Spring Break
Focus on this: Adderall shouldn't be a cure for complacency
Lauren Collins
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: Opinion
Among the many psychological ailments of society today, it seems as though everyone is suffering from some type of attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Instead of maintaining healthy lifestyles, learning to cope with stress and better time management, people assume they have a disorder that interferes with their ability to focus and complete simple tasks.
Parents immediately assume their children have an attention deficit because they squirm around in the classroom and have difficulty focusing on assignments. Even college students and adults feel that they have problems staying focused on academic tasks and work.
What is ADHD? ADHD is a biological platter of poor attention and distractibility with a side of hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. If not treated, ADHD can lead to poor school and work performance, poor social relationships and a general feeling of low self-esteem. The causes of this disorder are linked to genetic and biological components; therefore, you can't just suddenly develop an attention deficit, like many people seem to believe.
Treating ADHD should start from childhood. It's estimated that only one student in a class of 25-30 students will actually have ADHD, and males are more likely to develop the disorder. Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, Strattera and various antidepressants and mood stabilizers are often provided to those suffering from the overwhelming symptoms of ADHD.
Perhaps there isn't actually a problem with the nation's brains, but a problem with the rapid pace of American society. Before public schools shifted to a stricter curriculum, students were able to participate in hands-on activities that kept them more engaged in classroom material. Now teachers are forced to rush and cram lectures with information in order for students to pass standardized tests.
With the wider availability of and easy access to the Internet, the United States has become dependent on immediate access to information. Why attend hours of boring lectures, when with the click of a button you can have instant gratification -hundreds of Web sites providing the same information? Because this vast array of information is readily available, people become antsy when they have to do things the "old-fashioned" way.
Parents immediately assume their children have an attention deficit because they squirm around in the classroom and have difficulty focusing on assignments. Even college students and adults feel that they have problems staying focused on academic tasks and work.
What is ADHD? ADHD is a biological platter of poor attention and distractibility with a side of hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. If not treated, ADHD can lead to poor school and work performance, poor social relationships and a general feeling of low self-esteem. The causes of this disorder are linked to genetic and biological components; therefore, you can't just suddenly develop an attention deficit, like many people seem to believe.
Treating ADHD should start from childhood. It's estimated that only one student in a class of 25-30 students will actually have ADHD, and males are more likely to develop the disorder. Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, Strattera and various antidepressants and mood stabilizers are often provided to those suffering from the overwhelming symptoms of ADHD.
Perhaps there isn't actually a problem with the nation's brains, but a problem with the rapid pace of American society. Before public schools shifted to a stricter curriculum, students were able to participate in hands-on activities that kept them more engaged in classroom material. Now teachers are forced to rush and cram lectures with information in order for students to pass standardized tests.
With the wider availability of and easy access to the Internet, the United States has become dependent on immediate access to information. Why attend hours of boring lectures, when with the click of a button you can have instant gratification -hundreds of Web sites providing the same information? Because this vast array of information is readily available, people become antsy when they have to do things the "old-fashioned" way.
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