Jordan Rager
English 1102
Inquiry Project
April 23, 2013
Why is Attention Deficit and Hyper-Activity Disorder so Prevalent
As a child I was often frustrated with school as a whole. I could hardly stay focused and
it always affected my grades. This continued all through elementary, middle, high school and
even into college until I decided natural remedies and herbs designed to help me focus no longer
worked. During Christmas break of this year I was diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed
medication. What I did not realize before I decided to take control of the situation is how severe
my ADHD was. Once I received my test results the doctor told me the lowest score for someone
to be diagnosed was a 20, I received a 56 on the test. Once I started my medication I noticed
immediate results not only in my schooling but in all aspects of my life. Before it would take me
hours to accomplish the things I now did in a very short period of time. I could remember things
now, when before there would be hundreds of sticky notes and reminders on my calendar. I
could also carry on a conversation without talking about fifty different things at one time.
Attention Deficit and Hyper-Activity Disorder also known as ADHD, is a “neurological
inefficiency in the area of the brain that controls impulses and is the center of executive functions
– the self-regulation and self-management functions of the brain” (Rief, 14). ADHD is a very
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complicated disorder because it has multiple underlying factors that can have an effect on how it
is expressed. Things like gender, coexisting conditions, look a-likes, possible causes of ADHD,
making the diagnosis, and all the different medications offered for this disorder, make sifting
through all of the information offered about the disorder very difficult. So for my inquiry project
I will do an exploratory paper on why ADHD is so prevalent in our society today. I plan to
cover everything from what the possible causes of the disorder are, to is there a cure for ADHD
in hopes of coming up with my own answer as to why ADHD is so prevalent.
A specific definition for ADHD is difficult to come by because many people make up
their own definition because they do not understand what the disorder is. It is a biological
disorder which means it is a disorder involving the brain. “Medical scientists think that ADHD
is caused by a chemical problem in the brain” (Beal, 9). Just like depression, or Alzheimer’s the
disorder cannot be prevented or cured because it involves the brain. The severity of the disorder
varies from person to person and from case to case.
The way it is expressed is different for every person as well. For example, boys express
the disorder in more hyperactive and impulsive ways, as girls tend to become introverted and
timid. The word “become” is confusing for most people because ADHD is often viewed as
something you are born with. Which in many cases may be true, but you wouldn’t notice the
signs of ADHD in a very small child. Most of the time a child will show signs of ADHD before
the age of seven. This is another issue for diagnosis because many parents cannot distinguish
between abnormal and typical “kid behavior.” In my case I did not really decide I had all of the
signs until college. ADHD can also develop if all of the factors that play a role in the causes of
the disorder are aligned just right. “Rates for ADHD diagnosis increased an average of 3% per
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year from 1997 to 2006 and an average of 5.5% per year from 2003 to 2007.” (“AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder”)
As stated before Gender plays a big role in how the disorder is expressed as well. “Boys
(13.2%) are more likely than Girls (5.6%) to be diagnosed with ADHD” (“AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder”). Many girls have problems with misdiagnosis or
underdiagnoses because they express ADHD by becoming very shy or timid and often times
struggle with learning difficulties, social problems, and low self-esteem. They then have the
tendencies to take these frustrations out at home that were hidden at school or social gatherings.
Lastly girls with ADHD often experience more peer rejection than boys with ADHD.
Boys with ADHD express the disorder in a very different way, and they are more likely
to be diagnosed. Boys often exhibit more hyperactivity and impulsivity in their symptoms and
this is often exhibited by not being able to sit or being constantly on the move. In the classroom
they may blurt out the answers, become aggressive with others, or interrupt others. They also do
not think how others might feel, this goes alongside with impulsivity. All these symptoms are
exhibited more in boys with ADHD and are obvious signs of the disorder, which is why boys are
more easily diagnosed.
Being diagnosed with ADHD is not supposed to be an easy task, although many doctors
make it very easy. To be properly diagnosed you are to have blood work done to make sure
there are no underlying health issues, take a test with multiple questions evaluating the severity
of your symptoms, and sometimes even visiting a psychiatrists is necessary for diagnosis. All of
these steps are not always taken which is why medication for ADHD has become a negative
thing instead of a positive. Some doctors listen to the patient’s complaints and determine,
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without doing any of the following steps, that the patient has ADHD. Usually being diagnosed
involves receiving medication, and this is why most of America is over-prescribed and overdiagnosed with ADHD.
With it being this easy for anyone with a focus problem to get their hands on the
medication, the selling of ADHD and ADD medications is becoming a very prevalent problem
on college campuses. There is talk about if this should be considered a form of cheating and
what can be done to solve this issue. One way to solve this problem would be to regulate the
diagnosis for ADHD and ADD patients. If there were harsher laws and tests done to be
diagnosed, then the problem would become less of a worry for college campuses. Also
monitoring students even more during exam times would help the problem since this is the time
that most students decide to use the medication.
