Why do children seem to be excessively hyper at school and home? Some say it is because they have a disease or disorder labeled as ADHD or ADD. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD) are generally characterized by abnormal levels of hyperactivity, inattentiveness and impulsivity. ADHD is a more hyperactive stage than ADD. When children act in this manner at school or at home, they are referred to a psychiatrist who then diagnoses them and prescribes them a treatment. Ritalin is the prescribed drug that is thought to calm the child and make him or her more attentive. There were sixteen thousand prescriptions for Ritalin in 1990 (Citizens 13). According to an article in The Detroit News, "Ritalin use in the United States has risen some 150 percent in the 1990s" (Pipp par. 1). Although ADHD and ADD are officially cited as diseases, some argue that they do not even exist. Likewise, there are arguments for and against the use of Ritalin. However, the arguments against ADD, ADHD, and Ritalin are more numerous, therefore ADHD and ADD are fraudulent diagnoses and their prescribed drug, Ritalin, should be abolished.
Some people say that ADD and ADHD are a result from an abnormality or chemical imbalance in the brain. However, Dr. Peter R, Breggin, psychiatrist and director of the International Center for the Psychiatry and Psychology points out that, " both the NIH Consensus Development Conference (1998) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (2000) report on ADHD have confirmed that there is no known biological basis for ADHD" (par. 21). Also, members of the FDA and DEA have both responded that there is no validation that ADHD is a disease (Citizens 10,11). The diagnosis is simply based on symptoms, such as constant talking, fidgeting, and inattentiveness. Dr. Breggin says, "Many children show signs of being distractible, overactive or impulsive, often depending on their circumstances or physical condition at the time, [b]ut that doesnt mean they have a disease, disorder [,] or syndrome suitable for treatment with stimulant drugs" (qtd.