Introduction The number of individuals diagnosed for one or more mental disorders and consequently treated with a corresponding drug has significantly increased the past several years. The following statistics displaying this are shocking: * 8.5 million people are prescribed Effexor, an anti-depressant every year (Harris, 2004). * More than 1 million children and teenagers are taking drugs for some form of mental disorder (Elias, 2004). * There are close to 2 million cases each year of drug complications that result in 180,000 deaths or life-threatening illnesses in the eldery (Langreth, 2004). These alarming figures call us to question the causes behind this influx of diagnosed mental disorders as well as the consequential drug prescription as a solution. When asked to discuss the ethics of the mental pursuit of perfection, there are several different aspects to consider. The main ethical issues raised lie in the prescription of drugs to children and the over prescription of drugs. In addition, I will discuss who and what are responsible for our culture’s desire to “quick fix” every definable problem with some type of drug, be it prescribed, non-prescribed, or self-prescribed. Mental Disorders in Children When one thinks about mental disorders in respect to children, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) immediately comes to mind. Defined now as “children who are excessively active, are unable to sustain their attention, and are deficient in their impulse control to a degree that is deviant for their developmental level” (Loewenton, 2002), ADHD now affects up to 5% of schoolchildren and continues in roughly 60% of those youths as they age (Henderson, 2004). There are many different opinions re... ... middle of paper ... ...ago Press, 2002. Langreth, Robert. “Just Say No!” Forbes. 29 November, 2004. pgs. 103-112 Loewenton, Ed. “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.” Turner toys. 4 October 2004. . Merrow, John. “Attention Deficit Disorder-A Dubious Diagnosis?” The Merrow Report. 4 October.< http://www.pbs.org/merrow/tv/add/chadd.html>. Moore, Thomas. “No prescription for happiness.” Boston Globe 17 October 1999. . USA Today. “FDA cites possible suicide link between children, Paxil.” USA Today. 19 June, 2003. . Zernike, Kate and Melody Petersen. “Schools’ Backing of Behavior Drugs Comes Under Fire.” New York Times: 18 August 2004. .
At least one in four families in the U.S. is affected by mental illnesses. Unfortunately there is no cure for this range of illnesses, which have been around for thousands of years. Of the American adult population, 5.4 percent have a serious mental illness. These health conditions are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, behavior, or some combination of these. They are also associated with distress and sometimes impaired functioning. In 1990 the total cost of mental health services in the U.S. was $148 billion. According to a new report by the Mental Health Foundation, one in five children suffer from a mental health problem. Attention deficit hyperactive disorder is a mental illness that is diagnosed mainly in young children and doesn’t always disappear in adulthood.” All we know is that this genetic, inherited condition [ADHD] is not due to brain damage at all but rather a variation in how the brain functions.” Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) includes symptoms and characteristics that can be placed in one of three categories: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. These characteristics commonly leave a person with ADHD with lack of attention span, easily distracted, fidgety, struggling to stay seated, having trouble engaging in calm activities, impatient, and talking excessively or out of turn. A new study by researchers says that hyperactive children have behavioral differences due to under active parts of their brain, a biological malfunction, rather than due to way they were brought up. This was revealed by a magnetic scanning device that allowed researchers to look at the brains of children diagnosed with ADHD. These studies and statistics reinforce the claim that mental illnesses are not invented simply to justify drugging of children and a disease that needs be educated to the public for better understanding. Rather, ADHD is an illness that affects many people throughout their lives. This topic is often misunderstood by the public. The media and medical community need to educate the positive side of this controversy and not just show the opposing view, which often times misrepresented by the media.
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 ...
FDA research has shown that tricyclic antidepressants such as Paxil can actually increase the severity of depression and suicidal behavior in teens and young adults. In the shocking expose “Treating the Mentally Ill,” medical journalist Rob Waters warns “Antidepressants including Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, and Effexor have provoked hostile behavior and thoughts about suicide in a number of teenagers who have been prescribed the drugs. Some of th...
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)
Whitaker, Leighton C. "Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America." Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry 13.2 (2011): 169-71. Print.
“Teens Abusing and Selling Ritalin for High.” ABC News. ABC News Internet Ventures. 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 6 March 2014.
