Behavior Modifying Drugs Essay

â€Å"ADHD is a common behavioral disorder that affects an estimated 8% to 10% of people in the United States† (Kutscher). Boys are about three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with it, though it is not yet understood why. Children with ADHD generally have problems paying attention or concentrating. They cannot seem to follow directions and are easily bored or frustrated with tasks. They also tend to move constantly and are impulsive, not stopping to think before they act. These behaviors are generally common in children. But they occur more often than usual and are more severe in a child with ADHD. These behaviors that are common with ADHD interfere with a child’s ability to function at school and at home. Adults with ADHD may have difficulty with time management, organizational skills, goal setting, and employment. They may also have problems with relationships, self-esteem, and addictions. Doctors may be too quick in diagnosing the patient with ADHD and prescribing them drugs to treat the problem. This is not the best method all the time, as these drugs have proved to be dangerous and sometimes fatal. The use of behavior modifying drugs should be treated only as a last resort after trying other treatments or alternatives for the problem because of the different risks that come along with the drugs. Children may have a problem that needs to be attended too, but drugs should not always be the first option selected. There are a good percentage of the millions of children in the United States, as well as around the world that suffer from ADHD, enough to be attentive to this disorder. For example, the different types of behavioral problems that are associated with the disease is explained: â€Å"Children suffering from behavioral disorders can exhibit behaviors such as distractibility, lack of focus, anxiety, and hostility† (Chittom). This shows how children may have problems in behavior, and how to notice the indications of ADHD. This also proves how children experiencing symptoms of ADHD may be a distraction in an learning environment and or elsewhere. The disorder might be due to biological means. For instance, in â€Å"Counterpoint: The Risks of Behavioral Drugs Outweigh the Benefits,† Lynn-Nore Chittom says, â€Å" Medical providers believe that the disorder is directly linked to the brain’s inability to properly process serotonin or dopamine† (Chittom). This shows how ADHD is actualized in scientific means. This also evinces the point that it could be a genetic disorder passed down generation to generation to children and is unpreventable in a case such as that. When one’s child has ADHD, they might want the quick scapegoat or in fact want to try a cure the problem as best as possible. But, drugs would not always prove to be the best choice for these parents. This could be seen in â€Å"Counterpoint: The Risks of Behavioral Drugs Outweigh the Benefits,† where drugs can cause even more problems: â€Å"These intense behavioral responses to medications intended to resolve issues such as distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulse control may exchange one challenge for another in the children being medicated† (Chittom). This depicts that by using medications to help the children’s problem it could backfire and create a whole new problem, maybe as or even more severe than the original one. What one might obtain from this is that the use of drugs in efforts of helping children with ADHD might be more problematic than the actual issue to start with. The risks of drugs are very high and may be very harmful to the children prescribed them. In many cases, drugs used to treat ADHD have caused more harm than there intended purpose to help the base problem. As a case in point, Lynn-nore Chittom says, â€Å"Research showed that a group of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increased both the incidence of suicide and the potential for suicidal thought among children and adolescents†¦ This is of particular concern based on the fact that some students responsible for school shootings in recent years were known to have been subscribed SSRIs† (Chittom). This indicates that children may be harmed or harmful while taking these types of drugs. This also shows how the children’s minds might be manipulated by these drugs and may cause suicidal tendencies. Expanding on this issue: A drug commonly used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) disorder in children, teens and adults has been linked to numerous adverse reactions, including suicide attempts, Health Canada has warned. In its adverse reactions newsletter from July 2008, the health agency warns that Atomoxetine (Strattera), a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, had been linked to 189 reported adverse reactions as of Dec. 1, 2007. Fifty-five of those included suicide attempts, a designation that encompasses non-accidental overdoses, showing suicidal tendencies and experiencing thoughts of self-harm. Twenty-nine of the patients recovered, three had not by Dec. 31, 2007, and one patient died. Data was not available for the remaining 22 patients. (Kutscher) Among the 55 suicide attempts