On the other end of the spectrum there is talk around whether or not people diagnosed
with ADHD need to be medicated. Often times it is said that ADHD is an excuse for everything
from bad parenting to being a bully. I can only speak from personal experience when I say that
my being diagnosed had nothing to do with these excuses and everything to do with a disorder. I
believe that being prescribed medication was a positive thing, at least in my situation. Although
this may not be necessary for everyone, just like in my case, the patient may see more positive
effects in their everyday life. Just like any other neurological disorder ADHD sometimes
requires medication. Just like in Alzheimer’s patients the medication used in ADHD helps with
the symptoms but does not cure.
Although the cause of ADHD is not yet known there are many speculations around the
possibility that our everyday life could play a role in the cause of the disorder. Genes are said to
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play a big role in possible causes for the disorder. “ADHD has a strong genetic component, so
strong that diagnosed have a 1 in 5 chance to pass it on to their children” (“Living with ADHD”).
Environmental factors also play a role in the development of ADHD. For example
“Certain substances pregnant mothers consume or expose the developing fetus to are believed to
increase risk factors and may be a contributing cause for ADHD in some children” (Rief, 27).
Also people who are exposed to high levels of lead, which can be found in things like plumbing
or paint, may have higher risk of developing ADHD. Although there is not much to be done to
prevent these factors, learning about these specific genes will lead to better treatments. Also
avoiding the things that are within our control will help to prevent future diagnosis.
So why is ADHD so prevalent? In my opinion it is because so many more people are
being misdiagnosed than ever before. In the ever changing and ever growing society it is hard to
focus on a normal level, much less if you are the unfortunate one with a neurological disorder.
The “prescribe, prescribe, prescribe” type of society we live in today does not help with the
patients who do not necessarily need medications. With that being said I do believe to some
extent or in some cases ADHD does not need to be medicated, but in others, like my own I do
not think there should be a question surrounding medication. Maybe a solution could be that the
number for the ADHD screen test (mine being 56) should move from a required 20 to a 30 to be
able to qualify for medication. If the number were higher then that would cut out a huge
percentage of people who might not necessarily need to be medicated. This would also solve the
issue of doctors “giving out” prescriptions to low scoring patients.
Another idea would be require proof of blood tests and written tests for patients. Like I
stated before doctors just hand out this prescription without thinking of the possible
repercussions. On the other hand many patients go into the doctor’s office having talked to
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ADHD patients and already know the questions on the test, or they already know to estimate
high on all the questions to bump up your overall total. If there was a law that required
documentation and proof that blood tests and written tests were administered, and all the data
was recorded and reviewed, then there would be a little less wiggle room around if you do or do
not actually have the disorder. These are just a few ideas, but I believe medication truly has a
huge impact on why ADHD is so prevalent.
Many people do not actually know the effect ADHD medication can have on someone
who is not affected by the disorder. It is seen mainly in college settings used by college students
to pull an all-nighter, or used right before taking an exam to focus more. For someone with
ADHD it has the exact opposite effect; the medicine does not speed you up or help you to stay
awake, it actually slows them down and brings them down to everyone else’s level. This is why
everyone is trying to get their hands on ADHD medications. Just like the drug Speed, it helps
you to stay awake, gives you energy, and gives you “tunnel vision” in a sense. Who wouldn’t
want to have that during exam week? Although it does provide many beneficial elements to
people who are not affected with the disorder it obviously is not recommended; Possessing,
using, or selling of ADHD medication is a Felony in most states. I personally have seen people
walking through Atkins selling Adderall (an ADHD medication) for twenty five dollars a pill.
So not only is it beneficial to test takers, but it is financially beneficial to the people selling it
instead of taking it themselves.
Attention Deficit and Hyper-Activity disorder should not be a scary thing; it should not
be abused for privileges and benefits, or used as a money maker. It should be exactly what it is;
a neurological disorder in which the patient and doctor as partners should decide the best route
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for the patient. But this simply is not the case because of all the “hype” surrounding ADHD not
only as a disorder but for the medication used for it.
Works Cited
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“Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.” Center for Disease Control and Prevention.11
December 2011. Web. 29 April 2013.
Beal, Eileen. Everything You Need to Know About ADD/ADHD. Page 9. New York: Rosen
Pub.
Group, 1998. Internet Resource.
“Living With ADHD.” Youtube. BBC Documentary. 20 January 2013. Web. 1 April 2013.
O’Rouke, Frank. The ADD/ADHD Checklist: A Particular Reference for Parents and Teachers.
Segundo. New York: New American Library, 1982. Print: Page 14. Page 27.
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