The European Union (EU) is fundamentally democratic and is evident through its institutions, however, the current democratic electoral structure is of great concern. The EU is a new type of political system, often referred to as a sui generis, implying its uniqueness as there exists and a non comparable political body. The EU can neither regarded as a ‘state’ nor as an ‘international institution’ as it combines supranational as well as intergovernmental characteristics (Hix, 1999, p7). In this regard it has developed its own understandings of what democracy is. It is evident that the development of and spread of democracy is a central concept and foundation to all politics within the EU, and remains focuses on makings its governing institutions “more transparent and democracy”. The recent Eurozone crisis, it’s associated anti-crisis measures and the recent enlargement of EU have however re-invigorated debate about the EUs democratic legitimacy. At the heart of the debate are discussions not about whether the EU is an all-encompassing democratic institution but rather what are ‘democratic deficits’ or the democratic shortcomings that exist within this powerful economic and political union. Underpinning these divisions as Schmitter argues, are different understandings of what democracy is in the modern context and more specifically in the unique context of the EU. This essay will argue that the EU presents a unique type of political system that is fundamentally democratic, however, there are democratic shortcomings within its procedural and institutional structure.
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.
The common knowledge is that majority of the mass shooters have been found to have severe mental illness that could have received treatment for their participation in the shooting. The fact that the access to most of these mental treatment facilities is available to those people with money leaves those without the money to access to the medical treatment a security risk. I this case the combination of an assortment of factors are making the young people helpless in the society whose chief drive is seeking money. The rising cases of drug abuse such as the use of Xanax as well as other antipsychotic and mood altering prescription drugs are inflating the problem of drug abuse. The 1980s saw the use of these drugs become popular in the society and consequently resulted in the rise of the horrific shooting incidences (Grier, 2014). Additionally, it has been found that almost every other shooter has been found to have been using a certain type of these prescription
Bernstein reflects upon parents are often stressed about their children consuming alcohol and marijuana while they are attending school, at a party or sleeping over a friend’s house for the night. That being the case, there is a now a new issue to worry about as well, their own medicine cabinet. Under those circumstances, the article goes on to state; a trend of the abuse of prescription drugs among adolescents rage from, attention-deficit drugs such as Ritalin, Adderall (used to improve concentration or weight loss), painkillers such as OxyContin, Vicodin along with Percocet (Bernstein,
Drugs cause an overall disturbance in a subjects’ physiological, psychological and emotional health. “At the individual level, drug abuse creates health hazards for the user, affecting the educational and general development of youths in particular” (“Fresh Challenge”). In youth specifically, drug abuse can be triggered by factors such as: a parent’s abusive behavior, poor social skills, family history of alcoholism or substance abuse, the divorce of parents or guardians, poverty, the death of a loved one, or even because they are being bullied at school (“Drugs, brains, and behavior”) .
In today’s society there are issues brought up daily on the news about political regimes and debates, however a much more debilitating issue is . Children, as young as two years old are being put on drugs that are stated “more addictive than cocaine”. Instead of gummy vitamins 7 million kids are given a prescription drugs before they go to school. Seven million kids are being handed a drug that’s “more addictive than cocaine” everyday! As the child grows with the medication, they are faced with an even bigger problem than originally. Any anti-psychotic, anti-depressant, anti-anxiety and/or stimulant given to an adolescent under the age eighteen, puts the child at great health risk. Yet, the government, doctors and schools continue
Among teens in the United States, some of the most commonly abused drugs are prescription drugs.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder commonly diagnosed in children, hindering an individual's ability to attend to responsibilities, capability to control one's behavior, and interferes with the ability to regulate one's activity level. First described by Heinrich Hoffman, a German physicist, to the public in 1845, ADHD plagued families for many years prior to its recognition as a disorder. The actual terminology of ‘ADHD’ was not officially familiar until 1902, when British pediatrician, Sir George Still, described “an abnormal defect of moral control in children” based off of his observations in the inability of “mentally retarded” children to control their behavior the way typical children would. But even with its broadcasting, it took the world of science many years to understand and accept it as...
George, S. and Bache, I. 2001.Politics In the European Union. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.