j.nudd Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Worldwide use of ADHD drugs nearly triplesWASHINGTON - The use of drugs to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, has more than tripled worldwide since 1993, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday. And spending on such drugs rose ninefold between 1993 and 2003, the team at the University of California, Berkeley reported. "ADHD could become the leading childhood disorder treated with medications across the globe," Richard Scheffler, an expert in health economics and public policy who led the study, said in a statement. Full Article This is just ridiculous. I firmly believe that ADHD (or just ADD) is not actually a disorder at all and that the behaviors inherent with the disease are consistent with bad parenting. ADHD just means that you haven't been taught how to properly concentrate on something. I see kids at my mom's school where she teaches hit people, throw things, tap on their desks during class and blame it all on ADHD, and they "just can't help it." Kids can sit in front of a video game and concentrate on mastering Guitar Hero, but when they have homework, they just can't concentrate. There isn't a single objective test to prove the existence, let alone diagnose this "disorder." I don't understand how we continue to give drugs to innumerable children for a disorder we can't even prove exists! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clirion Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 This is just ridiculous. I firmly believe that ADHD (or just ADD) is not actually a disorder at all and that the behaviors inherent with the disease are consistent with bad parenting. ADHD just means that you haven't been taught how to properly concentrate on something. I see kids at my mom's school where she teaches hit people, throw things, tap on their desks during class and blame it all on ADHD, and they "just can't help it." Kids can sit in front of a video game and concentrate on mastering Guitar Hero, but when they have homework, they just can't concentrate. There isn't a single objective test to prove the existence, let alone diagnose this "disorder." I don't understand how we continue to give drugs to innumerable children for a disorder we can't even prove exists! Ummm does that mean all the testing that bought my son to an ADHD diagnosis was invalid? Why does my daughter not have the same problem? Sorry to burst your bubble, but it is real. I am not going to say every diagonis in this article is valid, and I am not going to say everyone that causes the problem at your mothers school is ADHD and you should just let it go. But, the disease is valid and there are objective tests to prove it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Veteran Posted March 8, 2007 Veteran Share Posted March 8, 2007 This is just ridiculous. I firmly believe that ADHD (or just ADD) is not actually a disorder at all and that the behaviors inherent with the disease are consistent with bad parenting. ADHD just means that you haven't been taught how to properly concentrate on something. I see kids at my mom's school where she teaches hit people, throw things, tap on their desks during class and blame it all on ADHD, and they "just can't help it." Kids can sit in front of a video game and concentrate on mastering Guitar Hero, but when they have homework, they just can't concentrate. There isn't a single objective test to prove the existence, let alone diagnose this "disorder." I don't understand how we continue to give drugs to innumerable children for a disorder we can't even prove exists! If you can show 10 research articles to support that I'll show you 100 that say otherwise. No objective test? http://www.division42.org/MembersArea/IPfi...sessofADHD.html Ummm does that mean all the testing that bought my son to an ADHD diagnosis was invalid? Why does my daughter not have the same problem? Sorry to burst your bubble, but it is real. I am not going to say every diagonis in this article is valid, and I am not going to say everyone that causes the problem at your mothers school is ADHD and you should just let it go. But, the disease is valid and there are objective tests to prove it. I spent 10 years administering psychological tests for kids and adults. AD/HD is a grossly overdiagnosed disorder, I'll agree to that. But I have seen way too many exmples of kids who are not lacking in poroper parenting who still have difficulty focusing and filtering out extraneous stimuli. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.nudd Posted March 8, 2007 Author Share Posted March 8, 2007 To be honest, I was probably very harsh. I'm just frustrated that we continue worrying about giving antibiotics to children too much because they'll become immune to the positive effects of the antibiotics (I'm not saying this practice is bad), but we continue to over-medicate and over-diagnose a disorder which, if it truly exists, could possibly be treated without medication. Not to mention the fact that kids continue to use this disorder as a way to get what they want. I guess I'm sick of manipulative kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Veteran Posted March 8, 2007 Veteran Share Posted March 8, 2007 To be honest, I was probably very harsh. I'm just frustrated that we continue worrying about giving antibiotics to children too much because they'll become immune to the positive effects of the antibiotics (I'm not saying this practice is bad), but we continue to over-medicate and over-diagnose a disorder which, if it truly exists, could possibly be treated without medication. Not to mention the fact that kids continue to use this disorder as a way to get what they want. I guess I'm sick of manipulative kids. No sweat, as I said I think it is over/misdiagnosed and has become a safety net diagnosis for bad parenting. When I would see a kid that was twitching in his seat, trying to look at me while I'm talking, but keeps darting his eyes left and right to see the screensaver on my monitor or at the photos behind me, all they while trying to do what I say - then I was pretty sure I was looking at a "real" AD/HD kid. Now, when I would go into the