviews, “despite the extensive body of research into the epidemiology, pathophysiology and treatment of ADHD, less emphasis has been placed on methodologically sound comparative research questions evaluating and comparing different ADHD treatment options” (The Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Treatment). Because there is not enough research on how different treatments work compared to each other, it is hard to determine a perfect course of treatment for ADHD. Among psychiatric and pharmacological treatments, pharmacological treatment is the most commonly accepted method of treatment. Even though the use of psychoactive drugs is the most accepted method of treatment, “controversies and public debate over the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of ADHD continue to exist” (The Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Treatment). There is not sufficient evidence to show that medication will be more effective or useful for treatment of ADHD. Because there is not a large benefit to the use of medications, different approaches for treatment should be considered to avoid the substantial side effects that can result from the use of psychoactive

Medicine is a good way to help children with ADHD. Adding classroom interventions will greatly help the student with ADHD succeed. Stephen Brock states that students with ADHD have common issues, but instead of focusing on symptoms first educators should be focusing on behavioral issues (2002). These