Psychiatrists and pharmaceutical relationship has come under scrutiny in recent years over the selling of ADHD drugs. Psychiatrists, and medical schools primary focus while researching and treating patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) should be the care of the patient. However, when interactions exist between physicians and pharmaceuticals, a conflict of interest is present and must be recognized and managed to avoid any harm to patient care. The rise in ADHD diagnosis and its treatment with psychotropic shows that there are conflicts of interest between physicians' commitment to patient care and the desire of pharmaceutical companies to sell their products. The aim of this paper is to examine the conflicts of interest between drug companies, psychiatrists and medical researchers in the diagnosis, advertising and prescription of ADHD and other psychotropic drugs. ADHD became a popular diagnosis ADHD in the 1980s when pharmaceutical companies began to publicize the syndrome and promote the medicine to doctors, educators and parents. Presently The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders characterizes people with ADHD by “persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed”(DSM-IV 2013). Symptoms include excessive talking, fidgeting, or squirming, often losing things, difficulty remaining seated, playing quietly, or sustaining attention. (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) In recent years, the diagnosis of ADHD has become common and about half the children diagnosed with ADHD will continue to show symptoms as adults. Although there is not a single test tha... ... middle of paper ... ... York Times, 14 Dec. 2013. Web. 06 Apr. 2014. • "The Prevalence and Correlates of Adult ADHD in the United States: Results From the National Comorbidity Survey Replication." The American Journal of Psychiatry. N.p., 01 Apr. 2006. Web. 06 Apr. 2014. . • Trudo, Hanna. "Dollars for Docs: The Top Earners." Propublica: Journalism in the Public Interest. N.p., 12 Mar. 2013. Web. 06 Apr. 2014. . • Wild, Whitney. "Adderall Use Rising among College Students." ABC 7 News - WJLA. N.p., 22 Nov. 2013. Web. 06 Apr. 2014. • Wilson, Duff. "Side Effects May Include Lawsuits." The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 Oct. 2010. Web. 06 Apr. 2014. • "15 Scary Facts About Adderall Abuse." MedicalBillingAndCoding.org. N.p., 26 July 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2014.
But Brown is not part of this 3-5% of the population. For Brown and others without the disorder, ADHD medications increase dopamine levels in the brain, giving the user a sense of euphoria similar to cocaine. Students at Northeastern University as well as other campuses are consuming these drugs for better academic performance and a cheap high on the college party scene. Students are taking Ritalin, Addrall, and the newest drug on the market, Conserta, either orally or crushing and snorting them to study, party, or lose weight. In some cases, kids are melting them down and shooting them up. According to Northeastern students, the drugs are very cheap and very accessible.
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.).
ADHD is an exceedingly real diagnosis for many children in the United States. Are we over diagnosing our little ones just to keep from dealing with unpleasant behavior? “ On average 1 of every 10 to 15 children in the United States has been diagnosed with the disorder, and 1 in every 20 to 25 uses a stimulant medication” (Mayes, Bagwell, & Erkulwater, 2008). Several believe that virtually all ADHD diagnoses are retractable with appropriate discipline of children instead of being so hasty in medicating them. The material found on the CDC website describes facts about ADHD, it clarifies the signs, symptoms, types, causes, diagnosis tools, and treatment forms of ADHD. What the article neglects to go into is the reality that there is a considerable amount of controversy surrounding ADHD. The CDCs usage of ethos, pathos, and logos and by what method the website manipulates them to affect the reader will be the basis of this paper.
ADHD is a disorder that has been on the rise for several years now. The disorder is one that can cause many impairments to a child’s attention span, making it difficult to concentrate and to keep on task, especially on schoolwork. (Graham, 2007) The statistics have been growing ...
