Thomas Gresham Gresham, 1

Prof. Campbell

UWRIT 1104

April 5th, 2017

Over diagnosis and Overmedication: ADHD Off the Pill

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a chronic medical

condition which results in the inability of an individual to sustain attention on a task for

an extended period of time. According to the Center for Disease Control approximately

11% of children between the age of four and seventeen have been diagnosed with

ADHD. While not encouraged, statistics show that medication is often prescribed as the

first line of defense for ADHD, despite its many negative side effects. While ADHD

medication can be a helpful tool for treating students with ADHD, how can alternative

methods be implemented to support students ability to learn in the classroom?

In order to understand the problems with ADHD medication we must first take a

moment to understand how it works. The brains of persons with ADHD are rather

different than the brains of those without. A neuron is a brain cell; information is passed

between neurons either electrically or chemically in a synapse. Neurotransmitters are the

chemicals which pass information between neurons. Each human function has specific

neurotransmitters which are responsible for carrying that information. Dopamine,

norepinephrine, epinephrine, and serotonin are neurotransmitters often associated with

ADHD (untappedbrilliance.com).

Persons with ADHD have a hard time making connections between neurons.

Stimulant medications like Adderall and Ritalin are often prescribed to alter the amount

of neurotransmitters present in the brain making these connections easier. To provide a

comparison, ADHD can cause two synapses to function like two distant cliffs; it's hard to

get information across. Medication acts as a bridge between the two points.
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While ADHD medication can be incredibly helpful, side effects can be drastic. It

is important to understand that children often have unique behaviors prior to the start of

medication such as trouble sleeping or irritability. ADHD medication can cause side

effects including sleep problems, decreased appetite, delayed growth, headaches,

stomachaches, Rebound (upon medication wearing off), tics, and moodiness and

irritability (childmind.org). Some side effects become better with time.

Side effects may also worsen depending on which stimulant medication is being

taken and at what dosage and at what rate the medication is released thorough out the

day. ADHD medication is made using stimulants; there are two main stimulant bases for

ADHD drugs. It is recommended to try both if a bad reaction occurs while taking a

specific medication. Dosage can be the culprit behind many negative side effects, for

instance some children may have trouble sleeping at night due to the high dosage of the

medication they are on. What can be even more important is the release of the

medication. Some medication is designed to release all at once and may need to be taken

multiple times during the day, while other forms are designed using extended release

which dismisses the need for taking a second dose during the day by extending the

release of the medication throughout the day. It is recommended to explore options prior

to making a final decision as to how ADHD medication affects an individual. The real

question presented is why waste time and money trying different forms of medication

when there alternate forms of treatment that can be just as effective? With sufficient

evidence to support a pattern of over diagnosis, do all kids diagnosed with ADHD need

medication to begin with?

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A 2012 study asked doctors to diagnose a variety of previously diagnosed school-

aged patients with ADHD, each individual demonstrating a range of symptoms. Doctors

were unable to successfully diagnose patients consistently and there was also a trend in

diagnosing boys more consistently than girls. There was also a general trend for doctors

who diagnosed more to prescribe medication more, meaning that individuals who may

not have ADHD in the first place would then be medicated for a problem they did not

have (Bruchmuller et. all). This result is not unique to this study, just take a moment to

compare in your head the number of boys you know with ADHD with the number of girls

you know with ADHD.

The Center for Disease Control does not recommend medication as the first form

of treatment for ADHD. Behavioral therapy or behavioral modification therapy is

most recommended. This form of treatment aims to equip persons with the necessary

skills to manage their ADHD. This therapy encourages people to keep their goals specific

and limited; focusing on a limited number of goals will allow individuals to be more

successful. It is necessary to keep a realistic mentality when working towards the selected

goals, for example, if a student is working to stop being distracted by their phone when

working, it would be a better goal to only become distracted a few times, rather than all

together. While behavioral therapy will not always produce consistent results. It is

important to remember that it is a long term plan, not a short term solution (ADDitude).

Nutrition and ADHD are strongly connected. Both omega-three and vitamin C

support the function of dopamine within the brain, both of which are important

neurotransmitters for persons with ADHD as previously discussed.

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Physical activity can also be incredibly helpful for persons coping with ADHD

due to its ability to help an individual produce dopamine. Physical activity also allows for

individuals to have an outlet for excess energy. It can be difficult to find an activity or

form of exercise to stick with, however at this point one can use traits of persons with

ADHD to their advantage. Hyper focus is a component of ADHD. Persons with ADHD

can use this to their benefit by finding a cause or activity they are passionate about and

hyper focusing in on it. This can yield some incredible results in terms of success and

growth.

Parenting and teaching interventions can also be incredibly helpful to the success

of children with ADHD. Parenting interventions focus on positive reinforcement, or

catching kids doing good things. It is easy to get frustrated with children when they seem

distracted and apathetic, however frustration and anger creates little headway (American

Psychological Association). Teaching interventions help teachers provide ADHD

students with instruction which they will be able to best understand and follow. I have

been able to witness the power of the combination of these interventions through my

classroom clinical experience required for other courses. Teachers feel far more

comfortable working with and redirecting students when they know that their efforts will

not be going to waste. Informed well trained teacher will best be able to serve students

with ADHD successfully.

It is important to note that no one of these methods is the best solution, rather a

combination of these methods is best to help students cope with their symptoms. These

methods can also be combined with medication to increase effectiveness.

