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Essay on Mental health awareness
Characteristics of Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD
Therios of adhd
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Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a common thing in many homes, schools, and work areas. It is a disorder that makes focusing and sitting still impossible. Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder can be classified into three major symptoms. The first symptom is Hyperactivity. It causes rapid movement and the inability to sit still. The second major symptom is Inattention. This causes you to have trouble paying attention to things and can even make it hard to complete task. The last symptom is Impulsivity. This usually consist of blurting out, crossing the street without looking, and making decision that you don’t completely analyze. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can make a person’s everyday life more difficult, but this does not only apply to the one diagnosed. Living with someone with ADHD or even being friends with someone with ADHD can have an effect on a person’s life. From the patients impulsive actions, all the way to their inability to pay attention to what someone is saying can affect everyone around them. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder does have a temporary cure though. Stimulants like Adderall and Vyvanse all the way to exercise. Although some medicines have great benefits, a lot of them are greatly outweighed with negative side effects. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or also known as ADHD can first be looked at by putting characteristics into three categories. The first thing to look at when diagnosing ADHD is the inability to focus. This can usually be noticed in a person’s adolescent years of life. In school people are tested on their cognitive functions and their ability to solve problems. In order to do so you must first tea... ... middle of paper ... ...DHD medicine that is a stimulant, their Psychiatrist will tell them to keep it on the down low to prevent theft because there is such a huge market out there for them. There are also non-stimulant alternatives to curing ADHD, but they also have negative side effects that outweigh the positives. The main pill for this is Strattera, which is an Atomoxetine. This pill is said to be able to cure ADHD but you have to take it every day for a few years. The problem with this pill is that it takes 30 days for it to kick in and most people turn down this pill because they want instant results. Not only does it take time to start but it also causes; depression, thoughts of suicide, difficulty urinating, inability to perform sexual activity, and can also cause nausea prior to taking it. The negatives outweigh the positives but it is an alternative to stimulants and therapy.
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...
diagnosis entails more than this simple explanation. ADHD is a condition that must be evaluated
Brecher, Edward M. (1972) Licit and Illicit Drugs; The Consumers Union Report on narcotics, stimulants, depressants, inhalants, Hallucinogens, and marijuana- including caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. New York, 291-390
ADHD, or Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. There are many symptoms associated with ADHD but the most common include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity. Scientists are not exactly sure of what causes ADHD but they are more comfortable with the idea that a lot of different factors play a role in its development, such as, genes, environment, brain injuries, sugar, and food additives. The most widely used treatment is the drugs but this is not the only way to treat ADHD.
“Teens Abusing and Selling Ritalin for High.” ABC News. ABC News Internet Ventures. 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 6 March 2014.
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
Some medications are not always the answer. Parents might want another way to approach things when it comes to their children. Some options could be watching the child’s diet, something that seems to trigger the hyperactivity mostly leads to food dyes. Better and more consistent discipline along with giving your child a lot of attention helps the child to reinforce their behavior. The most important thing is making sure that the child that has ADHD is getting a lot of sleep. Being sleepy makes them more prone to jumping on that emotional roller coaster. A strict sleep schedule works well and keeps the child consistent. (Ellis)
"There are three broad sets of symptoms associated with ADHD: inattention and distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity;" however, it is not necessary to have symptoms from all three of these areas to be diagnosed with ADHD (University of Illinois, n.d.). The hyperactivity and impulsivity symptoms are more prevalent in males and are more severe earlier in their childhood. Many children with ADHD also experience secondary problems, which can include academic problems and problems with their peers (University of Illinois, n.d.).
Another growing fad in the United States is the abuse of prescription drugs. The abuse is being done by not only adults but by teens. The most current trend today is the misuse of cough syrups and prescription medications to produce a “high.” Other medications abused today are stimulants (Ritalin), and benzodiazepines (Xanax). Health Watch (2004) state girls tend to lean towards the medi...
...f actual reality. They are no longer able to face day to day activities without having that drug in their life.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is very commonly known. Today, ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders among children. The NIMH (The national institute of mental health) predicts that it affecting 3 to 5 percent of all children(AACAP), with an approximate amount of 30% to 65% of these children experiencing persistence of symptoms into adolescence and adulthood (AACAP).There are three types of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type, Predominantly Inattentive Type, and Combination Type(ehow.com). The symptoms of ADHD can be classified into three main categories; hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. These behaviors can interfere with ADHD sufferers’ ability to focus deliberately on organizing and completing a specific task that they may not enjoy. A case of this kind of behavior is recognized in a report written by the National Institute of Mental Health where one of the subjects under study was unable to pass schooling examinations due to her inattentive behavior (clinicaltrials.gov) These kinds of behaviors can damage the person's relationships with others in addition to disrupting their daily life, consuming energy, and diminishing self-esteem, depending on severity of their symptoms (adhd.com). In this paper, the multiple factors of how ADHD affects, and is handled, of those who undergo this disorder, are shown.
The American heritage Dictionary defines Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as, “an attention deficit disorder in which hyperactivity is present.” Attention Deficit Disorder is defined as, “A syndrome, usually diagnosed in childhood, characterized by a persistent pattern of impulsiveness, a short attention span, and often hyperactivity, and interfering especially with academic, occupational, and social performance.” ADHD is most often diagnosed during childhood and was formerly believed to have lessened and ended as the child matured but recent studies have found that between 35 and 50 % of all cases persist into adulthood.
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...
Experts have different views on attention deficit disorder also known as Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) regarding diagnosis, medication and dependency in children resulting from use of stimulant. Minors under medication to prevent ADHD have been on the rise for the last 3 decades in the U.S. The diagnosis of ADHD varies, some states shows a high percentage of diagnosis. Production of stimulants such as Ritalin for ADHD treatments is on the rise, with scientists explaining that it is recommended for treatment.
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.