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Research paper on ritalin
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For years, the topic of Ritalin, the use of the drug and its short and long term effects has been a controversial one. People who have Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have abnormally low amounts of the neurotransmitting chemical Dopamine in their brains. This chemical plays an important role in the brain as it helps with signal transmission between the neurons. ADHD sufferers have difficulty concentrating and learning, they find it difficult to sit still and are often overly energetic. They get distracted very easily and struggle to focus and complete a task at hand. Ritalin helps reduce these symptoms as it stimulates the production of more dopamine in the brain. This gives for better signal transmission which in turn benefits …show more content…
Other drugs used for the treatment of ADHD include; Concerta, Focalin, Adderall and Methylin. These are all stimulants that treat the symptoms of ADHD in very similar ways. I will be focusing specifically on Ritalin and its effects on children with ADHD and whether it increases ones risk of future drug abuse. The reason for my interest in the topic of Ritalin is that I have been in close contact with many people who use the stimulant and I have seen its good and bad effects. I have a younger sister who takes Ritalin to help control the symptoms of ADHD and I was curious to see whether the drug was good for her or if the effects of it would cause her harm or put her at risk of developing bad habits later in her life. I will be analyzing what ADHD is and how the disorder affects people and what medical measures one can take to control the disorder’s symptoms. I will research how Ritalin affects the body to control ADHD symptoms and what the positive and negative effects of the stimulant are. Focusing on the effects Ritalin has, I will be researching whether those who use the stimulant are at greater risk of developing future drug abuse …show more content…
It does not have any information about the risk of future drug abuse for people who use the stimulants correctly. This can be seen as a limitation as the sample group of people using the drug correctly has been left out. 3. Methodology The information in this research task consists of secondary research and findings. Secondary research is research that has been obtained by using the findings of others that has been published for the public to use and gain knowledge from. My research consists purely of secondary research as I found the information on the internet on online journals and in reports on experiments that have been conducted to determine the future effects of Ritalin and their link with drug abuse. 4. Process of findings To fully understand the effects of Ritalin on ADHD children and what ADHD and Ritalin are, one must first research what the disorder is and how the stimulant affects the user, what the pros and cons of the drug are and how reliable the drug actually is. Research has been conducted on the stimulant and whether the proper use of the stimulant increase the risk of future drug abuse problems in the
ADHD is believed to be caused by abnormalities in the dopamine neurotransmitters in the brain (Berne 4). The symptoms of ADHD include inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity that are inappropriate for a person's age level. In other words, the patient’s brain is like a light constantly going off and on at the worst possible times. Although there is no cure for ADHD, treatment can help control symptoms. Stimulant therapy is the most commonly used type of treatment. These drugs improve ADHD symptoms in 70 percent of adults and 70-80 percent of children shortly after starting treatment (ADHD 3). Adderall RX, or its formal name of Methylphenidate, is the most common form of treatment for ADHD. In an article by Dr. Phillip W. Long, he states that, “The mode of action in man is not completely understood, but meth...
Basically, serotonin levels will provide various benefits regarded to health and mental. It is also called feel good chemical which will apply benefits to both biological and psychological functions. Most of this supplement’s application is found primarily in digestive tract and blood plates. Only small amount of this supplement will be served for its purpose in central nervous systems and brains. If users says that they are in way to achieve serotonin levels, then it is clearly understood that the small percentage will exists in the brain. It is capable of delivering various benefits regarding to mental function and maintenance of serotonin levels of the brain. The neurotransmitter has various things to do
As stated previously, medication is the most common option that parents choose for their children. The most common prescriptions are Dexedrine, Cylert, Ritalin, and Adderall. Medication is highly effective. For around 75%-90% of prescribed patients, these work to solve their issues. This is a definite advantage to taking medication is that it is almost guaranteed to work. There are drawbacks to taking medication however; the trial-and-error process, cost of medication, and the side effects that can come with medication. As with any brain chemical medication, there comes a trial-and-error process to determine the right balance and the right amount to really curb the symptoms that come with. Just like any medication that people need to operate, the cost does add up whereas with behavioral therapy, there is no medication to buy and thus no costs. Lastly, there are side effects that come with ADHD. These can be insomnia, nervousness, headaches, and weight loss. Despite all these drawbacks, medication is the fastest and most effective way to treat ADHD (“Identifying and Treating Attention Deficit
A central nervous system (CNS) stimulant, methylphenidate—more commonly known as Ritalin—is drug prescribed in the treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) ((1)). AD/HD, by definition, is "developmentally inappropriate behavior, including poor attention skills, impulsivity, and hyperactivity" sustained for more than 6 months, appearing usually during childhood2 ((2)). Figures estimate an approximate 3-5% of children are affected by the disorder. Differing views, however, exist about the legitimacy of the majority of these diagnoses. In light of this, the object of this assessment is to examine the bodily and societal implications of methylphenidate.
