Stimulant medication could be the miracle drug, or the most harmful thing to hit the younger generations. Medications such as Adderall and Ritalin are playing a prominent role in many adolescents’ lives, or the lives of people close to them. There is an “underground market” for medications like these, and the market is growing quickly. Whether just to make sure they pass that next test, or if they really believe they need it, stimulants’ popularity is soaring, and not just among adolescents but doctors as well. Stimulant medication / therapy is being prescribed at a growing rate, leading to many cases of misuse and diversion that can severely affect the users entire life, and play a very unclear part in any other substance abuse they engage in later in life. ADHD is quickly becoming one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders, and the rate seems to continue increasing as more information on it becomes available. Then again ADHD has a fairly wide range of functions it can affect. While the disorder, for children anyway, can be simplified down to hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, those three symptoms can affect “cognitive, academic, behavioral, emotional, and social functioning,” quickly becoming a major problem. Over the years, a complex diagnostic process has been developed specifically for children. “For children <17 years, the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition) diagnosis of ADHD requires ≥6 symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity or ≥6 symptoms of inattention. For adolescents ≥17 years and adults, ≥5 symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity or ≥5 symptoms of inattention are required.” In addition to those exact requirements, in order to even be considered symptoms they ha... ... middle of paper ... .... New York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print. Wilens, Timothy E., MD, Lenard A. Adler, MD, Jill Adams, PhD, Stephanie Sgambati, MA, John Rotrosen, MD, Robert Sawtelle, BA, Linsey Utzinger, BA, and Steven Fusillo, BS. "Misuse and Diversion of Stimulants Prescribed for ADHD: A Systematic Review of Literature." Jaacap.com. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Jan. 2008. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. Wilens, Timothy E., MD, Stephen V. Faraone, PhD, Joseph Biederman, MD, and Samantha Gunawardene, BS. "Does Stimulant Therapy of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Beget Later Substance Abuse? A Meta-analytic Review of the Literature." Does Stimulant Therapy of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Beget Later Substance Abuse? A Meta-analytic Review of the Literature. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 18 June 2002. Web. 09 Dec. 2013.
Like Jason, more and more children are being diagnosed with ADHD or its less hyperactive cousin, attention deficit disorder (ADD). And, correspondingly, during the past decade the production of stimulants used to treat ADD has risen dramatically, (see Graph 1.). However, an increasing number of parents, doctors, and public health officials are becoming alarmed about the jump in the use of Ritalin and amphetamines to treat ADD. In the last year, at least three prestigious medical journals published articles examining whether the condition is being overdiagnosed and American children are being drugged unnecessarily, (N...
One of the main treatments for ADHD is the use of medication. Primarily the main medication used is stimulants such as amphetamines. Amphetamines have been used in this treatment due to its effects of reducing the symptoms of ADHD such as behavior and irritability (Hodgkins, Shaw, McCarthy, Sallee, 2012). A major concern though with the use of amphetamines is...
Like Brown, Smith had never taken these prescriptions commonly called “study drugs” before coming to college. Smith cites increasing academic pressure as a reason for using the pills to focus and gain an edge. Both Brown and Smith receive free pills from their friends who have prescriptions but they would expect to pay $2-$5 a pill if they had to. In 2000 , NIDA’s Community Epidemiology Work Group found the abuse of methylphenidate (Ritalin) in Boston to be prevalent amongst middle and high school students; especially in middle- and upper-middle class communities.
The use of psychotropic medication in children and adolescents dates back to 1937 when Charles Bradley conducted a study by prescribing the stimulant amphetamine sulphate (Benzedrine) to modify the behavior of children with severe behavioral disturbance. (Adams, 1991) Since these studies were conducted, more and more children and adolescents have been prescribed stimulants, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers for various mental disorders, such as: depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The potential side effects that happen to children taking these medications can include: fainting, blurred vision, vomiting, extreme weight gain, and even death ("Seroquel information,” n.d.).
"Communication about an Ongoing Safety Review of Stimulant Medications Used in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)." U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page. 20 Apr. 2011. Web. 28 Aug. 2011. .
Kelland, Kate. "Children with ADHD say stimulant drugs help them: study." Huffington Post. 10 14 2012: n. page. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
A diagnosis found that out of the 15 percent of high-school age children who take ADHD pills, the true rate of children needing to be medicated is closer to 5 percent. This over-diagnosis and prescription is a direct result of intense, multi-million dollar marketing campaigns of ADHD medication by the drug makers, through celebrity ads as well print and television ads that prompt patients and their families to ask doctors about those specific drugs. And the tactic has paid off, with a quintupling of stimulant sales since 2002, to over $8 billion in revenues.
Stimulant drugs are widely used to treat the symptoms of ADHD. These stimulants dramatically reduce the hyperactivity of sufferers and improve their ability to focus, learn and work. Such medication may also improve physical coordination, for instance handwriting and sports. Research completed by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggests that these medicines may also help children with an accompanying conduct disorder to control their impulsive, destructive behaviours. The three medications that have been proven by the NIMH to be most effective in both children and adults suffering from ADHD are: methylphenidate (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine or Dextrostat), and pemoline (Cylert). (NIMH 1999) Yet there is currently much research on the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, such as t...
U.S. Heath News reported (2013) that 6.4 million children ages 4 to 17 have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Since 2007, the utilization of stimulant medication to treat ADHD has jumped 11% nationally as a whole. It was also reported that the U.S. spends more on prescription drugs to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder than it does for all but six other medical conditions (U.S. News Health, 2013). The number of ADHD diagnosed teens prescribed stimulants, such as Ritalin and Adderall, will be increasing over time as the new guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics now recognizes physicians prescribing ADHD stimulant medications to childre...
Ritalin has become the most prescribed drug for people with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). An abundance of media coverage brought Ritalin to the attention of parents, educat...
Jensen, Peter S. Lori Kettle, Margret T Roper. "Are Stimulants Overprescribed? Treatment of ADHD in Four U.S. Communitites." Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology. 38 7 (1999): 797-804.
“Teens Abusing and Selling Ritalin for High.” ABC News. ABC News Internet Ventures. 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 6 March 2014.
Sinha,, G. (2001, June). New evidence about Ritalin: What every parent should know. Popular Science, 48-52.
The purpose of this research was to describe and understand Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the most effective treatment options that are available today. ADHD is a mental health disorder that affects 3-9% of the population in ways that, if left untreated, can wreak havoc on the mind of the sufferer. It makes concentration difficult, large tasks seem insurmountable, and causes impulsive and hyperactive tendencies. Fortunately, research and experiments have led to new and effective treatments to help those who suffer from this disorder (Dupaul 8). This research examined journal articles and internet sources on the topic to help unlock the complexities of the disorder through scientific research. It also was a way to separate the myths of the disorder from the truths, while discovering the causes, diagnosis methods, and best treatment alternatives to battle this prevalent disorder.
Wigal, Sharon B. "Efficacy and Safety Limitations of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Pharmacotherapy in Children and Adults." CNS Drugs 23.(2009): 21-31. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 27 Mar. 2011. Helmke Library, Fort Wayne IN.