reported in connection with the drug, 43 were among children b etween the ages of 6 and 17. Twelve were among adults ranging in age from 18 to 45. There are also other concerns that come along with the drugs. For instance, in â€Å"Counterpoint: The Risks of Behavioral Drugs Outweigh the Benefits,† Lynn-Nore Chittom states that in addition to the risks of and medical side effects, children may also experience the psychological and emotional stigma of being told they require medication to be â€Å"normal†, children may develop a low or negative self-esteem from being forced to take pills (Chittom). This is inferring that the children’s self image may be lowered and may train them to be unconfident people in life. This also shows how the children might, over time, become dependent on the drugs rather than developing appropriate life skills. Furthermore, the complications are explicated in â€Å"Counterpoint: The Risks of Behavioral Drugs Outweigh the Benefits,† when Lynn-nore Chittom says that parents, teachers, and doctors may be turning to prescription drugs in an attempt to fix emotional problems by medicating them. This could lead to drug abuse later in life, particularly under the pressures of a college workload, a new job, or other life changes (Chittom). There are different, more suitable methods of treating these children with ADHD. These methods include different therapies and contrivances in succeeding the main goal of helping cure the problem. For instance, these therapies are illustrated: â€Å"Beyond good parenting and teaching strategies, agencies that offer outside help through creative therapies should be employed whenever possible†¦ With the help of play therapy, music therapy, art therapy, language therapy, and cognitive-behavior therapy, children can attempt to reach their potential before medication is prescribed† (Chittom). This demonstrates the different approaches of using more natural cure rather than the drug direction. This also shows how the children can reach their full potential before thinking about medications to give them. Equally important, the parental aspect of this problem could be the answer of leading the children in the right direction. For example, how the children could change with the help and support of parents and elders is described: â€Å"Frequently children with ADHD and autism spectrum disorders are intelligent and creative. Rather than medicating the children to make them â€Å"normal†, parents and teachers should explore ways to learn their strengths and challenge the children to excel in their natural talents† (Chittom). This explains how many children with this disorder are usually very talented and intelligent. This also shows how parents and teachers could positively send their lives in the right direction if they are cooperative and encouraging. Moreover, with the right support, these children will feel more accepted and better about themselves, rather than feeling like they are bad unless they are drugged into normality. Some anti-depressants and other behavior modifying drugs may be of great affectivity for some children if one uses them properly and not excessively. In severe cases, children may be greatly benefitted from medications. These may help them perform in school better and allow their behavior to change into a self-controlled and mannerly people. For example, the affects of the drugs are explained: â€Å"These drugs have been hailed as safe and effective miracle drugs†¦ But, critics argue that SSRIs are often given needlessly† (Lee). This shows how if the drugs are not used excessively and given to the right people that actually are in need of them, they may be very effective. When carefully and responsibly prescribed, the medications currently available to treat ADHD have been shown to be extremely effective in reducing symptoms. For instance, the different benefits is described: â€Å"Children with ADHD who are treated with Ritalin demonstrate a greater ability to concentrate in class, engage in fewer impulsive acts, show improvements in the quantity and the quality of their schoolwork, and are better able to interact socially with others† (Lee). This shows how the children while being helped with the medications may perform better in school. This also suggests that the hostile urges are resolutely decreased as the drugs will calm them down. After all other options have been attempted first, drugs should only be prescribed to the children who have not been affected by the previous treatments. Parents and their children should desperately try together for other methods as to solving their behavior problems before turning to drugs. The first response from parents and teachers should be patience and creative behavioral management. The vital methodology in attempt to help children with ADHD is to first look for natural methods, and in the event of failure to see improvements in the children they may be benefitted by the drugs. The children with the extreme cases of ADHD might not have a natural method suitable for them, but usually it may help in a considerable way. On the whole, patience rather than pills can often be the key to solving behavior problems in many children.