I am writing a second draft for an essay about the use of psychostimulants. I would like anyones opinion on any aspect of ADHD and treatments. If anyone is interested in reading the essay, I would definitely like some feedback!
I am advocating the use of psychostimulants (as I have ADD and they help me a lot) but I want to hear anyones thoughts on why they don't think psychostimulants are a good option, as well as any questions you would have if you/your child recommended psychostimulants.
so to sum it up.
What do you think about ADHD
What do you want to know about ADHD
What do you think about psychostimulants (like adderall)?
What do you like about psychostimulants?
What do you dislike about psychostimulants?
What would you want to know before taking psychostimulants?
anything else you would like to comment on. The most thoughtful answer will get best answer and full stars, or the person that critiques my essay and/or thesis. ADHD seems too be a severely misunderstood condition in the USA. I live in another country and ADHD is well acceptedd here because it is diagned less often. In the USA it is diagnosed in about 7% of the popultion. people are sceptical of the condition because it seems like everyone is diagnosed with in.
In my country only around 2-3% of people are diagnosed which is similar to most other mental condditions and it is a lot more well accepted here.
Also here it is generally diagnosed with a brain scan instead of just by opinion. I don't understand why so many people have the misconcenption that there is no definative test for ADHD and no proof it doesnt exist. The technology to scan the brain for ADHD has existed for 2 decades.
Here we use brain scans to diagnose it and the difference between an ADHD brain and a non ADHD brain electrical activity is obvious in a frontal lobe scan. The difference is that in most modern countries of the world medical treatment is free. The government funds it.
In the USA it would be too expensive to use these tests to diagnose ADHD and as there are so many people being diagnosed waiting lists would be too long. It could take years to be diagnosed with that many people getting tested,.
Whats more many people dont like the tests. Because they are afraid it will come up negative. They like a subjective test where is no proof they are wrong. They dont want to find out there is really no ADHD present.
ADHD is a very real condition, anyone who doesn't believe so is niave because there is no part of the human body or brain that can't malfunction. If the eyes malfunction there is vision disorder no one denies that, if the ears malfunction there is deafness and no one denies that, if the part of the brain responsible for intelligence malfunction then there is intellectual imapirment and no one denies that. Any if the part of the brain responsible for self control malfunctions there is ADHD, why do people deny that. There is no reason to believe that the part of the brain responsible for self control is the only part of the human brain that can't malfunction. Anyone who does not belive in ADHD is claiming that part of the brain is magical because it would have to be to be exempt to the possibility of malfunction that afflicts every other part of the body.
However, I feel ADHD is severely over diagnosed in the USA. Think of it like height. Everyone is born with a different height some are tall and some are short. But they are all with in the realsm of normal. Then you have those who are extremes and are outside of what is normal and they may be dwarfs.
The same for ADHD, everyone has a different levcel of self control, activity and concentration. Some are higher than others but they are within the realms of normal most of the time. Only some are outside of the realms of normal and have a true severe disorder of the brain. The way it is done in the USA it seems like all the short people are being called dwarfs which is taking away from those who truly are dwarfs as all those who are still with in the realms of normal are being diagnosed with ADHD and it is taking away from those who truly suffer from the condition.
As for medication, to this day stimulants have been the most proven effective and safe treatment for ADHD. It is the most well researched form of treatment too and stimulants have been used to treat behaviour disorder since the 1930's.
As is proven in the brain scans ADHD is a medical condition with a physical cause, it needs a medical treatment. Denying medication to ADHD sufferers is a serious disservice. People claim that it isnt a life threatening condition. But it a quality of life threatening condition.
With out medication ADHD sufferers face school failure, constant trouble, school expulsion, inability to make and keep friends, an inability to enjoy leisure activities, inability to hold down a job. What kind of a life is that.
I have been on stimulant medication for 16 years, it has almost no side effects and has had no negative long term effects on my body. But the good it has done for me is amazing. Without stimulants I would have no job, no money and no ability to be independant. I would probably be in jail or in a mental hospital. But thanks to medication I have a real job and a real life. How is it fair to deny that to anyone. |
