Mackenzie Weiss
ENC1101-Tuesday
July 31, 2012
Research Paper
ADHD Medications and their Abuse Today
The medications used to treat Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are powerful, especially when abused, and have lasting impacts on the patients and the abusers. Treatment, in the form of prescription drugs is available to help these individuals, yet is harmful to others who either are misdiagnosed or abuse it. Additional laws and policies implemented by our elected officials will help ensure the prescribed medications reach the intended patients resulting in lower abuse.
ADHD is described as the “most common neurological disorder” (“Facts”) and is a condition that affects many children and adults all over the world. The diagnosis and treatment for ADHD is on the rise in this country, and the signs and symptoms are important for people to notice. ADHD first appears in children who may show a combination of disruptive problems including impulsive behavior, low self-esteem, hyperactivity, and poor performance in school/work. Children, treated for this disorder, are more likely to carry it until adolescence, but for some, ADHD may become a life-long adjustment into adulthood. Specifically for males, hyperactivity is a huge signal that they need to be tested for attention deficit. For females, the signs are the opposite, leading to many underdiagnosed women. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “boys were more likely than girls to have ever been diagnosed with ADHD” (“Data”) showing boys to be at 13.2 percent, whereas girls were at 5.6 percent. In addition, the National Institute of Mental Health claims “boys continued to be three times more likely to be prescribed a stimulant than girls, and use among white children continued to be higher than black or Hispanic children” (“Prescribed”). Overall, studies have shown that males