ADHD Drugs, Good or bad idea?

Question

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/childrens_adhd/surveys?id=1631019

Answer 1

hmmm. a good question!

I think part of me says yes a good idea because the parents get less stress - don't take it out on the kid. the kid can concentrate better and develp deeper relationships and have the time to focus on the important things in life.

the other part of me says that it is stifling young minds that are far more active than many of the boring adults around them.

I guess though that at the end of the it is very relevanrt to the situation at the time. And as each case is diferent it should be dealt with upon its merits.

Answer 2

The fact that your child has ADHD combined with the fact that YOUR CHILD is telling you they DONT LIKE the medication but your LISTENING to the schools and the doctors and the principals makes me understand possibly, WHY your child has problems and WHY you would ever decide to put YOUR CHILD on medication that makes them uncomfortable or feel bad in any way. One lesser evil serving whos needs? If they make your child calm and feel funny. What are you trading in or compromising for calm? Who is the peace for?

It's all a direct conduit from one problem to another... No one wants to take the time for behavior modification these days. Everything now days is instant peace and instant gratification. You do know that these meds sometimes cause suicidal thoughts right? Those are the kinds of things that when they go too long not talked about, the end result can be something all the medication in the world can't fix.

I do not have these problems however, so it isin't fair to judge... "Walk a mile in my shoes." is completely understood and realized here, I honestly don't know what I personally would do in your situation when you see your own child suffering and you want to do ANYTHING to help them, but I don't know that I could medicate my children...To me it is removing the symptoms but not the cause, the underlying factors that create this behavior What about doing something to channel that kind of energy? I would only use drugs as a last resort when EVERYTHING, EVERY OTHER route has been exhausted.

I know adults that took the meds when they were kids who swear by them (even though they are still on one form of medication or another as adults) and I have read of children freaking out and in the worst case scenerio children who become so depressed they committed suicide because of them... This is a tough situation and I wish you all the peace in the world for your decision. At the end of the day... You have to live with you and no one else.

***To the lady right below me... If you have ever had a pharmaceutical rep come into your office and treat the entire staff to a catered lunch at a fancy restaurant just to be given 10 or 15 minutes to push the drug onto the prescribing physician... Then you wouldent have to be ignorant to assume, you would know it was true.

Answer 3

Good. I have ADHD and so does my son. Most medications for ADHD do NOT make you a zombie or change your personality in anyway. What they do do is help you to concentrate. They do not change your personality, they help to relieve some of the symptoms of ADHD so basically you are able to focus on what you need to. It is not 100% and not by any means a cure, but more of an aid such as, for example, glasses for a person who cannot read without them. I believe also that knowing is half the battle, so taking medication along with making some changes in how you do things to compensate can certainly go a long way towards making life a little easier for those who do have it. I take the meds and wish I had known when I was in school that I had ADHD and that there was help out there, it would have made a world of difference.

Answer 4

Depends on the person and the type of ADHD. We have two sons who take Ritalin and my husband takes Adderall. We only resorted to medication after trying just about every dietary change you can imagine and several different herbal supplements. Some people respond to the "natural" remedies, some don't. It's just like any other disorder ~ a lot of times you can control it without meds, but sometimes medication is the only way. There is a huge misconception that ADHD is over-diagnosed and that doctors get paid by pharmaceutical companies to endorse their drugs. I'm not so naive to assume this is impossible, but I will say that it is probably the exception and not the rule.

Answer 5

I was medicated with Cylert from 1st grade through 7th. I am currently a successful teacher and working on my Master's Degree. I graduated from college with a 3.74 and have a 4.0 in grad school.

I do NOT think I'd be where I am today without having been medicated those years. They allowed me to be successful in school in the all-important formative years of education.

That being said, I do NOT believe that folks should be medicated their entire lives. When I was taken off the meds, I was backed down slowly, over an full year. As the meds wound down, my brain took over and adapted to the change. I don't believe very young brains can handle the overload of ADHD without the support, and I don't believe that a sudden stoppage of meds works either.

One other factor in my development was that I was never, under any circumstances, allowed to blame bad behavior or grades on my ADHD. I was shamed into the belief that I should be able to control my behavior and that it was sad that I required the meds. This was erroneous and left me with some issues regarding prescriptions, but I DID become a successful adult.

All in all, I do believe the meds were helpful, but so was the fact that I was never allowed to use the disorder as a crutch.

Answer 6

Good - ADHD is a disorder of the neurotransmitters in the brain, and medication helps them function better. If your child needs glasses to see better, is it a bad idea to give him glasses? Not all drugs are bad. Sometimes people truly do need them. Proper nutrition and exercise also help this condition, but medication is also part of the program.

The link does not work for non-members of the group.

Answer 7

well anyone can awnser that question but unless they personly know what its like raisiing a child with adhd then they have no clue.my son was recently diagnosed with it befor he was on medication he was a terror he wouldnt listen he would scream if he didnt get his way for hours you couldnt take him anywhere he would wake up in the middle of the night and destroy the house and he would yell when he talked.now the medication it does not dope him up but he is a heck of alot easier to handle sleeps through the night dosent scream yell or throw half the temper tantrums that he use to.if a parent has enoough one on one time with there child i think that maybe the meds can be avoided but if they have other young children and cannot devote all that time it might be a good idea but always make sure you do reaserch on any meds you give your child.

Answer 8

I don't like the idea of giving children drugs because they're hyper. I think that it's natural for some kids to be hyper and I can sympathize because I have had to take care of very frustrating kids that were on those drugs. I felt aweful watching them all doped up. They would fall over and everything. It's horrible and it doesn't do them any good in the long run. I think they need to learn to control their behaviors just like the rest of us, even if that means we have to pull our hair out and smile.

Answer 9

bad bad bad bad... do a google search ask lots of docs... get second and third opinions... these drugs act like anti-depressants.
makes people catatonic & comotos excuses bad behavior and allows for the 'adults' to not have to work as hard. these are really just personality differences and learning differences. Society wants everybody one way, all learning at the same pace, looking the same way behaving the same way. RIDICULOUS!!!This is not a good idea.

http://www.ablechild.org/newsarchive/dunkles_testify_before_9-26-03.htm

Answer 10

My son is on ADHD drugs and she doesn't like them, although both the schools and psychologists insists that they are great wonders and not to be concern about side effects. I'm still undecided.