There’s a lot of buzz these days about the alleged rise in ADD and ADHD and why drugs like Adderall are becoming widely available amongst teens. I say alleged because it’s not very clear as to whether there is actually a rise in the learning disorders or societies’ expectations have changed. To start off: there are many studies showing that ADHD can be found in genetics, and that it is a real diagnosis.
Michigan State University studied identical and fraternal twins to see if the traits have a genetic basis. Identical twins share almost all of the same genes, whereas fraternal twins only share about half of the same genes, so if there is a genetic basis then the identical twins are likely to both have it where the fraternal twins are not. The findings held the hypothesis to be true, and identical twins were more likely to both have attention disorders than fraternal twins. That being said many people are still skeptical on accepting ADHD as a legitimate disorder. (NY Times)
Over the past 10 years, diagnosis of ADHD in children has increased by about 25%. (ABC) Around 20 years ago, laws were passed to include ADHD as a part of Individuals with Disabilities Education act, meaning that students diagnosed with ADHD were to be given special tutors and extra time on tests. As awareness of these perks spread, more and more diagnosis started popping up as well. Although that may be correlation and not causation, it is a valid point to say that more kids would benefit from saying they have ADHD.
Also, ADHD is very difficult to diagnose, there aren’t many simple tests that can be done, so most doctors will end up prescribing drugs like Ritalin or Adderall and telling their patients to see if the drugs help. (ABC) The thing about the drugs is that they help everyone focus, not just those with ADHD, so of course everyone on the drugs is going to feel an academic difference. On the same note, it is very easy for anyone to pretend that they cannot pay attention, especially when they’re rewarded with such great benefits.
With all of the new pressure being put on standardized tests and going to big name colleges, it is understandable why kids would want extra time on tests and pills that help them concentrate; however, there is yet to be a conclusive study on how many out of those diagnosed with ADD/ADHD actually have a learning disability that requires medical attention.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/20/magazine/the-not-so-hidden-cause-behind-the-adhd-epidemic.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/childhood-adhd-diagnoses-increased-25-percent-2001-2011/story?id=18277934
http://www.vrp.co.za/Public/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=379
Kristen,
Wow, that’s really big news that the “father of ADHD” stated that he believes it’s a fictitious disease, I’m curious as to why that didn’t get more press! Although I do not have ADD/ADHD myself and therefore have no idea what it feels like, I do believe that there are scientific backings that show that people really can have attention disorders stemming from deficiencies in their brain. I found this article that tells of studies that show that lowered dopamine production and “thinner tissue in areas of the brain that control attention” are definitely linked to attention disorders. There is a possibility that this research is wrong. And I can definitely understand how frustrating it must be to have everyone around you saying they have ADD when you actually have a really difficult time concentrating. Hopefully concrete research on this matter is coming our way soon!
I wrote a blog post very similar to this! I, too discussed the problems now a days with doctors over diagnosing ADHD/ADD. I, myself, am ADD and this is extremely frustrating for me. I have known ever since I was in elementary school that I had it, so when people randomly decide they have it in college I get really angry. However, lately I have been extremely skeptical if the syndrome even exists. This is especially due to the fact that recently, the inventor of the disease admitted that it was all fictitious. Here is the article explaining it.
http://www.worldpublicunion.org/2013-03-27-NEWS-inventor-of-adhd-says-adhd-is-a-fictitious-disease.html
This is very interesting! I never thought of it this way, that kids could practice the symptoms of ADD/ADHD just to see the benefits. Since I knew adderall obviously helps people focus, I looked up why and how it works! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adderall Although adderall has benefits of focusing, it can also decrease appetite, and cause anxiety! Definitely not all positives!