waiting room and see Johnny jumping off my waiting room chairs running around the waiting room while momma thumbed through a magazine - to me the evaluation was over. I could tell right there that it was a parenting issue. It is a real condition, but there are too many out there carrying the diagnosis that do not have the disorder and they are diluting the meaning of the diagnosis. That is a bad thing for those who really do struggle with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamz Veteran Posted March 8, 2007 Veteran Share Posted March 8, 2007 If you can show 10 research articles to support that I'll show you 100 that say otherwise.No objective test? http://www.division42.org/MembersArea/IPfi...sessofADHD.html I spent 10 years administering psychological tests for kids and adults. AD/HD is a grossly overdiagnosed disorder, I'll agree to that. But I have seen way too many exmples of kids who are not lacking in poroper parenting who still have difficulty focusing and filtering out extraneous stimuli. there are usually physiological indications as well. my mother (let me qualify my invocation by stating that she is a pediatric neurologist and child psychologist who, in her earlier days, specialized in neural tube defects, e.g., spina bifida, and who currently specializes in learning disabilities and behavioral disorders) argues that while adhd has been overdiagnosed, there are definitely cases where the condition presents itself physically as a neurological disturbance. this seems to me to be pretty strong evidence to consider it 'real'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popsmear Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 ADD and ADHD are real problems. However, the fact that doctors have gone overboard with it diminishes the fact that it is real, and some people do suffer. That does not invalidate the fact that it does truly happen. All "disorders" from ADHD to Obesity to Depression are now way over diagnosed. Do they not exist either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budious Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 (edited) "Computerized Continuous Performance Tasks (CPTs) are becoming increasingly popular as an additional source of information regarding the ability to maintain attention and inhibit impulsive responding over time." - from the article Aaron linked to... Aaron, are there any of these tests available online for self diagnosis? As a 25yr old college student who has a difficult time concentrating on my studies I have been reading up on ADHD/ADD as of late. I think some the opinions in this thread are why a lot of people like myself may perceive treatment of ADD as a stigma. Adderall abuse appears to be a growing nationwide college campus epidemic and many upstanding individuals who would benefit from these medications are afraid of being perceived as seeking powerful perscription drugs for a high or a profit. Also you say you have done this for 10 years, what correlation have you seen between ADD and depression? Some websites report as many as %75 of all ADD diagnosis also have some form of depression. Edited March 9, 2007 by Budious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Veteran Posted March 9, 2007 Veteran Share Posted March 9, 2007 "Computerized Continuous Performance Tasks (CPTs) are becoming increasingly popular as an additional source of information regarding the ability to maintain attention and inhibit impulsive responding over time." - from the article Aaron linked to...Aaron, are there any of these tests available online for self diagnosis? As a 25yr old college student who has a difficult time concentrating on my studies I have been reading up on ADHD/ADD as of late. I think some the opinions in this thread are why a lot of people like myself may perceive treatment of ADD as a stigma. Adderall abuse appears to be a growing nationwide college campus epidemic and many upstanding individuals who would benefit from these medications are afraid of being perceived as seeking powerful perscription drugs for a high or a profit. Also you say you have done this for 10 years, what correlation have you seen between ADD and depression? Some websites report as many as %75 of all ADD diagnosis also have some form of depression. I would strongly discourage you from trying to self diagnose - that would surely be a subjective assessment! You say you are in college, most universities have counseling services. I suggest you go to them and see if they have the resources to assess you. If not, try a private clinic. It takes more than a single computer test for a good assessment. Most importantly it takes an experienced psychologist to take into account a wide range of factors. Good luck and I hope you do seek out some help - no shame in that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agentsteffen Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 I am Diagnosed with ADHD and i take Adderall on a daily basis, it sure has helped my grades in college. This is just ridiculous. I firmly believe that ADHD (or just ADD) is not actually a disorder at all and that the behaviors inherent with the disease are consistent with bad parenting. ADHD just means that you haven't been taught how to properly concentrate on something. I see kids at my mom's school where she teaches hit people, throw things, tap on their desks during class and blame it all on ADHD, and they "just can't help it." Kids can sit in front of a video game and concentrate on mastering Guitar Hero, but when they have homework, they just can't concentrate. There isn't a single objective test to prove the existence, let alone diagnose this "disorder." I don't understand how we continue to give drugs to innumerable children for a disorder we can't even prove exists! ADHD = Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, yeah i can play guitar hero, but if i dont take my Adderall ill be bouncing my legs uncontrolably, also i have MARVELOUS parents so dont even bring that up. Oh and its not just kids budro, im 21 and ive had it all my life, i took Ritalin as a younger child as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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