Treat ADD Without Medication essays

Treat ADD Without Medication essays Attention Deficit Disorder is todays leading psychiatric disorder. ADD individuals tend to be hyperactive, fidgety, impulsive, have difficulties with waiting turns and being patient, inattentive, forgetful, and have problems focusing, paying attention, or concentrating on one thing. It seems as though today, physicians do not hesitate to prescribe medications to children. According to studies, only 3 to 5 percent of school age children have ADD or ADHD, yet 5 to 15 percent are on Ritalin, which is the most commonly used drug for the disorder. (Smith, 2003) Drugs are not the answer. They are only a temporary relief from the problem, as they mask the childs behaviors. Doctors today seem to just write out prescriptions for these instant, magical fixes, without even attempting to look deeper to find the root of the childs behavioral problems. These pills arent even safe, they come with serious side effects. Ritalin, which comes from the same family as cocaine, is said to cause appetite loss, anxiety, insomnia, tics, headaches, and stomach aches. It also only lasts 4 hours, for a temporary but quick fix. (Ullman, 1996, p. 42) There are so many better, longer lasting, safe, and cost efficient solutions to cope with ADD, other than medication. I know it can be done, because I for one, was a child with ADD. I have learned to cope with the disorder naturally all on my own. I was never diagnosed as a child, but I definitely had it because I could not concentrate, I never listened to directions, I never read any of the assigned books or readings because I could not sit still and concentrate. I used to get so frustrated that I would just walk away from my homework, and my parents would do it all for me, which is how I managed my way through elementary school. I never even knew what ADD was, and I was just recently diagnosed with it. I struggled all through high school because it took m...