Adhd: A Study Of The Hyperactive Disorder

Individuals who possess attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) lack complete concentration, have difficulty staying organized, and have little to no forethought on the actions they commit. Although, there are many contributors to these outcomes: Genes passed through generations, harmful substance intake during pregnancy, mental complications, and toxic surroundings. Nothing can be done to cure or prevent ADHD, however, certain medical and treatments provide short-term solutions to ADHD symptoms. This essay will present these topics in broader detail.

Introduction

The disorder is known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD has been around since the first observation was made back in 1798, going on through 1937 from the first attempts of treatment, up until now. The first analysis was done by Sir Alexander Crichton where he noticed young children have trouble paying attention to many things at once. As the first treatment goes, Charles Bradley came up with a stimulant medication which had positive results for disorders such as ADHD (Lange K. M., Reichl, Lange K.W., Tucha L., & Tucha O., 2010). To verify that an individual has ADHD, they must demonstrate symptoms classified within the DSM or Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The DSM is a standard handbook, made by an organization of psychiatrists, which categorizes symptoms as a way of specifying mental disorders. Today, ADHD is an ongoing disorder that is still in the process of finding a definite cure.

Causes

ADHD is passed down from generation to generation in other words, hereditary. One thing they never tell you in class is that this particular disorder never skips a generation. If a trait has a genetic basis we would expect the rate of occurrence to be higher with the biological family members (Dr. Joseph Biederman, 1990). Another cause of ADHD is exposing your unborn child to toxic substances. Ranging from alcohol, drugs, even prenatal pills. “Nicotine, alcohol, and lead can be toxic to developing brain tissue and may have sustained effects on the behavior of the children exposed to these substances at early ages,” (Doctor Jupiter).

The root and cause of ADHD stem from biological differences. A trait passed from generation to generation, women who smoke during their pregnancies, and or being born prematurely are key factors that can cause this likely disorder. According to MayoClinic, “ADHD runs in families. Anywhere from one-third to one-half of parents with ADHD will have a child with the disorder. There are genetic characteristics that seem to be passed down.”. ADHD can be pretty common but the main problem is catching it. The symptoms can be hard to identify so parents should keep a keen eye on their children. Trouble interpreting or cooperating with information, resistant towards commands, and lacks order. In a generalized sense, 71% is based on inattention, 58% is impulsivity, 54% hyperactivity, and 54% disorganization. (APA, 2013)

Treatment

Within regards to ADHD there came multiple ideas on how to treat others with this; although, many methods being not as useful to patients with ADHD, gathering varying results among person to person. Treating patients with ADHD in mind comes down to the goal of helping patients lessen the number of symptoms present in their day-to-day life as well as in hopes to increase their ability to perform as well as other students academically without ADHD. One method used with children diagnosed with ADHD is to start with is the act of talk therapy and routine care while gradually heading towards the direction of medication use if needed (“Children's Voice Magazine”, 2009). However, some issues within the community researching ADHD, find that using medication for children with this mental illness either don’t improve at all or improve just enough to manage with day to day activities having mixed results that aren’t consistent (“Children's Voice Magazine”, 2009). This is further shown in other people’s findings when attempting to perform controlled experiments with medicated patients with ADHD, as they find that long-term usage of the medication doesn’t produce the results they desired as patients with ADHD do not significantly improve academically (McCormick, 2003). Despite this, medication and therapy have been shown to successfully treat some of the symptoms present in ADHD patients, within the long term (McCormick, 2003).

Prevention

Individuals, when faced with a problem, have the instinctual habit of trying to figure out a solution to it. Disorders are no different. People will do absolutely anything to find a cure for a disorder or educate themselves enough to prevent it from happening entirely. Unfortunately, ADHD fails to have neither. Not that there are no methods to reduce certain aspects of ADHD, but the disorder continues to exist. The case of ADHD does not have one main cause that triggers the disorder yet there is an overall view. The main components behind the lack of prevention have to do with, “Genes, pre and perinatal risks, psychological factors and environmental toxins...” (Thapar, Cooper, Eyre, & Langley, 2013). Unfortunately, there is no prevention because you cannot change your genes with drugs. So now let’s elaborate. Many causes trigger ADHD disorder. Many of which as stated above are out of control.

Conclusion

Disorders have such an extensive list of categories that it can be hard to keep track of, especially for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, since people still find it hard to believe it is a real mental illness. Not much can be done to get rid of it or even cause it from existing in the first place, but steps are being taken to make the symptoms of ADHD less intense. Genetics will still cause ADHD to be present, but as long as people become more aware of the disorder, the easier it will be, for the ones who have it, to move forward. ADHD captures my interest because I have family members with the disorder. What stood out to me about it were the causes of ADHD, aside from genes. (Thalia)

While most disorders and disabilities have a definite method of prevention and treatments, ADHD is an outlier. I wanted to choose ADHD, partially because I have it and wanted to learn more about it, and also because I wanted to learn whether or not what I was doing with controlling my symptoms was correct. ADHD cannot just be drugged away, the inability to sit still isn't so easily solved. This project has helped me in understanding what I am doing with my life is correct. Those living with ADHD, like myself, aren’t completely different than others. Keeping an eye on symptoms, and the side effects of the drugs that we give them is the only way we can help them. (Jeffrey)