Can I Have The Attention Of The Class?

Have you ever found yourself unable to concentrate and sit still? If so, you are not alone. In today's society, the psychological disease known as Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder, or ADHD, is becoming so common "that it affects about 3% to 12% of children and is twice as common in boys then in girls" (Parker-Pope, 1). Fortunately, there are prescription drugs that help to treat and prevent the symptoms of ADHD. One such drug is Adderall, which helps children afflicted with ADHD to calm and concentrate on schoolwork. Although Adderall has been proven to be successful in the treatment of ADHD in children, it may also lead to significant problems.

Adderall, relatively new drug used for treatment in the fight against ADHD, functions as a "cocktail drug" which is a mix of many different kinds of amphetamines (Kluger, 2). In studies, Adderall shows that it fights symptoms of ADHD better than that of other prescription drugs such as Ritalin. These symptoms include fidgeting, excessive talking, and a short attention span. Users often times develop a chemical dependency, because of Adderall's amphetamine content, and there are often dangerous side affects (Kluger, 1). Common side affects include weight loss, insomnia, paranoia, and over stimulation. Other side affects, though rare include high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and hallucinations (Kluger, 2). There even have been cases of sudden death in children, which raises many questions for patients and doctors.

ADHD itself is a precursor to possible drug abuse and alcoholism. Studies have shown that individuals with attention deficit disorders such as ADHD are more likely abuse alcohol and use tobacco earlier and more often (FDA Consumer, 2). Also, "kids with severe and untreated ADHD have been linked, according to some studies, to higher rates of substance abuse, dropping out of school and trouble with the law (Kluger, 2)." Because these cases were untreated, the question remains, could prescription drugs such as Adderall help stop substance abuse and trouble among the individuals afflicted with ADHD?

Although Adderall may appear to ease some of the problems cause by ADHD, the truth is, as with many prescription drugs, Adderall has its own problems. Parents see Adderall not only as a medication to help their children, but also as a "quick fix" (Singh, 1). The fact that parents view their child's medication in this manner is somewhat disturbing and raises concerns about today's parent. Patients using Adderall complain about not feeling like themselves anymore and as if their personality just completely disappeared. MRIS taken on boys between ages 13-19 showed that the brain volume of those boys who had ADHD was approximately 3% smaller than those of normal boys. The problem with the study is the individuals with ADHD that were tested had already been using Adderall for symptoms of ADHD making it hard to tell if the imbalance was cause by ADHD or the use of Adderall (Kluger, 4). There have also been cases in which, because it is an amphetamine, people without symptoms of ADHD take Adderall to achieve some sort of high, a convincing argument against the use of Adderall.

The affects of Adderall are not all negative. In fact, there is new proof of the benefits of