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...
...disease so the active children can take a pill. Ritalin is given to children so the parents can handle their over-committed lives. Ritalin is given to children so teachers can better manage their overcrowded classrooms. Ritalin is given to children by doctors to pacify screaming parents who are convinced there is something wrong with their energetic kids. Ritalin is for the adults medicating themselves through their children. Ritalin is given to the wrong patient.
Few deny either that we’re a quick-fix culture, and if you give us a feel-good answer to a complicated problem, we’ll use it with little thought of long term consequences (Kluger). Ritalin and Concerta are just two of the drugs used to help children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). While Seroquel and Lithium are two drugs of many to help with Bipolar Disorder, and Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil are some of the drugs that can be prescribed for Depression. All these drugs can be useful as a temporary solution, but they will have many side-effects which could harm the child.
Nine percent of children between the ages of five and seventeen are diagnosed with ADHD in the United States (CDC). About 3 million kids that are on ADHD medication are prescribed Ritalin or Adderall. Most people and psychologists see ADHD as a true disorder, then theres those who think the complete opposite. Are children being overmedicated and over-diagnosed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Some medications are not always the answer.
The most popular use of Ritalin is in the treatment of Attention-deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which can affect children as well as adults. It is usually noticeable and brought to light when a child starts school, although it can be diagnosed earlier than this. ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed psychological disorders in children and the causes of it are still unknown. “It affects about 6–7% of children when diagnosed via the DSM-IV criteria” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder The symptoms of attention-deficient hyperactivity vary, but the most noticeable symptoms are when a person has a hard time focusing, keeping to themselves, talking excessively, and blurting out without thinking. They are often impulsive and do not think about the consequences that their behavior has. Medication is not the only form of treatment for ADHD, but it is the fastest acting treatment. “So while medication may help with some immediate relief from some of the symptoms, the person with attention deficit disorder still often needs to learn the skills needed to be successful while l...
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...
Kelland, Kate. "Children with ADHD say stimulant drugs help them: study." Huffington Post. 10 14 2012: n. page. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
...s is being pinpointed as the cause of the link that exists between ADHD and substance abuse. Similarly, the drugs that are used in treating ADHD link them with the usage of drug abuse. Depression as a result of ADHD causes people to abuse drugs and bury their miseries in these drugs without knowing how detrimental they may be (Millichap, 2009). The only way forward to prevent such abuses is to avoid depression which will also lead to lower chances of developing drug or alcohol abuse.
Some of the side effect of ADHD medication far outweighs any benefits they have. from the New York post Article “ADHD does not exist” (2014). The problem with prescribing ADHD medication is that patient usually take for year and years leading to these short term side effect like, difficulty sleeping at night, moods swings and increased level of stress. Also, some of long time term side effect hey are, gaining weight or loosing weight, difficulty concentrating and dependence on these meds NY Post ADHD Does not Exist (2014). Finally from the Health central website an article by Joe Martino, talks about how the founder of ADHD Leon Eisenberg created this disorder to benefit from it and adds that “ ADHD is fraud intended to justify starting children on a life of drug addiction
Next you can decide if you want to take medication such Ritalin and deal with the side effects like vomiting, mood swings, dizziness and headaches. Or you can try an alternative route and enter a program like Handle that helps you control your ADHD. The medication doesn't work for everyone and it can cause side effects. Some people find that attending an ADHD program is not enough for them and medication is necessary.