Ritalin Essay Research Paper RitalinThe parents of

Ritalin Essay, Research Paper

Ritalin

The parents of six year old James Patrick Smith receive a phone call

from the school guidance counselor informing them of their child’s recent

hyperactive behavior. After a short conference, the guidance counselor suggests

to the parents a solution for young James’ problem; as a result, the family

visits their family doctor and the doctor diagnoses James with Attention Deficit

Disorder (ADD) during a one hour appointment. To remedy the disorder, the doctor

prescribes the “savior drug” for ADD patients; children are almost always fed

the drug Ritalin, a prescription medicine that packs a strong euphoric punch

(Machan 151). The preceding hypothetical situation commonly occurs in the

United States at a growing rate which may be too fast for the nation to contain.

The over-prescription of the drug Ritalin to correct ADD produces many negative

side effects upon patients and society.

In the vast market of prescription drugs, Ritalin, one of the most

highly used drugs, also carries with it some of the greatest medical drawbacks.

ADD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) stands tall as America’s

number one psychiatric disorder (Hancock 52). Estimates suggest that more than

two million children live with the disorder; in addition, according to Dr.

Daniel Safer of Johns Hopkins University, over 1.3 million regularly consume

Ritalin for treatment of ADD (Hancock 52). Ritalin appears to be a popular

choice for doctors, but the daily effects of the drug, which family physicians

do not see, creates questions as to how well the drug actually works.

Scientifically know as methylphenidate, Ritalin stimulates the central nervous

system with similarities to amphetamines in the nature and extent of its

effects; furthermore, it supposedly activates the brain stem arousal system and

the cerebral cortex (Bailey 3). The key factor remains that doctors and

researchers are not sure of what precisely occurs when Ritalin invades the human

body. Hancock notes that no definite long-term studies exist to assure parents

that Ritalin does not cause more or less havoc in their child, nor does any

disease accompany prolonged usage (52). Testing results released by the Federal

Drug Administration (FDA) in February 1996, show a study of mice in which a rare

form of liver cancer arose as a result of Ritalin; however, the FDA still

regards Ritalin as “safe and effective” (Hancock 56). Offering almost as many

side effects as the number of people who take the drug, Ritalin alters many

different aspects of the body. Just a few symptoms cited by Bailey include:

nervousness, insomnia, loss of appetite, dizziness, heart palpitations,

headaches, extreme weight loss, skin rashes, possible psychotic episodes, and

severe withdrawals (3). Most physicians would not admit to being blind about

the true consequences of Ritalin, and most families never receive the needed

information to make an educated decision about Ritalin whether or not to take

the drug.

To be a potent drug with many numerous physical effects, Ritalin is not

respected by doctors who spend only a short amount of time with patients before

prescribing the “wonder drug” as treatment. Findings of a recent survey by the

Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, report that almost half of the

pediatricians surveyed said they send ADD/ADHD children home within a hour

(Hancock 52). Time appears to be on the side of the doctors which leaves

patients and their families holding a possible “time bomb” of Ritalin. With

assembly line-like characteristics, physicians turn patients in one door and out

the other without conversing with teachers, reviewing a child’s educational

level, nor doing psychological evaluations (Hancock 52). After children use all

the Ritalin given with one prescription, new prescriptions are required for

additional doses (Bailey 5). Doctors as well as pharmacies benefit monetarily

from the constant appointments to the doctor and the many prescriptions

respectively, for a drug that may be doing more harm than good. No X-ray, blood

scan, or CT scan determines who does or does not need Ritalin (Hancock 52).

Hancock states that prescribing Ritalin has become more of an art form rather

than a scientific method (52). Physicians hand out Ritalin without proper

research and examination of each individual.

Using Ritalin creates psychological changes in addition to the medical

effects which become evident. Throughout life every person loses concentration

or does not pay attention to the present situation; however, if ADD was based

upon the individual occurrences that all humans experience, then the entire

world would be diagnosed with ADD and consuming Ritalin. Citing the main

criticism of Ritalin, Hancock states the drug is simply a quick fix for children

living in an impatient

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