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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 3 page research paper that briefly examined the controversy surrounding this psychoactive medication. A handful of psychoactive stimulants are being used routinely throughout the US to medicate children, adolescents and adults diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The most prevalent of these drugs is Ritalin (methylphenidate). On one side of the huge controversy that surrounds the use of psychoactive drugs with schoolchildren are horror stories of addiction, adverse side-effects and even death. There are accounts of parents being forced by school systems to medicate their children. On the other side of the debate are parents of ADHD children who testify that Ritalin is a "life saver" that enables pathologically hyper children to calm down sufficiently to learn and control their impulses (Rogers 50). The writer looks at both sides of this debate. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
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3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khritpc.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
these drugs is Ritalin (methylphenidate). On one side of the huge controversy that surrounds the use of psychoactive drugs with schoolchildren are horror stories of addiction, adverse side-effects and even
death. There are accounts of parents being forced by school systems to medicate their children. On the other side of the debate are parents of ADHD children who testify that
Ritalin is a "life saver" that enables pathologically hyper children to calm down sufficiently to learn and control their impulses (Rogers 50). Ritalin has been prescribed for 40
years for ADHD, yet it has only been recently that scientists have determined precisely how it works. The answer likes in the fact that Ritalin is very similar chemically to
cocaine. Like cocaine, Ritalin has an effect on dopamine levels in the brain (Vastag 905). Scientists now wonder if Ritalin use makes children more susceptible to drug addiction later in
life through "decreased dopamine brain activity" (Vastag 905). The controversy surrounding ADHD medication, such as Ritalin, is complicated by the fact that virtually all children display inattentive and hyperactive behavior
at times. As there is no clinical test for diagnosing ADHD, diagnosing this disorder properly is a complex process and should be done by an expert, who can rule out
vision problems or learning disabilities or "whether a childs behavior is simply immature or exuberant" ("Attention" 77). Accurate diagnosis of ADHD is critical, as scientists have recently determined that early
Ritalin use may have long-term consequences on normally functioning brains, leading to a predisposition to depression in later life ("Attention" 77). As to whether or not Ritalin is harmful
or helpful, this question definitely has to be decided on a case-by-case basis. Paul Johnston, now 13, was first placed on Ritalin when he was 5. When Ritalin was found
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