Stolzer, PhD, J. M. (2007). The ADHD Epidemic in America. Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 9, 109-116.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), once called hyperkinesis or minimal brain dysfunction, is one of the most common mental disorders among children. (Elia, Ambrosini, Rapoport, 1999) It affects 3 to 5 percent of all children, with approximately 60% to 80% of these children experiencing persistence of symptoms into adolescence and adulthood, causing a lifetime of frustrated dreams and emotional pain. There are two types of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: an inattentive type and a combined type. The symptoms of ADHD can be classified into three categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This behaviour stops ADHD sufferers from focussing deliberately on organising and completing a specific task that they may not enjoy, learning new skills or information is proved to be impossible. An example of such behaviour is recognised by the report written by the National Institute of Mental Health where one of the subjects under study was unable to pass schooling examinations due to her inattentive behaviour. Such behaviour can damage the person's relationships with others in addition to disrupting their daily life, consuming energy, and diminishing self-esteem. (National Institute of Mental Health 1999) There are also secondary symptoms which are associated with ADHD, such as learning disorders, anxiety, depression and other mood disorders, tic disorders, and conduct disorders. (Spencer, Biederman, and Wilens 1999 in Monastra V, Monastra D, George, 2002)
Typical ADHD drug overdoses lead to an estimated 3,000 Emergency Room visits each year (Vinerd. 2006). In 2010 alone, there were 17, 000 human exposures to ADHD medications. This number is just what was reported to the Poison Control Center. Eighty percent of these overdoses occurred in kids younger than 19 years old. The other twenty percent of the overdoses occurred in adults (Stiller, 2013).This leads to the number one question: Who is to blame for these overdoes? Do we blame the doctors prescribing the medications or do we blame society?
U.S. News Health – Health Day (Nov 22, 2013), 1 in 10 U.S. Children Now Has ADHD, CDC Says, Retrieved from http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/11/22/1-in-10-us-children-now-has-adhd-cdc-says
Mercola, Dr. "As Bad as Cocaine and Amphetamines - Will Authorities Now Force This Drug on Your Child?" 18 January 2008. Mercola. Web. 12 December 2013.
Koerth-Baker, Maggie. “The Not So-Hidden Cause Behind the ADHD Epidemic.” New York Times, New York Times Company. 15 Oct 2013. Web. 21 April 2014.
It is important to understand what ADHD is. ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder that was originally thought to be a form of "minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) (D’Alonzo 88)," however, it is no longer recognized as a form of MBD. "Along with these changes in classification, investigators identified behaviors related to ADHD: hyperactivity, restlessness, impulsivity, aggression, distractibility, and short attention span. These symptoms formed the three behavioral constructs inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity described by the American Psychiatric Association (D’Alonzo 88)." In both the professional and lay media ADHD is routinely referred to as a neurological disorder, while most experts agree that genetic-biochemical factors influence behavior somewhat, the general public tends to view this as biologically unco...
Sharpe, Katherine. “Medication: The Smart-pill Oversell.” Nature: International Weekly Journal of Science. Nature Publishing Group. 12 Feb. 2014. Web. 7 March 2014.
Children today seem to be plagued with a chronic psychiatric condition called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as ADHD. Estimates suggest that this disorder is affecting 3% to 5% of the children in this country (Bussing 233). In the United States this means reference is being made to nearly 5 million ADHD children. ADHD isn¡¦t just some convenient or fancy term for what parents would call a child who misbehaves. This condition, recognized in previous years as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Minimal Brain Dysfunction, Minimal Brain Damage, Hyperkinesis and Hyperactivity, is a serious medical condition that is thought to cause inappr...
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.
According to Maria Basile, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is classified as a disruptive behavior disorder characterized by ongoing difficulty with attention span, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. She points out that many children have challenged themselves to keep the disorder under control. She also shows that the children can be over-active or impulsive. Their development is not equal to an average child. Numerous of researches have been constructed in order to determine the percentage of children that posse ADHD. Basile shows statistics that reveal the percentage of the children who have ADHD, “The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that 3% to 5% of children have ADHD. Some experts, though, say ADHD may occur in 8% to 10% of school age children” (Basi...