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When conducting my research I found it important to include the opinion of

persons with ADHD. I found that there was a large representation of persons with ADHD

in the academic community who believe that their ADHD is an advantage. Emily Anhalt

is a PhD holder and a physcotherapist. Anhalt discusses her difficulties learning in the

school system. She found she was able to be most successful when in the classroom of a

teacher who was willing to allow her to work around her symptoms. She goes onto

discuss how her ADHD was treated as a problem rather than a unique ability. Her innate

ability to multitask and hyper focus aided her in the future when faced with harsh

challenges. She opted not to medicate herself as she felt it depleted herself of the parts of

her personality she enjoyed so much. This opinion is not uncommon as many persons

with ADHD are able to be successful despite their ADHD. Often times the attitude of

teachers working with students with ADHD are just as important as their actions. It is

next to impossible to learn if you do not have the faith of your educator. Aside from

feeling medicated out of your own personalities or distracting side effects there are a

variety of other reasons to avoid using ADHD medication.

One of the scariest things about ADHD medication is that it is rather new,

meaning we know little to nothing about the long-term effects it can have on adults let

alone children. Many doctors fear the long-term effects that consistent medication can

have on children while their brains undergo development. Stimulant ADHD medication

has also been linked to sudden death in individuals who suffer from cardiac problems.

Individuals taking stimulant medication have also been linked to suffering psychiatric

problems. Stimulants are known to trigger or increase the likelihood of an patient to

suffer from hostility, depression, anxiety, and aggression. Persons with a family history
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of psychiatric disorders should be more closely monitored ( Helpguide). While choosing

to use ADHD medication is a personal choice, the over perception of ADHD medication

also hurts the health of the general public.

There is a massive trend among teenagers to abuse ADHD medication. I can

recall my brothers physician refusing to describe him Adderall in fear that he would turn

around and sell it the next night. A study published within the American Academy of

Pediatrics found a 76% increase in calls to the center for poison control regarding ADHD

medication abuse (Adolescent Prescription ADHD Medication Abuse). This problem is

directly correlated to over prescription. With an increase in ADHD medication

prescription there is a consequential increase in the likelihood that the same medication

will become abused. Doctors should take this into account when writing prescriptions.

There are a variety of counter arguments, which can arise when discussing the

pros and cons of ADHD medication and alternate ways to treat ADHD. First and

foremost many people find medication convenient. Taking one pill a day can prevent the

aggregating symptoms from creeping up throughout the day. Some patients are not

incredibly affected by the side effects, why take the extra time working with a behavioral

therapist, or to peruse exercise to get results that may be the same or slightly less

effective. The best reply is simply that the long-term effects of stimulant medication are

not yet known. Persons who can get a quick fix today may suffer the consequences later

on in life. Other arguments against alternate forms of medication may include that they

do not offer results as strong as medication. While this can often be true the nature of the

argument is rather subjective. Some persons who suffer from ADHD may find

medication to be an end all be all for them, while others may find it to be not worth
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dealing with the side effects. The way, which a person with ADHD copes with their

ADHD, is largely dependent on how they respond to medication and other forms of

treatment, what can be incredibly helpful for one person can be less than satisfactory for

another. When choosing how to cope with ADHD the way, which the coping mechanism

will interfere with a students ability to learn effectively, should be considered. As always

a combination of the previously presented methods, closely monitored will yield the best

results.

In conclusion, ADHD is a chronic disorder that affects a large percentage of the

population. When patients are diagnosed, doctors are quick to jump to medicate although

this may not be the best option. Arming persons diagnosed with ADHD, especially those

who are still in primary school, can provide them with the necessary skills to succeed

later in life. It is incredibly important to note that ADHD, while a chronic disorder, is also

a collection of personality traits unique to an individual. Medication can often remove

some of these important traits from that person making them feel other than themselves.

The personality of persons with ADHD should be celebrated in order to make them, feel

able to achieve.
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Works Cited

SINFIELD, JACQUELINE. Neurotransmitters & ADHD 101. Jacqueline Sinfield The

ADHD Coach for Adults , 1 Mar. 2017, http://untappedbrilliance.com/adhd-

neurotransmitters/.

ADHD, Subcommittee on. Clinical Practice Guideline: Treatment of the School-Aged

Child With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. AMERICAN ACADEMY

OF PEDIATRICS, vol. Pediatrics, no. 108, 4, Oct. 2001.

CDC. Data & Statstics Children with ADHD. Center for Disease Control; , 1 Jan.

2011, https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html.

Boorady, Roy. Side Effects of ADHD Medication: Child Mind Institute, 1 Jan. 2017,

https://childmind.org/article/side-effects-of-adhd-medication/.

Bruchmuller, Katrin, et al. "Is ADHD Diagnosed in Accord with Diagnostic Criteria?

Overdiagnosis and Influence of Client Gender on Diagnosis." Journal of

Consulting and Clinical Psychology, vol. 80, no. 1, 01 Feb. 2012, pp. 128-138.

EBSCOhost,

librarylink.uncc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.librarylink.uncc.edu/lo

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Sprinkle, Nicole. A Pragmatic Parents Guide to Behavior Therapy. ADDitude, 1 Jan.

2017, http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/860.html.

Mahamane, Salif. ADHD Sucks, but Not Really. TED X, 18 Dec. 2015,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWCocjh5aK0.

Anhalt, Emily. The Trouble with Normal: My ADHD the Zebra. TED X, 16 June 2016,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAeEQvj16XM. Z
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Robinison, Lawerance, et al. ADHD or ADD Medications. Helpguide.org, 1 Apr.

2017, https://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/attention-deficit-

disorder-adhd-medications.htm.

Setlik, Jennifer, et al. Adolescent Prescription ADHD Medication Abuse Is Rising

Along With Prescriptions for These Medications. AMERICAN ACADEMY

OF PEDIATRICS, vol. 124, no. 3, 875-880, Sept. 2009.