Ritalin And Its Uses
In recent years, more and more kids seem to be on a prescription drug
called Ritalin(methylphenidate). This drug is being handed out more and more by
doctors as a way of treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a complex
neurological impairnment that prevents kids from concentrating. According to
the Drug Enforcement Agency, it rose fron 200 grams per 100,000 people to over
1400 grams per 100,000 people in the last fifteen years. The National Institute
of Mental Health estimates that about one student in every classroom is believed
to experience the disorder. The rate of Ritalin use in the United States is at
least five times higher than in the rest of the world according to ...
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the neurotransmitter dopamine. It
appears to increase the levels of dopamine in the frontal lobe where attention
and impulsive actions are regulated. When taken in its intended form under a
doctor's prescritption, it has moderate stimulant properties. There has been a
great deal of concern about it's addictive qualities and adverse affects.
ADHD is a relatively new disorder. It was introduced in 1980, where it
was labeled ADD(attention deficit disorder). In the 1950's, children were
simply labeled "hyperkinetic." The term "hyperactivity" was added in 1987,
hence the name ADHD. Not all children have the hyperactivity, and thus are
labeled to have ADD. ADD is not treated with Ritalin; antidepressants are more
commonly used. One of the problems with the label ADHD is that just because a
child may be overly hyper, doesn't mean the child is not paying attention. The
problem is, the child is paying too much attention to too many things at the
same time.
ADHD is children's #1 ...
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is a positive treatment
in 9 out of 10 patienst, and many parents and students claim the drug is a
benefit in their lives', there are many who question the drug's long-term
effects, dangers, misdiagnosis, and non-medical abuse. Diagnosis for
ADHD isn't as easy as you think. There is no blood test, no x-ray, or no cat
scan to determine a biological cause for the disorder. Teachers, even in
preschool strongly advocate the drug(negative reinforcement???). School
psychologists are even prescribing the drug before giving an evaluation because
there are so many referrals and a lack of school psychologists (1:2100 students).
Many times, it has been shown, that psychiatrists who often ...
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"Ritalin And Its Uses." Essayworld.com. August 21, 2006. Accessed November 30, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Ritalin-And-Its-Uses/51114.
"Ritalin And Its Uses." Essayworld.com. August 21, 2006. Accessed November 30, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Ritalin-And-Its-Uses/51114.
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